നിൽക്കൂ
nilkkū
To wait in Malayalam is to say നിൽക്കൂ (nilkkū).
The verb is used to express the action of delaying something until a specific event occurs.
Meaning: delay until some event (verb)
Which one should you use?
While നിൽക്കൂ is the standard form, you can use the informal നിൽക്ക് when speaking to friends or younger people. To make a request sound more polite and soft, you can add the suffix -ne to form നിൽക്കണേ.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form നിൽക്ക് is the informal or casual way to say 'wait' to friends or younger people. For a more polite and soft request, use നിൽക്കണേ.
How do you pronounce it?
nilkkū
Did you know?
- While നിൽക്കൂ means 'wait', the word നിൽ (nil) actually means 'to stand'. In many contexts, asking someone to 'wait' is literally asking them to 'remain standing'.
- While നിൽക്കണേ is a soft request, adding the particle ഒന്ന് before the verb, as in ഒന്ന് നിൽക്കണേ, makes the request for waiting feel even more tentative and polite.
- If you want to say 'wait' in the sense of 'hold on' during a phone call, a Malayalam speaker is more likely to use a phrase related to 'keeping' or 'holding' rather than the literal 'stand' root.
Examples in context
- അവിടെ കുറച്ചു നേരം നിൽക്കൂ.avide kurachu neram nilkkoo.Wait there for a while.
- മഴ മാറുന്നത് വരെ അവിടെ നിൽക്കൂ.mazha maarunnath vare avide nilkkoo.Wait there until the rain stops.
Example conversation
Manoj and Sridevi are waiting for a bus.
- മനോജ് Manojബസ് വരുന്നത് വരെ നിൽക്കൂ.bus varunnathu vare nilkkoo.Wait until the bus comes.
- ശ്രീദേവി Srideviശരി, ഞാൻ ഇവിടെ നിൽക്കാം.shari, njan ivide nilkkam.Okay, I will wait here.
- മനോജ് Manojഅത് വരുന്നു, നിൽക്കൂ.athu varunnu, nilkkoo.It is coming, wait.
- ശ്രീദേവി Srideviഅതെ, അത് എത്തി.athe, athu ethi.Yes, it has arrived.
