English has one "you" and one "come!" for everyone, so politeness lives in extra words like "please" and "would you mind". English speakers carry that habit into Malayalam: they learn one command form, such as വാ (vaa) = come, and use it with a grandmother, adding "please" in English. That sounds like ordering an elder about. In this episode: • Two levels of command • The warm plea -e and the insisting -anam • Varunnu, varunnundo, varumo • Saying "you" to elders • Polite offers and replies • Language bridge • Practice • Self-check questions with answers Key phrases from this episode: വാ (vaa) = come, to a child വരൂ (varoo) = please come, polite ഇരിക്ക് (irikku) = sit ഇരിക്കൂ (irikkoo) = please sit കഴിക്ക് (kazhikku) = eat കഴിക്കൂ (kazhikkoo) = please eat പറ (para) = say it, tell me പറയൂ (parayoo) = please tell me പതുക്കെ പറയൂ (pathukke parayoo) = please speak slowly വരണേ (varane) = do come, please ശ്രദ്ധിക്കണേ (shraddhikkane) = please take care വരണം (varanam) = you must come ഞായറാഴ്ച വരണം (njaayaraazhcha varanam) = you must come on Sunday വരുന്നു (varunnu) = is coming, comes വരുന്നുണ്ടോ? (varunnundo?) = are you coming? (checking a fact) വരുമോ? (varumo?) = will you come? (a gentle invitation) ഒന്ന് സഹായിക്കാമോ? (onnu sahaayikkaamo?) = could you help me a moment? ഒന്ന് നോക്കാമോ? (onnu nokkaamo?) = could you take a look? നീ (nee) = you, to a child or close friend നിങ്ങൾ (ningal) = you, plural or polite താങ്കൾ (thaankal) = you, very formal, for official use അമ്മ കഴിച്ചോ? (amma kazhicho?) = Amma, have you eaten? 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.