Malayalam has 15 principal vowels. They can stand alone or combine with consonants.
1. അ (a) – short "a" like "a" in "about"
2. ആ (ā) – long "aa" like "a" in "father"
3. ഇ (i) – short "i" like "i" in "bit"
4. ഈ (ī) – long "ee" like "ee" in "meet"
5. ഉ (u) – short "u" like "u" in "put"
6. ഊ (ū) – long "oo" like "oo" in "food"
7. ഋ (ṛ) – like "ri" in "riddle" (short)
8. ൠ (ṝ) – longer version of ഋ (rare)
9. എ (e) – like "e" in "bed"
10. ഏ (ē) – long "e" like "a" in "cake"
11. ഐ (ai) – like "ai" in "aisle"
12. ഒ (o) – short "o" like "o" in "pot"
13. ഓ (ō) – long "o" like "o" in "go"
14. ഔ (au) – like "ou" in "out"
15. അം (aṁ) & അഃ (aḥ) – nasal and aspirated forms
Practice: Say each vowel slowly 5–10 times.