My child understands Malayalam but doesn’t speak it— Here's What You Can Do

This is a common concern among Malayali families living outside Kerala. Many children in the Malayali diaspora understand Malayalam perfectly but choose to speak only the dominant language of their country of residence—usually English.

If your child is doing the same, you’re not alone. With a little patience and encouragement, you can help them become comfortable speaking Malayalam too.

Why do children avoid speaking Malayalam?

Even when Malayalam is spoken at home, children often stick to English. Why?

Here are some common reasons:

They hear Malayalam only at home, not in school or social settings.
Their teachers, friends, peers don’t speak Malayalam.
They fear making mistakes.
They have limited interaction with native Malayalam speakers.

There may be other factors too, but the key thing to remember is: they already understand the language. Now it’s about building confidence to speak.

How to encourage young kids to learn Malayalam

Since your child already understands Malayalam, you’re halfway there! The next step is gently encouraging them to speak. Here are some simple and effective strategies:

Speak only Malayalam at home

Make Malayalam the default language at home
stick to Malayalam in everyday conversation.
This helps them normalize the language.

Tip: Don’t worry if your child responds in English at first—just keep speaking Malayalam naturally.

Play fun language games

Make learning fun:

Ask them: ‘Do you know how we say that in Malayalam?’
Play guessing games

Eg: Flower enn Malayalathil engane parayam?

Use flashcards or objects around the house to improve vocabulary.

Watch Malayalam media

You can watch Malayalam cartoons, kid’s shows and songs with them. Seeing other kids speaking Malayalam will gain them confidence to speak Malayalam.

Encourage conversation with native speakers, especially grand parents

The best way to speak a language is interaction with native speakers. Conversations with grand parents who only speak Malayalam is a great option. You can call them on a daily basis and make the interaction between your parents and children possible. This also builds emotional bond with language skills.

Start with simple daily vocabulary

Introduce commonly used words first—ones they can use every day. Here are some examples:

Food-related
- Water – Vellam
- fruit – pazham
- vegetable – pachakkari
Study-related
- Book – Pusthakam
- table – mesha
- chair – kasera
Environment-related
- Flower – Poov
- tree – maram
- bird – kili

Celebrate every attempt

Praise even the smallest effort. Give them an achievement feeling for each Malayalam word they say. This will encourage them to speak Malayalam more.

Eg: Aaha, nee Malayalam padich varunnundallo. Superb!

Avoid focusing on mistakes

Instead of correcting every error, support and rephrase gently. This approach supports learning while keeping your child comfortable and open.

Eg: Child: “Enikk venam vellam”

You: “Ninakk vellam veno? Njan eduthu tharam”

Try Malayalam speaking courses

There are many affordable and child-friendly online Malayalam courses available. Most of them include:

Basic vocabulary and sentence formation
Basic reading and writing
Fun activities and games
Value based syllabus

What you can do today?

Start your child’s Malayalam speaking journey today with some simple steps. Here are some suggestions:

Encourage them to say 3 Malayalam words.
Watch a Malayalam animation with them.
Speak to them in Malayalam.

Final Thoughts: Patience Is Key

Above all, be patient. Language learning takes time and love. Avoid pressure or guilt. Instead, create a warm and fun environment where your child feels proud of their mother tongue.

Wishing you all the best on this beautiful journey of keeping Malayalam alive at home!

For more readings : 5 Reasons to teach You Kids Their Mother Tongue as Expats.