The single most practical workaround in language learning: describe the thing you cannot name, precisely enough to get it. Four parts, in this order: what kind of thing it is, what it is made of, what it looks like, and what it is for. Start with the opening phrase that tells the shopkeeper to start guessing, and you will never get stuck on a missing word again. Words in this class: എനിക്ക് പേര് അറിയില്ല (enikku peru ariyilla) – I don't know the name ഒരു സാധനം വേണം (oru saadhanam venam) – I need a thing സാധനം (saadhanam) – thing, item ഉപകരണം (upakaranam) – tool, device പാത്രം (paathram) – vessel, container കുപ്പി (kuppi) – bottle പെട്ടി (petti) – box കയർ (kayar) – rope തടി കൊണ്ടുള്ളത് (thadi kondullathu) – made of wood വലിയ (valiya) – big ചെറിയ (cheriya) – small ഉരുണ്ട (urunda) – round പരന്ന (paranna) – flat ഭാരമുള്ള (bhaaramulla) – heavy In this class: • The opening phrase that switches the listener into guessing mode • Category words — thing, tool, container, bottle, box, rope • Materials, size, shape and texture, with 'about the size of a coin' • Function: with that, one does X — the part that gets you understood Quizzes below. Dr. Reshmi R Nair — SpeakMalayalam.