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 printed when you press a particular key (combination). Press F9 (or your preferred Shortcut Key) to switch between English and Malayalam.

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, Vowel Sign, Digit, Other, Symbol, Rule, ZWJ/ZWNJ character, Example

അ = a, ആ = aa, ഇ = i, ഈ = ee, ഉ = u, ഊ = oo, ഋ = Ri, ൠ = RI, ഌ = Li~, ൡ = LI~, എ = e, ഏ = E, ഐ = ai, ഒ = o, ഓ = O, ഔ = au, അം = aM, അഃ = a:

ക് = k, ഖ് = kh, ഗ് = g, ഘ് = gh, ങ് = NG,
ച് = ch, ഛ് = chh, ജ് = j, ഝ് = jh, ഞ് = NY,
ട് = T, ഠ് = Th, ഡ് = D, ഢ് = Dh, ണ് = N,
ത് = t, ഥ് = th, ദ് = d, ധ് = dh, ന് = n,
പ് = p, ഫ് = ph, ബ് = b, ഭ് = bh, മ് = m,
യ് = y, ര് = r, ല് = l, വ് = v, ശ് = sh,
ഷ് = Sh, സ് = s, ഹ് = h, ള് = L, ക്ഷ് = kSh,
ജ്ഞ് = Gy

റ് = Rr
ഴ് = zh
ൺ = N* (Chillu N)
ൻ = n* (Chillu n)
ർ = r* (Chillu r)
ൽ = l* (Chillu l)
ൾ = L* (Chillu L)
ൿ = k* (Chillu k)

ാ = aa, ി = i, ീ = ee, ു = u, ൂ = oo, ൃ = Ri, ൄ = RI, ૢ = Li~, ૣ = LI~, െ = e, േ = E, ൈ = ai, ൊ = o, ോ = O, ൗ = aU (AU Length mark), ൌ = au, ം = M (Anusvar), ഃ = : (Visarg)

 

Note: Dotted round symbol represents placeholder for consonant character

൦ = 0, ൧ = 1, ൨ = 2, ൩ = 3, ൪ = 4, ൫ = 5, ൬ = 6, ൭ = 7, ൮ = 8, ൯ = 9

൰ = 1@
൱ = 1&
൲ = 1~
൳ = 1q
൴ = 2q
൵ = 3q

് = See example (Chandrakkala/Viram)
ഽ = & (Praslesham/Avagrah)
൹ = dt (Date mark)
। = | (Devanagari danda)
॥ = || (Devanagari double danda)
₹ = Rs (Indian Rupee sign)
卐 = +~ (Swastika sign)
Zero Width Joiner = ^
Zero Width Non Joiner = ^^

Note: Dotted round symbol represents placeholder for consonant character

The English symbols [ ] { } ( ) < > - + / = ; . , ' " ? ! % \ _ $ @ # ~ * translate 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.

1. Consonant is followed by vowel character to make 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:
2. 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 can be written by typing "namaskaaraM"
3. Special consonant cluster forms (ligature) will be created automatically 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 hopefully it will work. For example, try typing "vidhyaa", "viDyaa", "vidyaa" to get the correct ligature for "dy" in "vidyaa".

As per Rule # 3, ligature will be rendered. 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 = raatri
രാത്‍രി = raat^ri

A consonant followed by ZWNJ character will produce dead consonant character.

Example

രാത്രി = raatri
രാത്‌രി = raat^^ri

If two english characters are making one Malayalam Vowel (i.e. ai, au), then ZWJ character is used to separate them into two different vowels. It will not add ZWJ character but only considered as the separator between two vowels.

Example

ഐരാവത = airaavata
അഇരാവത = a^iraavata

നമസ്കാരം = namaskaaraM
രാത്രി = raatri
തരുന്നു = tarunnu
ജന്മ = janma
ജൻമ = jan*ma
കണ്ണ = kaNNa
& = &~
: = :~
^ = ^~
| = |~