The core consonant letters.

• കkahard 'k' as in 'skip'; inherent 'a' vowel
• ഗgavoiced 'g' as in 'go'
• ങnganasal 'ng' as in 'sing'
• ചcha'ch' as in 'church' (unaspirated)
• ജja'j' as in 'jam'
• ഞnyapalatal nasal 'ny' as in 'canyon'
• ടtaretroflex hard 't', tongue curled back
• ഡdaretroflex voiced 'd', tongue curled back
• ണnaretroflex nasal 'n', tongue curled back
• തthasoft dental 't', tongue on teeth (as in Spanish 'todo')
• ദdasoft dental 'd', tongue on teeth (as in 'this')
• നnadental 'n', tongue on teeth
• പpa'p' as in 'spin' (unaspirated)
• ബba'b' as in 'bat'
• മma'm' as in 'man'
• യya'y' as in 'yes'
• രratapped 'r', like Spanish soft 'r'
• ലla'l' as in 'love'
• വva'v'/'w' as in 'van'
• ശshasoft 'sh' as in 'sheep'
• സsa's' as in 'sun'
• ഹha'h' as in 'house'
• ളlaretroflex 'l', tongue curled back (characteristic Malayalam sound)
• ഴzharetroflex approximant 'zha' — unique to Malayalam/Tamil, no English equivalent
• റrrahard alveolar/trilled 'r', stronger than ര