മകൻ
makaṉ
In Malayalam, 'son' is expressed as മകൻ (makaṉ). Wiktionary also lists പുത്രൻ (putraṉ) and തനയൻ (tanayaṉ).
Meaning: a male person in relation to his parents (noun)
Ways to say it
| Malayalam | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| മകൻ | makaṉ | |
| പുത്രൻ | putraṉ | /put̪rɐn/ |
| തനയൻ | tanayaṉ |
The phrase refers to a male person in relation to his parents.
Which one should you use?
മകൻ is the standard, everyday word for 'son' used in most contexts.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal contexts, പുത്രൻ is appropriate. തനയൻ is reserved for literary or highly formal writing.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In northern Kerala, people commonly use kunju to address a son affectionately.
How do you pronounce it?
makaṉ
When do people say it?
When addressing a son informally, the term Kuttan can be used, which translates to 'little boy' or 'little one'.
Did you know?
- In many Malayalam-speaking households, a mother might not use the word 'son' at all when calling him, instead using the name of a relative or a generic term of endearment like മോനേ (my son/dear boy).
- The formal word പുത്രൻ is borrowed from Sanskrit, meaning that Malayalam uses a different linguistic root for 'son' depending on whether the speaker is at home or in a formal setting.
- The affectionate term കുഞ്ഞ് (kunju) can be used to refer to a son, but it is not exclusive to males and can also be used for daughters or even small animals.
Examples in context
- അവന്റെ മകൻ സ്കൂളിൽ പോകുന്നു.avante makan schoolil pokunnu.His son is going to school.
- എനിക്ക് ഒരു മകൻ ഉണ്ട്.enikku oru makan undu.I have a son.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “son” translations and entries മകൻ, പുത്രൻ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries പുത്രൻ, മകൻ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
