The word ‘since’ is frequently used in English to refer to time, cause, or reason. It is a versatile word that connects past actions to the present, explains causes, or justifies reasoning. For Malayalam speakers or learners of English, knowing the Malayalam meaning of ‘since’ can provide a deeper understanding of its proper usage in different contexts. In Malayalam, ‘since’ is commonly translated as ‘à´®àµà´¤à´²àµ’ (muthal) when referring to time and ‘à´à´¾à´°à´£à´’ (kaaranam) or ‘à´à´¤à´¿à´¨à´¾à´²àµ’ (ithinaal) when used to show cause or reason. Understanding these distinctions is important for clear communication and accurate translations between English and Malayalam. This topic explores the various meanings and usages of ‘since’ and their appropriate Malayalam equivalents.
Different Usages of ‘Since’
The word ‘since’ can be used in three main ways in English:
- To refer to time
- To express a reason or cause
- To indicate a past event that continues to the present
Each usage has a slightly different meaning and requires the correct Malayalam translation depending on the context. Below are detailed explanations of how ‘since’ functions in English and how it translates into Malayalam.
1. ‘Since’ as a Time Indicator
This is one of the most common uses of ‘since.’ It indicates the starting point of an action or event that continues up to the present. In Malayalam, the word à´®àµà´¤à´²àµ (muthal) is the most accurate equivalent.
Examples:
- I have lived in this city since 2010.âà´à´¾àµ» ഠനഠരതàµà´¤à´¿àµ½ 2010 à´®àµà´¤àµ½ താമസിà´àµà´àµà´µà´°àµà´¨àµà´¨àµ.
- She has been working here since last year.âഠവൾ à´à´´à´¿à´àµà´ വർഷഠമàµà´¤àµ½ à´à´µà´¿à´àµ à´àµà´²à´¿ à´àµà´¯àµà´¯àµà´¨àµà´¨àµ.
The word à´®àµà´¤à´²àµ is typically used with dates, years, or specific time expressions to show the beginning of a time period.
2. ‘Since’ as a Causal Connector
‘Since’ can also be used to explain a cause or reason. In such cases, it is similar in meaning to ‘because’ or ‘as.’ The Malayalam equivalents for this usage are à´à´¾à´°à´£à´ (kaaranam) and à´à´¤à´¿à´¨à´¾à´²àµ (ithinaal), depending on sentence structure.
Examples:
- Since it was raining, we stayed indoors.âമഴപàµà´¯àµà´¤à´¤à´¿à´¨à´¾àµ½, à´à´àµà´àµ¾ à´ à´à´¤àµà´¤àµ തനàµà´¨àµà´¯à´¿à´°àµà´¨àµà´¨àµ.
- Since you are not coming, we will cancel the event.âനൠവരിലàµà´²à´¾à´¤àµà´¤à´¤à´¿à´¨à´¾àµ½, നാഠപരിപാà´à´¿ റദàµà´¦à´¾à´àµà´àµà´.
Here, the meaning shifts from time to reasoning. It’s important to choose the right Malayalam term so that the sentence communicates the intended logic.
3. ‘Since’ with Past Events Continuing into the Present
In some situations, ‘since’ expresses that something began in the past and has continued until now. This usage combines both time and consequence, and ‘à´®àµà´¤à´²àµ’ is still a good fit in Malayalam, often used with perfect tenses in English.
Examples:
- He hasn’t spoken to me since our argument.âഠവൻ ഠതർà´àµà´à´¤àµà´¤à´¿à´¨àµà´¶àµà´·à´ à´à´¨àµà´¨àµà´àµ à´¸à´à´¸à´¾à´°à´¿à´àµà´à´¿à´àµà´à´¿à´²àµà´².
- It has been years since we met.âനാഠà´à´£àµà´à´¿à´àµà´àµ വർഷà´àµà´àµ¾ à´à´¯à´¿à´°à´¿à´àµà´àµà´¨àµà´¨àµ.
Note that in some of these sentences, the word ‘à´¶àµà´·à´’ (shesham) meaning ‘after’ can also be used for better flow in Malayalam.
Common Malayalam Translations of ‘Since’
Depending on the structure and intention of the sentence, here are the most common Malayalam equivalents of ‘since’:
- à´®àµà´¤à´²àµ (Muthal): Used for time references
- à´à´¾à´°à´£à´ (Kaaranam): Used to indicate cause or reason
- à´à´¤à´¿à´¨à´¾à´²àµ (Ithinaal): Also means because of this or therefore
- à´¶àµà´·à´ (Shesham): Sometimes used when referring to events after a specific point in time
Choosing the correct translation depends on the specific sentence, and sometimes even the tone and formality of the context.
Examples Across Different Contexts
Daily Conversations
- I haven’t eaten anything since morning.âà´à´¾àµ» രാവിലൠമàµà´¤àµ½ à´à´¨àµà´¨àµà´ à´à´´à´¿à´àµà´à´¿à´àµà´à´¿à´²àµà´².
- Since you are tired, take some rest.âനൠà´àµà´·àµà´£à´¿à´¤à´¨à´¾à´£àµ à´à´¨àµà´¨à´¾àµ½ à´àµà´±à´àµà´àµ വിശàµà´°à´®à´¿à´àµà´àµ.
Academic or Formal Usage
- Since the invention of electricity, life has changed dramatically.âà´à´²à´àµà´àµà´°à´¿à´¸à´¿à´±àµà´±à´¿ à´à´£àµà´àµà´ªà´¿à´à´¿à´àµà´à´¤àµà´®àµà´¤àµ½ à´àµà´µà´¿à´¤à´¤àµà´¤à´¿àµ½ വലിയ മാറàµà´±à´ വനàµà´¨à´¿à´°à´¿à´àµà´àµà´¨àµà´¨àµ.
- Since the data was incomplete, the results were inconclusive.âà´¡àµà´±àµà´±à´¾ à´ à´ªàµà´ªàµà´°àµà´£àµ à´à´¯à´¤à´¿à´¨à´¾àµ½ à´«à´²à´àµà´àµ¾ à´µàµà´¯à´àµà´¤à´®à´¾à´¯à´¿à´°àµà´¨àµà´¨à´¿à´²àµà´².
Technical or Instructional Contexts
- Since the device is inactive, please restart it.âà´¡à´¿à´µàµà´¸àµ à´ªàµà´°à´µàµ¼à´¤àµà´¤à´¿à´àµà´àµà´¨àµà´¨à´¿à´²àµà´²à´¾à´¤àµà´¤à´¤à´¿à´¨à´¾àµ½, ദയവായി à´±àµà´¸àµà´±àµà´±à´¾àµ¼à´àµà´àµ à´àµà´¯àµà´¯àµà´.
- Since the update, the system has improved.âà´ à´ªàµà´¡àµà´±àµà´±à´¿à´¨àµà´¶àµà´·à´ സിസàµà´±àµà´±à´ à´®àµà´àµà´à´ªàµà´ªàµà´àµà´à´¿à´àµà´àµà´£àµà´àµ.
These examples show how the Malayalam meaning of ‘since’ shifts depending on whether the context involves time, reasoning, or cause and effect.
Tips for Correct Usage
- Always look at the role of since in the sentence before translating it into Malayalam.
- Use à´®àµà´¤à´²àµ when a sentence includes a specific time point.
- Use à´à´¾à´°à´£à´ or à´à´¤à´¿à´¨à´¾à´²àµ when since gives a reason.
- Context is everything don’t rely on a single translation every time.
Why It Matters for Malayalam Speakers
Understanding how to translate and use ‘since’ correctly improves not only English language proficiency but also enhances communication in professional, academic, and daily life. Accurate usage helps:
- Interpret texts without confusion
- Write better essays or reports
- Participate effectively in English-Malayalam conversations
For Malayalam speakers who frequently switch between languages, clarity in words like ‘since’ builds confidence and reduces misunderstandings.
Mastering the Malayalam Meaning of ‘Since’
The word ‘since’ may look simple but carries complex meanings depending on the situation. Whether referring to time with à´®àµà´¤à´²àµ, indicating cause with à´à´¾à´°à´£à´, or connecting past and present events, knowing the correct Malayalam equivalent is essential for effective communication. It helps avoid translation errors and strengthens bilingual fluency. By exploring different sentence types and practicing real-life usage, one can become more comfortable using ‘since’ accurately in both English and Malayalam contexts.