അത്താഴം
attāḻaṁ/ɐt̪t̪aːɻɐm/
The English word "dinner" is അത്താഴം (attāḻaṁ) in Malayalam.
അത്താഴം refers specifically to the evening meal.
Meaning: evening meal (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is derived from a root related to sleeping or staying the night, implying the meal eaten before sleep.
Which one should you use?
While അത്താഴം refers to the evening meal, the term ഉച്ചഭക്ഷണം is used for lunch.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In casual conversation, people often use the colloquial phrase രാത്രി ഭക്ഷണം, which literally means "night food", instead of the more formal അത്താഴം.
How does it change in a sentence?
അത്താഴം is a noun that does not change its form based on whether it is the subject or the object of a sentence, though it may take case endings, such as in the phrase അത്താഴം കഴിച്ചു (ate dinner).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ɐt̪t̪aːɻɐm/ (attāḻaṁ).
Did you know?
- In traditional Kerala homes, അത്താഴം is historically eaten on the floor while sitting on a mat, rather than at a table.
- The phonetic sound /ɻ/ in അത്താഴം is a rare retroflex approximant that is notoriously difficult for non-native speakers to pronounce correctly.
- The word അത്താഴം shares a common ancestor with the Tamil word அத்தாளம், making them linguistic cousins.
Examples in context
- ഞാൻ ചിലപ്പോൾ അത്താഴം പാകം ചെയ്യും.I sometimes cook dinner.This sentence is useful for learning how to use അത്താഴം in the context of cooking.Tatoeba #1776851 by jjrodz, translation #258163 by CK
- അത്താഴം തയ്യാറാണ്.athazham thayyarannu.Dinner is ready.
- നമുക്ക് അത്താഴം കഴിക്കാം.namukku athazham kazhikkam.Let's have dinner.
Example conversation
Manoj and Anjali are talking in the kitchen.
- അഞ്ജലി Anjaliമനോജ്, അത്താഴം തയ്യാറായോ?Manoj, athāḻam thayyārayō?Manoj, is dinner ready?
- മനോജ് Manojഇല്ല, അഞ്ജലി, അഞ്ചു മിനിറ്റ് കൂടി വേണം.illa, Anjali, aññu minit kūṭi vēṇam.No, Anjali, it needs five more minutes.
- അഞ്ജലി Anjaliഞാൻ മേശ വൃത്തിയാക്കാം.ñān mēsha vr̥thiyākkām.I will clean the table.
- മനോജ് Manojശരി, നമുക്ക് ഉടനെ അത്താഴം കഴിക്കാം.shari, namukku uṭane athāḻam kaḻikkām.Okay, let's have dinner soon.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry അത്താഴം, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries അത്താഴം, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
