നീ ഭക്ഷണം കഴിച്ചോ?
nī bhakṣaṇaṁ kazhiccō?
In Malayalam, "did you eat" is said as നീ ഭക്ഷണം കഴിച്ചോ? (nī bhakṣaṇaṁ kazhiccō?).
This phrase is used as a question to ask if someone has had a meal.
Which one should you use?
While ഭക്ഷണം കഴിച്ചോ? is the grammatically complete way to ask if someone has eaten, in casual conversation, speakers often omit the word for food and simply ask കഴിച്ചോ? (kazhiccō?).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase നീ ഭക്ഷണം കഴിച്ചോ? is informal and is suitable for use with friends or younger people because it uses the pronoun നീ (nī). To make the question formal or polite, which is appropriate for elders or strangers, you should replace നീ with നിങ്ങൾ (niṅṅaḷ).
How do you pronounce it?
nī bhakṣaṇaṁ kazhiccō?
Did you know?
- Asking കഴിച്ചോ? (kazhiccō?) is often used as a way to say 'hello' or to show care, much like asking 'how are you?' in English.
- The root of the verb കഴിക്കുക (kazhikkuka) can also be used to describe 'spending' time or 'consuming' a resource, not just eating food.
- When asking an elder if they have eaten, it is common to use a gesture of bowing the head slightly or avoid direct eye contact to show respect.
Example conversation
Rahul and Meera are talking on the phone in the evening.
- രാഹുൽ Rahulമീര, നീ ഭക്ഷണം കഴിച്ചോ?Meera, nee bhakshanam kazhiccho?Meera, did you eat?
- മീര Meeraഇല്ല രാഹുൽ, ഞാൻ ഇതുവരെ കഴിച്ചില്ല.illa Rahul, njan ithuvare kazhichilla.No Rahul, I haven't eaten yet.
- രാഹുൽ Rahulഎങ്കിൽ വേഗം പോയി ഭക്ഷണം കഴിക്കൂ.engil vegam poyi bhakshanam kazhikkoo.Then go and eat quickly.
- മീര Meeraശരി, ഞാൻ കഴിക്കാം.shari, njan kazhikkam.Okay, I will eat.
