English leans on tiny words like "already", "just", "yet", "still" and "ever". English speakers hunt for one Malayalam word for each and translate directly, so "Have you ever been to Kerala?" becomes a stiff sentence with "eppozhenkilum" stuck in front. Malayalam usually puts this meaning inside the verb itself, with endings like -ittundo. In this episode: • Kazhinju: finished and already done • Just now and right now • So far, not yet and still • Ever and never: the -ittundo form • An invented scene: the new neighbour • Language bridge • Practice • Self-check questions with answers Key phrases from this episode: പണി കഴിഞ്ഞു (pani kazhinju) = the work is done. ക്ലാസ് കഴിഞ്ഞോ? (class kazhinjo?) = is the class over? ഞാൻ കഴിച്ചു കഴിഞ്ഞു (njaan kazhichu kazhinju) = I've finished eating. കഴിഞ്ഞ ആഴ്ച (kazhinja aazhcha) = last week. Kazhinja literally means "the finished one". ഇപ്പോൾ (ippol) = now. In speech it is usually ഇപ്പോ (ippo). ഇപ്പോ തന്നെ (ippo thanne) = right now, this very moment. Thanne adds "exactly". ഇപ്പോ തന്നെ വാ (ippo thanne vaa) = come right now. അവൻ ഇപ്പോ വന്നതേ ഉള്ളൂ (avan ippo vannathe ulloo) = he has only just arrived. ഞാൻ ഇപ്പോ എണീറ്റതേ ഉള്ളൂ (njaan ippo eneettathe ulloo) = I've only just got up. ഇതുവരെ (ithuvare) = so far, up to now. With a negative verb it means "not yet". അവൻ ഇതുവരെ വന്നില്ല (avan ithuvare vannilla) = he hasn't come yet. ചോറ് ഇതുവരെ ആയില്ലേ? (choru ithuvare aayille?) = isn't the rice ready yet? ഇതുവരെ കഴിഞ്ഞില്ല (ithuvare kazhinjilla) = it's not finished yet. ഇപ്പോഴും (ippozhum) = still, even 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.