Plurals and gender of nouns in Malayalam

‘Kal’ and ‘maar’ are the plural suffixes used in Malayalam. The distribution of these two suffixes are as follows. You may note that The verb in Malayalam is not marked for number and gender. Nouns show singular plural distinction.

Umbrella — Kuta
Umbrellas — Kuta-kal

Plant — CheTi
Plants — CheTikaL

Deficiency — KuRavu
Shortcomings — KuRavukaL

City = nagaram
Cities =nagarangaL

Woman = sthree
Women = sthree-kaL

Man = purushan
Men = purushanmaar

Animate human nouns and animate non-human nouns take the suffix –maar when they have gender suffixes ( or when the noun is + Gender without suffix as in amma ‘Mother’ is amma-maar), and –kal otherwise.

Mother — Amma
Mothers — Amma-maar

Elder Sister — chEchi
Elder Sisters — chEchi-maar

Elder Brother — chEttan
Elder Brothers — chEttan-maar

Plural suffix is deleted when preceded by numeral adjectives

Four Dollar = naalu dollar
Four Dollars = naalu dollar

Five Days = Anchu Divasam (no need to add suffix here)

The verb does not take number and gender terminations in Malayalam. The suffix –an marks masculine gender and the suffix –i, feminine gender.

Male thief = KaLLan
Female thief = KaLLi

Smart boy = Mitukkan
Smart girl = Mitukki

Male actor = naTan
Female actor = naTi

Male singer = gaayak-an
Female singer = gaayika

Hero = naayakan
Heroine = naayika

Male teacher = adhyaapakan
Female teacher = adhyaapika

Now watch this video and you will notice several such usages… Learn these plurals before watching this video!

household = veettu kaaryangaL
kaaryam is singular and kaaryangAL is plural

vegetable = pachakkaRi
vegetables = pachakkaRi-kal

nutrient value = pOshakaamsam
nutrient value(s) = pOshakaamsangAL

Spinach — cheera

while chopping = ariyumbOL

cooking = paachakam

just before = thottu munp

pOshakaamsam = nutrients

loss = nashtam

will be lost = nashtam-aakum

plural of cover is ‘coveruKAL’

plural of paper bag is ‘paper baaguKAL

dissolve in water = veLLathil alinju chErum

while making = undaakkumpOL

saltwater = upp veLLam

good color = nalla niRam

turmeric powder = manjaL podi

won’t stick = ottippidikkilla

well done, hereafter you will notice these facts
while listening or viewing Malayalam programs!!!