For many learners, Malayalam lives mostly on one phone call home a week, and that call has a fixed shape. This is the Malayalam script edition of the calling-home class. You learn how Malayalis answer the phone (ഹലോ, ആരാണ്?, ഞാനാണ്), what to say when the line is bad, and the family circuit: asking after every person by name with the dative, as in അമ്മയ്ക്ക് സുഖമാണോ?. Then come the two questions asked on every call, the answers that stop people worrying, and the closing etiquette, where you ask permission to hang up instead of just saying goodbye. Words and phrases in this class: ആരാണ്? (aaraanu?) – who is it? ഞാനാണ് (njaanaanu) – it's me കേൾക്കുന്നുണ്ടോ? (kelkkunnundo?) – can you hear me? ലൈൻ ശരിയല്ല (line shariyalla) – the line is not good ഒന്ന് ഉറക്കെ പറയാമോ? (onnu urakke parayaamo?) – could you speak a little louder? അമ്മയ്ക്ക് സുഖമാണോ? (ammaykku sukhamaano?) – is Mother well? ചോറ് കഴിച്ചോ? (choru kazhicho?) – have you eaten? ഇല്ല, ഇനിയാണ് (illa, iniyaanu) – no, not yet എപ്പോഴാണ് വരുന്നത്? (eppozhaanu varunnathu?) – when are you coming? ഇനിയും തീരുമാനിച്ചിട്ടില്ല (iniyum theerumaanichittilla) – it is not decided yet വിഷമിക്കണ്ട (vishamikkanda) – don't worry എനിക്ക് ഒന്നും വേണ്ട (enikku onnum venda) – I don't need anything ശരി, വെച്ചോട്ടെ? (shari, vechotte?) – alright, shall I hang up? In this class: • Picking up the phone, and the lines for a bad connection • Going round the family one by one, and why that circuit is the point of the call • The two questions on every call: ചോറ് കഴിച്ചോ? and എപ്പോഴാണ് വരുന്നത്? • Closing properly with വെച്ചോട്ടെ?, asking permission to hang up Quizzes below. Dr. Reshmi R Nair — SpeakMalayalam.