Malayalam has two completely different kinds of no, and mixing them up is the most common grammatical error learners make. ഇല്ല says something does not exist or is not there; അല്ല says something exists but is not what you called it. This class fixes that pair for good with the sharpest contrast in the language: വെള്ളം ഇല്ല against ഇത് വെള്ളം അല്ല. Then the verb negatives for present, past and future, the three fixed negatives you will use daily, and negative concord: nobody, nothing and never need a negative verb too, exactly as in Spanish, Russian and older English. Words and phrases in this class: ഇല്ല (illa) – is not there, does not exist അല്ല (alla) – is not (that thing) എനിക്ക് സമയം ഇല്ല (enikku samayam illa) – I do not have time അവൻ ഇവിടെ ഇല്ല (avan ivide illa) – he is not here പ്രശ്നം ഇല്ല (prashnam illa) – no problem ഇത് എന്റെ വീട് അല്ല (ithu ente veedu alla) – this is not my house ഇത് വെള്ളം അല്ല (ithu vellam alla) – this is not water പോയില്ല (poyilla) – did not go വരില്ല (varilla) – will not come എനിക്ക് അറിയില്ല (enikku ariyilla) – I do not know എനിക്ക് പറ്റില്ല (enikku pattilla) – I cannot ആരും വന്നില്ല (aarum vannilla) – nobody came ഒരിക്കലും പോയിട്ടില്ല (orikkalum poyittilla) – I have never gone ഒട്ടും ഇഷ്ടമല്ല (ottum ishtamalla) – I do not like it at all In this class: • ഇല്ല for absence, അല്ല for identity, and the pair that fixes the difference • Not going, did not go, will not go: the verb negatives • I don't know, I can't, I'm unable: three negatives to learn as units • Nobody, nothing, never: negative concord, and why English dropped it Quizzes below. Dr. Reshmi R Nair — SpeakMalayalam.