ഹലോ
halō/häloː/
The English word "hey" can be translated into Malayalam as ഹലോ (halō).
ഹലോ is used as an informal greeting.
Meaning: informal greeting (intj)
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is halō. The IPA transcription is /häloː/.
Did you know?
- Malayalam speakers may use എന്താ ('What?') as a functional equivalent to 'hey' when greeting a friend, serving as both a greeting and an inquiry into what is happening.
- In many parts of Kerala, instead of saying 'hey' to get a stranger's attention, people might use a specific sound or a call like 'ayi' or 'ade' depending on the social context and age of the person.
- While ഹലോ is used on the phone, it is rarely used to greet someone in person in Kerala. For an in-person greeting, people are more likely to use a traditional physical gesture like a 'namaskaram' or simply a nod.
Examples in context
- ഹലോ, സുഖമാണോ?halō, sukhamāṇō?Hello, how are you?
- ഹലോ, എവിടെയാണ് നീ?halō, eviṭeyāṇu nī?Hello, where are you?
Example conversation
Two friends meeting at a cafe.
- ശ്രീദേവി Srideviഹലോ, മനോജ്!Hello, Manoj!Hey, Manoj!
- മനോജ് Manojഹലോ, ശ്രീദേവി!Hello, Sridevi!Hey, Sridevi!
- ശ്രീദേവി Srideviഎങ്ങനെയുണ്ട് വിശേഷങ്ങൾ?Enganeyundu visheshangal?How are things going?
- മനോജ് Manojഎല്ലാം നന്നായി പോകുന്നു.Ellam nannayi pokunnu.Everything is going well.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ഹലോ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
