Writing Malayalam words using PramukhIME is as easy as writing our names in English. For quick help, checkout the following image. This image shows which letter(s)
will be typed when you press a particular key (combination). Press F9 (or your preferred Shortcut Key) to switch between currently selected language and last selected language.
Note: Typing is case-sensitive. Typing small "a" and capital "A" will yield different letters. Make sure "Caps Lock" key is not ON.
Quick Links:
Vowel,
Consonant,
Additional Consonant,
Vowel Sign,
Digit,
Additional Digit,
Other,
Symbol,
Rule,
ZWJ/ZWNJ character,
Example
Vowel
അ = a
ആ = aa/A
ഇ = i
ഈ = ee/I
ഉ = u
ഊ = oo/U
ഋ = Ri
ൠ = RI
ഌ = Li-
ൡ = LI-
എ = e
ഏ = E
ഐ = ai
ഒ = o
ഓ = O
ഔ = au/ou
അം = aM/a.n/a.m
അഃ = a:/aH
Consonant
ക് = k
ഖ് = kh
ഗ് = g
ഘ് = gh
ങ് = ng
ച് = ch/C
ഛ് = chh/Ch
ജ് = j
ഝ് = jh/z
ഞ് = nj
ട് = T
ഠ് = Th
ഡ് = D
ഢ് = Dh
ണ് = N
ത് = th
ഥ് = thh
ദ് = d
ധ് = dh
ന് = n
പ് = p
ഫ് = ph/f
ബ് = b
ഭ് = bh
മ് = m
യ് = y
ര് = r/R
ല് = l
വ് = v/w
ശ് = S
ഷ് = sh
സ് = s
ഹ് = h
ള് = L
Additional Consonant
റ് = rr
ഴ് = zh
റ്റ് = t
ൺ = N* (Chillu N)
ൻ = n* (Chillu n)
ർ = r* (Chillu r)
ൽ = l* (Chillu l)
ൾ = L* (Chillu L)
ൿ = k* (Chillu k)
Vowel Sign
ാ = aa/A
ി = i
ീ = ee/I
ു = u
ൂ = oo/U
ൃ = Ri
ൄ = RI
ൢ = Li-
ൣ = LI-
െ = E
േ = e
ൈ = ai
ൊ = O
ോ = o
ൌ = au/ou
ൗ = aU (AU Length mark)
ം = M (Anusvar)
ഃ = :/H (Visarg)
Note: Dotted round symbol represents placeholder for consonant character
Digit
If the setting "Digit in English" is not set, Malayalam and English digits are typed this way
൦ = 0, ൧ = 1, ൨ = 2, ൩ = 3, ൪ = 4, ൫ = 5, ൬ = 6, ൭ = 7, ൮ = 8, ൯ = 9
0 = 0-, 1 = 1-, 2 = 2-, 3 = 3-, 4 = 4-, 5 = 5-, 6 = 6-, 7 = 7-, 8 = 8-, 9 = 9-
If the setting "Digit in English" is set, Malayalam and English digits are typed this way
൦ = 0-, ൧ = 1-, ൨ = 2-, ൩ = 3-, ൪ = 4-, ൫ = 5-, ൬ = 6-, ൭ = 7-, ൮ = 8-, ൯ = 9-
0 = 0, 1 = 1, 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4, 5 = 5, 6 = 6, 7 = 7, 8 = 8, 9 = 9Additional Digit
൰ = 1@ (Ten)
൱ = 1* (One hundred)
൲ = 1' (One thousand)
൳ = 1q (One Quarter - Kaal)
൴ = 2q (One Half - Ara)
൵ = 3q (Three Quarters - Mukkaal)
Other
് = See example (Chandrakkala/Viram)
ഽ = .a (Praslesham/Avagrah)
൹ = dt (Date mark)
। = | (Devanagari danda)
॥ = || (Devanagari double danda)
₹ = Rs (Indian Rupee sign)
ॐ = OM (Aum)
卐 = +- (Swastika sign)
Zero Width Joiner = -- (2 Dashes)
Zero Width Non Joiner = --- (3 Dashes)
Note: Dotted round symbol represents placeholder for consonant character
Symbol
The English symbols [ ] { } ( ) < > - + / = ; . , ' " ? ! % \ _ & $ @ # ~ * ^ are transliterated into the same symbols.
Symbols : | have special meaning. You can type this way
: = :-
| = |-
These symbols will type Malayalam characters first but if "-" will be followed, it will remove previously typed Malayalam character and then type the symbol.
Rule
-
Consonant is followed by vowel sign character to make a live consonant.
Example
ക കാ കി കീ കു കൂ കൃ കൄ കൢ കൣ കേ കെ കൈ കോ കൊ കൗ കൌ കം കഃ
ka kaa ki kee ku koo kRi kRI kLi- kLI- kE ke kai kO ko kaU kau kaM ka:
-
Two or more consecutive consonants make consonant cluster. The last consonant takes the full form and all preceding consonants within cluster take half form
Example
നമസ്കാരം = namaskaaraM
-
Special consonant cluster forms (ligature) will be automatically created if it is available in the font. Look at the examples for clarification. All possible ligatures may not be given in the example. Try typing the consonant combinations according to ligature pronounciation and it will work. For example, try typing "vidhyaa", "viDyaa", "vidyaa" to get the correct ligature for "dy" in "vidyaa".
-
Character "-" is followed by consonant will be transliterated as ് (Chandrakkala/Viram)
Example
ഖ ക്ഹ ഘ ഗ്ഹ ഛ ച്ഹ ഝ ജ്ഹ ഠ ട്ഹ ഢ ഡ്ഹ ത റ്റ്ഹ ധ ദ്ഹ ഫ പ്ഹ ഭ ബ്ഹ ഷ സ്ഹ
kha k-ha gha g-ha chha ch-ha jha j-ha Tha T-ha Dha D-ha tha t-ha dha d-ha pha p-ha bha b-ha sha s-ha
- Word ending with letters N, n, m, r, l and L will form chillakshar but word beginning with those letters will not form chillakshar. Anusvar ം
is considered as a chillakshar of മ്
Example
അവൻ = avan
കമ്പം = kampam
അഹല്യാ = ahalyaa
-
If the chillakshar is followed by certain letter(s), it will form consonant conjuct instead of chillakshar. For these letter combinations, it will form consonant conjust.
na, ni, nu, nU, ne, no, nE, nO, nth, nd, nn, nm, ny, nr, nv, Na, Ni, Nu, NU, Ne, No, NE, NO, NT, ND, NN, Nm, Ny, Nv, ma, mi, mu, mU, me, mo, mE, mO, mp, mm, my, mr, ml,
ra, ri, ru, rU, re, ro, rE, rO, ry, la, li, lu, lU, le, lo, lE, lO, lp, lm, ly, lv, ll, La, Li, Lu, LU, Le, Lo, LE, LO, Ly, LL
-
If the chillakshar capable letter is followed by "_" (Underscore) or "*", it will retain the chillakshar as it is.
-
if the "-" (Dash) is followed by chillakshar capable letter or "u", it will keep that letter as normal character with Chandrakala
Example
അവന് = avan-
അവനു് = avanu-
-
Character "n" will be automatically transliterated to panchamakshar of the varg of the consonant following "n".
If character
|
Followed by
|
Transliterated to
|
n
|
k, kh |
ങ്
|
n
|
ch, chh |
ഞ്
|
n
|
Any other character
|
As per other rules
|
Example
മങ്ക = manka
പുഞ്ച = puncha
ZWJ/ZWNJ character
ZWJ and ZWNJ characters are used to produce alternate rendering of ligature.
-
A consonant followed by ZWJ character will produce half-formed consonant character.
Example
രാത്രി = raathri
രാത്രി = raath--ri
-
A consonant followed by ZWNJ character will produce dead consonant character.
Example
രാത്രി = raathri
രാത്രി = raath---ri
Example
നമസ്കാരം = namaskaaraM
രാത്രി = raathri
തരുന്നു = tharunnu
ജന്മ = janma
ജൻമ = jan*ma
കണ്ണ = kaNNa