When someone tells you news, English speakers react with "really?", "oh no", "that's great" or "never mind". Translated word by word, "really?" becomes something stiff like ശരിക്കും സത്യമാണോ? (sharikkum sathyamaano?) = is it truly the truth?, which sounds like an interrogation. In this episode: • "oh, really?": showing you are listening • Bad news: ayyo, kashtam, paavam • Comfort and good news • Everyday response words • Language bridge • Practice • Self-check questions with answers Key phrases from this episode: ആണോ? (aano?) = oh, is it? really? അതെയോ? (atheyo?) = is that so? ശരിയാണോ? (sheriyaano?) = is that right? really? സത്യം? (sathyam?) = truly? honestly? ആഹാ (aahaa) = oh, I see, how nice അയ്യോ (ayyo) = oh no (pain, shock, a dropped glass, bad news) അയ്യോ, എന്തു പറ്റി? (ayyo, enthu patti?) = oh no, what happened? കഷ്ടം (kashtam) = what a pity, that's too bad അയ്യോ കഷ്ടം (ayyo kashtam) = oh, what a shame പാവം (paavam) = poor thing (said about the person suffering) പാവം കുട്ടി (paavam kutti) = poor child സാരമില്ല (saaramilla) = never mind, it doesn't matter, it's okay സാരമില്ല, പോട്ടെ (saaramilla, potte) = never mind, let it go കൊള്ളാം (kollaam) = nice, good, not bad കൊള്ളാമല്ലോ (kollaamallo) = hey, that's nice! നന്നായി (nannaayi) = well done, that's good അടിപൊളി (adipoli) = awesome, super (very casual, young people's word) ഹോ (ho) = phew, wow (relief or amazement) ഹോ, രക്ഷപ്പെട്ടു (ho, rakshappettu) = phew, saved! എന്തോ (entho) = yes? (when someone calls your name; respectful, used with elders) 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.