Get this right and you sound considerate. Get it wrong and you sound blunt without meaning to. English has one word, give. Malayalam builds the direction into the verb: തരുക when it comes to me, കൊടുക്കുക when it goes to someone else. Attach തരുക to any verb and a bare request becomes a polite favour — the difference between can you do this and could you do this for me. Words in this class: തരുക (tharuka) – to give (to me or us) കൊടുക്കുക (kodukkuka) – to give (to someone else) പുസ്തകം തരാമോ? (pusthakam tharaamo?) – could you give me the book? അവന് പുസ്തകം കൊടുക്ക് (avanu pusthakam kodukku) – give him the book പറഞ്ഞു തരുക (paranju tharuka) – to explain (for my benefit) എഴുതി തരുക (ezhuthi tharuka) – to write it out for me കാണിച്ചു തരുക (kaanichu tharuka) – to show me ഇത് ചെയ്തു തരാമോ? (ithu cheythu tharaamo?) – can you do this for me? വഴി പറഞ്ഞു തരാമോ? (vazhi paranju tharaamo?) – will you tell me the way? ഒരു ഫോട്ടോ എടുത്തു തരാമോ? (oru photo eduthu tharaamo?) – will you take a photo for me? പറഞ്ഞു കൊടുക്കുക (paranju kodukkuka) – to explain to someone else കിട്ടുക (kittuka) – to receive, to get In this class: • Why Malayalam, like Japanese, has two verbs for give • തരുക as a favour marker — explain it for me, write it for me, show me • The most polite everyday request: ഒന്ന് ... തരാമോ? • The receiving side, and the culture of obligation the grammar encodes Quizzes below. Dr. Reshmi R Nair — SpeakMalayalam.