After learning the vowels, English speakers usually try to memorise the consonants as a long, random list, like learning a phone book. Then they meet joined letters, where two consonants melt into one shape, and tiny end-of-word letters that look like nothing they have seen, and they give up. The typical mistake is treating the script as random shapes to memorise one by one. In this episode: • The consonant rows • Chillu letters • Common joined letters • Reading labels in a kerala kitchen • Reading signs around the house and street • Listening scene • Language bridge • Practice • Self-check questions with answers Key phrases from this episode: ക ഖ ഗ ഘ ങ (ka kha ga gha nga) = the k row, made at the back of the mouth ച ഛ ജ ഝ ഞ (cha chha ja jha nja) = the ch row, made with the middle of the tongue ട ഠ ഡ ഢ ണ (ta tha da dha na) = the curled row, tongue tip bent back ത ഥ ദ ധ ന (tha thha da dha na) = the soft row, tongue on the teeth പ ഫ ബ ഭ മ (pa pha ba bha ma) = the p row, made with the lips യ ര ല വ (ya ra la va) = y, tapped r, soft l, v ശ ഷ സ ഹ (sha sha sa ha) = two kinds of sh, then s and h ള ഴ റ (la zha ra) = heavy l, the zha, the stronger r ചായ (chaaya) = tea പഞ്ചസാര (panchasaara) = sugar ഉപ്പ് (uppu) = salt അരി (ari) = rice അരിപ്പൊടി (arippodi) = rice flour മുളകുപൊടി (mulakupodi) = chilli powder മഞ്ഞൾപ്പൊടി (manjalppodi) = turmeric powder വെളിച്ചെണ്ണ (velichenna) = coconut oil സ്വാഗതം (swaagatham) = welcome അകത്ത് (akathu) = inside പുറത്ത് (purathu) = outside തുറന്നിരിക്കുന്നു (thurannirikkunnu) = open 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.