Ways to say it
| Malayalam | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| സഹോദരന് | sahōdaraṉ | |
| ചേട്ടൻ | cēṭṭaṉ | /t͡ʃeːʈʈɐn/ |
| അനിയന് | aniyaṉ | |
| ഇക്ക | ikka | /ikkɐ/ |
In Malayalam, the term used to refer to a brother depends heavily on whether you are speaking formally, colloquially or referring to a specific age relative to yourself.
Which one should you use?
The term സഹോദരൻ is a general term for a brother. However, in daily life, speakers distinguish between an older brother, often called ചേട്ടൻ or ഇക്ക and a younger brother, referred to as അനിയന്.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
സഹോദരൻ is a formal or literary term. In everyday speech, people prefer specific terms for elder or younger siblings. ചേട്ടൻ is also considered a colloquial way to address an elder sibling.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Within the Muslim community in Kerala, the term ഇക്ക is commonly used to refer to an elder brother.
How do you pronounce it?
sahōdaraṉ
When do people say it?
In many parts of Kerala, ചേട്ടൻ is used as a respectful way to address any slightly older male, even if not biologically related.
Did you know?
- The word ഇക്ക used by the Muslim community in Kerala originates from the Arabic word for 'brother' أَخ.
- If you address a male shopkeeper or driver as ചേട്ടൻ, you are instantly shifting the social dynamic from a stranger to a friendly, respectful acquaintance.
- While സഹോദരൻ is the standard dictionary term, using it in a casual conversation can make you sound like a character from a formal poem or a textbook.
Example sentences for Malayalam are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Meera is talking to Manoj about her family.
- മീര Meeraഎന്റെ സഹോദരന് ഇന്ന് അവധിയാണ്.ente sahodarannu innu avadhiyanu.My brother has a holiday today.
- മനോജ് Manojഅവൻ എവിടെയാണ്?avan evideyanu?Where is he?
- മീര Meeraഅവൻ വീട്ടിൽ ഉറങ്ങുകയാണ്.avan veettil urangukayanu.He is sleeping at home.
- മനോജ് Manojശരി, പിന്നീട് വിളിക്കാം.shari, pinnidu vilikkam.Okay, I will call later.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “brother” translations and entries ചേട്ടൻ, ഇക്ക, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ഇക്ക, ചേട്ടൻ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
