Every family negotiates homework, exams and screens, and in Kerala homes the negotiating happens in quick, half-English Malayalam. English speakers trying to set a rule usually translate "Don't use the phone" with one strong word for "don't" and use it for everything. But Malayalam has several ways to say "don't", from gentle to firm, and choosing the wrong one makes a parent sound either harsh or not serious. In this episode: • Homework • Exams and marks • Screen time • Three ways to say "don't" • Bargaining, praise and warnings • An invented scene: the phone at homework time • Language bridge • Practice • Self-check questions with answers Key phrases from this episode: പഠിക്കാനുണ്ടോ? (padikkaanundo?) = Do you have studying to do? ഇത് എനിക്ക് മനസ്സിലാകുന്നില്ല (ithu enikku manassilaakunnilla) = I don't understand this ഞാൻ പറഞ്ഞു തരാം (njaan paranju tharaam) = I'll explain it to you ഒന്നൂടെ വായിച്ചു നോക്ക് (onnoode vaayichu nokku) = read it once more ആദ്യം നീ ഒന്ന് ശ്രമിക്ക് (aadyam nee onnu shramikku) = try it yourself first പരീക്ഷ (pareeksha) = exam പരീക്ഷ എന്നാ? (pareeksha ennaa?) = When is the exam? നന്നായി പഠിക്കണം (nannaayi padikkanam) = you need to study well നല്ല മാർക്ക് കിട്ടി (nalla mark kitti) = I got good marks എത്ര മാർക്ക് കിട്ടി? (ethra mark kitti?) = How many marks did you get? ടെൻഷൻ അടിക്കണ്ട (tension adikkanda) = don't stress ഫോൺ മാറ്റിവയ്ക്ക് (phone maattivaykku) = put the phone away ടിവി ഓഫ് ചെയ്യ് (TV off cheyyu) = switch off the TV ഇനി മതി (ini mathi) = that's enough now 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.