അത്താഴം കഴിച്ചു
atthāzham kazhicchu
The Malayalam phrase for "had dinner" is അത്താഴം കഴിച്ചു (atthāzham kazhicchu).
This phrase is used to say that someone has already eaten their evening meal.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of atthāzham (dinner) and kazhicchu (ate/consumed).
Which one should you use?
You can also say ഭക്ഷണം കഴിച്ചു which literally means 'ate food' to imply having a meal.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
അത്താഴം കഴിച്ചു is a standard, polite way to state that one has eaten dinner.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb kazhicchu is the past tense of kazhikku (to eat).
How do you pronounce it?
atthāzham kazhicchu
Did you know?
- In Kerala, asking അത്താഴം കഴിച്ചോ? ('did you have dinner?') is often used as a general greeting to show care, similar to saying 'how are you' in English.
- The pronunciation of the 'zh' in atthāzham is a unique sound found in Malayalam that does not exist in English, requiring you to curl your tongue much further back.
- The word ഭക്ഷണം ('food'), used in the alternative phrase ഭക്ഷണം കഴിച്ചു, is derived from Sanskrit and is used across many Indian languages.
Examples in context
- അവൻ അത്താഴം കഴിച്ചു.avan athazham kazhicchu.He had dinner.
- കുട്ടികൾ അത്താഴം കഴിച്ചു.kuttikal athazham kazhicchu.The children had dinner.
Example conversation
Vishnu calls Meera late at night to check on her.
- വിഷ്ണു Vishnuമീര, നീ അത്താഴം കഴിച്ചോ?meera, nee athazham kazhiccho?Meera, did you have dinner?
- മീര Meeraഅതെ, ഞാൻ അത്താഴം കഴിച്ചു.athe, njan athazham kazhicchu.Yes, I had dinner.
- വിഷ്ണു Vishnuഎങ്കിൽ കുഴപ്പമില്ല.enkil kuzhappamilla.In that case, it is fine.
- മീര Meeraവിഷ്ണു, നീ അത്താഴം കഴിച്ചോ?vishnu, nee athazham kazhiccho?Vishnu, did you have dinner?
