English for India & Kerala
Malayalam speakers make very predictable patterns when they think in Malayalam and speak in English. None of it is “bad English” — it is translation. Here is what to say instead, and why.
incorrect grammar mistake — fix it Indian English fine in India, may confuse abroad natural what to say instead
Common mistakes & natural alternatives
| Instead of | Say | Why |
|---|---|---|
| incorrect What is your good name? | natural What’s your name? | “Good name” is a translation. Just ask for the name. |
| incorrect I am having a doubt. | natural I have a question. | In international English “doubt” = you don’t believe something. |
| incorrect He is not coming, no? | natural He isn’t coming, is he? | Use question tags, not a final “no?”. |
| Indian English I passed out in 2020. | natural I graduated in 2020. | Understood in India, but abroad “pass out” means to faint. |
| Indian English Please do the needful. | natural Could you take care of this? | Common in Indian offices. Say what you actually need. |
| Indian English Prepone the meeting. | natural Move the meeting earlier. | “Prepone” is real Indian English — many international speakers won’t know it. |
| incorrect I am going to office. | natural I’m going to the office. | Office needs “the”. |
| incorrect Myself Arun. | natural I’m Arun. | “Myself” is only for emphasis. |
| incorrect Today morning I went… | natural This morning I went… | today morning → this morning; today evening → this evening. |
| Indian English Kindly revert. | natural Please reply. | “Revert” means go back to a previous state in international English. |
| Indian English Out of station | natural Out of town / away | Fine in India; sounds old-fashioned elsewhere. |
| incorrect Can you able to come? | natural Can you come? | Use can or be able to — not both. |
At work
| Indian English Kindly revert at the earliest. | natural Please reply when you can. |
| Indian English Do one thing — send it. | natural Could you send it? |
| Indian English I’ll do it today itself. | natural I’ll do it today. |
| Indian English He is my senior. | natural He’s more experienced / he’s my manager. |
| incorrect What is your good name? | natural What’s your name? |
| incorrect I am having a meeting. | natural I have a meeting. |
On the phone
| Indian English Tell me. | natural Hi, how can I help? |
| Indian English I’ll cut the call. | natural I’ll hang up / I have to go. |
| Indian English Line is cutting. | natural The line’s breaking up. |
| Indian English Who is this speaking? | natural May I ask who’s calling? |
| Indian English Give me a missed call. | natural Ring me once / drop me a message. |
In shops
| incorrect How much this one? | natural How much is this? |
| incorrect Less price? | natural Is there any discount? |
| incorrect Give one packet. | natural Could I have one packet? |
| Indian English Pack it, parcel. | natural Could you pack it to take away? |
At restaurants
| incorrect One dosa give. | natural Could I have a dosa, please? |
| incorrect Bring the bill. | natural Could we get the bill? |
| Indian English Not spicy, less spicy. | natural Could you make it mild? |
| Indian English Hotel = restaurant | natural In international English, hotel = place to sleep; say restaurant. |
While travelling
| incorrect Where is going this bus? | natural Where does this bus go? |
| Indian English I’ll get down here. | natural I’ll get off here. |
| Indian English Out of station | natural Out of town / away |
| incorrect Two tickets Ernakulam. | natural Two tickets to Ernakulam, please. |
In interviews
| incorrect Myself Arun, passed out in 2023. | natural I’m Arun. I graduated in 2023. |
| Indian English I did my schooling from Kollam. | natural I went to school in Kollam. |
| Indian English I am a fresher. | natural I’m a recent graduate. |
| incorrect My hobbies are reading books and listening songs. | natural I enjoy reading and music. |
Formal vs informal — the same message three ways
To a friend
“Can’t make it tonight, sorry!”
To a colleague
“I won’t be able to join tonight — sorry about that.”
To a client
“Unfortunately I won’t be able to attend this evening. My apologies for the short notice.”