നമസ്കാരം
namaskāraṁ/n̪ɐmɐskaːɾɐm/
namaskaram is the Malayalam phrase for a respectful greeting used to say hello or goodbye.
നമസ്കാരം is a respectful greeting used to say hello or goodbye. It is the standard and most widely used formal way to greet someone in Malayalam.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is derived from Sanskrit, where namas means 'bow' or 'salutation' and kara refers to 'doing' or 'making'.
Which one should you use?
While നമസ്കാരം is formal, the phrase എന്തൊക്കെയുണ്ട്? (What's up/How are things?) is a much more casual way to greet friends or peers.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
നമസ്കാരം is a formal and polite way to greet someone, making it suitable for professional settings, elders or strangers.
How do you pronounce it?
namaskāraṁ (/n̪ɐmɐskaːɾɐm/)
Did you know?
- When saying namaskaram, people often perform the 'anjali mudra' by pressing their palms together in front of the chest. This gesture symbolizes the meeting of two souls and the recognition of the divine within the other person.
- The word namaskaram shares a linguistic root with the word 'namaste', making it a regional cousin to the most famous Indian greeting known globally.
- In Malayalam, namaskaram is used not just as a greeting, but as a formal way to open and close a public speech or a television broadcast.
Examples in context
- എല്ലാവർക്കും നമസ്കാരം.ellavarkkum namaskaram.Greetings to everyone.
Example conversation
Meera meets Rahul at a formal event.
- മീര Meeraരാഹുൽ, നമസ്കാരം!rahul, namaskaram!Rahul, greetings!
- രാഹുൽ Rahulമീര, നമസ്കാരം. സുഖമാണോ?meera, namaskaram. sukhamano?Meera, greetings. How are you?
- മീര Meeraഎനിക്ക് സുഖമാണ്, നന്ദി.enikku sukhamanu, nandi.I am fine, thank you.
- രാഹുൽ Rahulഅത് കേട്ടതിൽ സന്തോഷം.athu kettathil santhosham.Glad to hear that.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry നമസ്കാരം, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
