English turns an action into a thing with -ing or "what": cooking is fun, I like reading, what you said is right. English speakers look for a Malayalam -ing and grab the dictionary form, saying പാചകം ചെയ്യുക രസമാണ് (paachakam cheyyuka rasamaanu), which sounds like a line from a grammar table. Malayalam has one simple tool for this: add ത് (thu), "that thing", to the verb. In this episode: • The "-ing" thing: -unnathu • Liking and judging actions • "what i said": past action-nouns • Everyday questions with action-nouns • -unnathu or -aan? • Language bridge • Practice • Self-check questions with answers Key phrases from this episode: ചെയ്യുന്നു (cheyyunnu) = does → ചെയ്യുന്നത് (cheyyunnathu) = doing പോകുന്നു (pokunnu) = goes → പോകുന്നത് (pokunnathu) = going ഉറങ്ങുന്നു (urangunnu) = sleeps → ഉറങ്ങുന്നത് (urangunnathu) = sleeping പാചകം ചെയ്യുന്നത് രസമാണ് (paachakam cheyyunnathu rasamaanu) = cooking is fun അനുവിന് വായിക്കുന്നത് ഇഷ്ടമാണ് (anuvinu vaayikkunnathu ishtamaanu) = Anu likes reading ഇപ്പോൾ ചെയ്യുന്നതാണ് നല്ലത് (ippol cheyyunnathaanu nallathu) = it's better to do it now പറഞ്ഞു (paranju) = said → പറഞ്ഞത് (paranjathu) = what (someone) said വാങ്ങി (vaangi) = bought → വാങ്ങിയത് (vaangiyathu) = what (someone) bought കഴിച്ചു (kazhichu) = ate → കഴിച്ചത് (kazhichathu) = what (someone) ate ഞാൻ പറഞ്ഞത് (njaan paranjathu) = what I said നീ പറഞ്ഞത് ശരിയാണ് (nee paranjathu sheriyaanu) = what you said is right ഞാൻ പറഞ്ഞത് കേട്ടോ? (njaan paranjathu ketto?) = did you hear what I said? 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.