English has phrasal verbs like "get ready", "switch on", "take off". Malayalam has its own trick: a handful of busy little verbs that join with nouns, English words or other verbs to make thousands of new meanings. Linguists call these light verbs, which simply means verbs that do grammar work while the noun carries the meaning. In this episode: • Cheyyuka: the cheat code for english words • Aakuka and aakkuka: become and make • Pidikkuka and edukkuka: catch and take • Kodukkuka: give, and doing it for someone • Pokuka and varuka as helpers • An invented scene: late for school • Language bridge • Practice • Self-check questions with answers Key phrases from this episode: ഹെൽപ്പ് ചെയ്യാമോ? (help cheyyaamo?) = Could you help? ഞാൻ കോൾ ചെയ്യാം (njaan call cheyyaam) = I'll call. ടിക്കറ്റ് ബുക്ക് ചെയ്തു (ticket book cheythu) = I booked the ticket. ഫോൺ ചാർജ് ചെയ്യണം (phone charge cheyyanam) = I need to charge the phone. ഷർട്ട് അയൺ ചെയ്യണം (shirt iron cheyyanam) = The shirt needs ironing. ജോലി ചെയ്യുക (joli cheyyuka) = to work യാത്ര ചെയ്യുക (yaathra cheyyuka) = to travel സഹായം ചെയ്യുക (sahaayam cheyyuka) = to do a favour ആകുക (aakuka) = to become. It happens by itself. ആക്കുക (aakkuka) = to make something become. Somebody causes it. ലേറ്റ് ആയി (late aayi) = It got late. റെഡി ആയി (ready aayi) = I'm ready. Literally "became ready". ചായ റെഡി ആക്കാം (chaaya ready aakkaam) = I'll get the tea ready. ശരിയായി (shariyaayi) = It got sorted. ശരിയാക്കാം (shariyaakkaam) = I'll fix it. ചോറ് ചൂടാക്കണം (choru choodaakkanam) = The rice needs heating up. Learn Spoken Malayalam at Home: a complete course in everyday spoken Malayalam for English speakers. Native Malayalam pronunciation, every phrase in Malayalam script, Manglish and English, plus a language bridge comparing Malayalam with other world languages. Listen, repeat out loud, then take the 52-question quiz. Audio voiced with AI from an original script by Dr. Rashmi R Nair.