For those wishing to reconnect with their family’s cultural roots, learning the language can be an incredible way to honor the past and strengthen family bonds.
Simple Malay verbs such as Sayang (love), Makan (eat), and Rindu (miss) will allow you to express affection and engage in meaningful conversations with your grandparents or older family members.
For example, learn how to say “Saya sayang Atuk” (I love Grandpa) with the verb sayang ‘love’, “Makan bersama keluarga” (Eating together with family) with makan ‘eat’, and “Saya rindu Nenek” (I miss Grandma) with rindu ‘miss’.
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In this blog, we’ll dive into some essential Malay verbs you’ll encounter when talking with your family, helping you embrace roots and preserve family memories.
These verbs will help you communicate affection, ask meaningful questions, and share stories about your family’s history.
You can build stronger bonds with those who matter most with just a little effort.
Keep reading to learn more about these simple yet powerful verbs and how they can help you engage in authentic conversations with your loved ones!
Table Of Contents
Basic Malay Verbs For Reconnecting With Your Roots
When connecting with your family, especially grandparents, these basic Malay verbs can help you build stronger and more meaningful relationships.
These verbs often come up in everyday conversations, whether you’re chatting about emotions, daily routines, or simply bonding over shared experiences.
Mastering these words will help you express your feelings more clearly and authentically.
1. To Love – Sayang
Sayang is a word that conveys affection and warmth, especially in family settings.
It’s how you express love for those who are closest to you.
While cinta also means love, it leans more towards romantic love, while sayang expresses kinship and deep affection for family members
Note: For more detailed explanation, see our blog on the different ways to say I love you in Malay.
Example: Aisha sayang Nenek. (Aisha “I” loves Grandma.)
2. To Eat – Makan
Eat in Malay is makan, and it’s a word you’ll definitely use when enjoying family meals or inviting your loved ones to eat.
Example: Jom kita makan bersama! (Let’s eat together!)
3. To Miss – Rindu
The word rindu is used to express how much you miss someone.
It’s an emotional and affectionate word often used when you haven’t seen a loved one for some time.
Whether you’re talking to Atuk (Grandpa) or Pak Su (Youngest uncle), rindu lets you express how much you care about them.
Example: Faris rindu Mak Long. Lama tak jumpa. (Faris misses Mak Long, “Oldest auntie.” Haven’t seen him in a while.)
4. To Want – Mahu/ Hendak/ Nak
Mahu is generally more formal and used in polite or respectful situations, while hendak is informal and commonly used in everyday conversations.
Malaysians tend to use nak more often (the short form, speech form of hendak), as it sounds more natural and less awkward, especially in casual settings with family and friends.
For instance, you’d likely say nak to a sibling, but mahu to elders.
Example 1 (nak): Aisha nak makan buah durian, kak! (Aisha “I” wants to eat durian, sister!)
Example 2 (mahu): Pak Su mahu tidur dulu. (Uncle Pak Su wants to sleep first.)
5. To Ask – Tanya
Ask in Malay is tanya.
It’s useful when asking questions or inquiring about things such as family history or old stories.
You might use it to know more about your family’s past or ask about something that happened long ago.
Example: Boleh Aisha tanya Pak Su cerita masa kecilnya? (can Aisha “I” ask Pak Su “Youngest uncle) about your childhood stories?)
6. To Help – Bantu
Bantu means to help, and it’s a great verb to use when you’re offering assistance or lending a hand, especially to family members who may need a little more help.
It can be used for both physical and emotional support.
Example: “Boleh Faizal bantu Nenek basuh pinggan?” (Can Faizal “I” help Grandma wash the dishes?)
7. To Sleep – Tidur
Tidur is the verb for sleep, and you’ll use it when discussing bedtime or rest.
It’s essential when you’re caring for elderly relatives or young children, helping them get the rest they need.
Example: Atuk, kalau Atuk penat, Atuk boleh tidur dulu. (“Grandpa, if you’re tired, you can go to bed first.”)
8. To Take Care Of – Jaga
Jaga is used to refer to looking after or taking care of someone.
You’ll use this verb when caring for your elderly relatives or your younger family members.
Example: “Farah akan jaga Nenek sepanjang malam.” (Farah “I” will take care of Grandma throughout the night.
Summarizing The 8 Key Malay Verbs
| English | Malay |
|---|---|
| 1. To love | Sayang |
| 2. To eat | Makan |
| 3. To miss | Rindu |
| 4. To want | Mahu/ Hendak/ Nak |
| 5. To ask | Tanya |
| 6. To help | Bantu |
| 7. To sleep | Tidur |
| 8. To take care of | Jaga |
Now that we’ve covered the 8 key Malay verbs that form the foundation of everyday Malay conversational phrases, it’s time to expand your language skills further.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into conversations with your loved ones, the verbs below will help you engage in more meaningful exchanges with your grandparents, parents, and relatives, enabling you to ask about their health, share meals together, plan activities, and learn about your family’s rich past.
Let’s go!
2. More Verbs For Family Care & Concern
| English | Malay | Example (Malay) | Example (English Translation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9. To hold | Pegang | Aisha pegang tangan Atuk je. | Aisha (I) will hold Grandpa’s hand okay? |
| 10. To rest | Rehat | Nenek, rehat dulu ya, jangan kerja terlalu keras. | Grandma, rest for a while, don’t work too hard. |
| 11. To Feel | rasa | Mak Ngah rasa macam mana. | Mak Ngah (Second auntie), how do you feel? |
| 12. To be sick | Sakit | Farah nak peluk Nenek. | Farah (I) wants to hug Grandma. |
| 13. To help | Bantu | Boleh Aisha bantu kak Amira? | Can Aisha (I) help sister Amira (you)? |
| 14. To take | Ambil | Khairul akan ambil air untuk Abang Faizul. | Khairul (I) will bring older brother Faizul (you) some water. |
| 15. To do | Buat | Ingat untuk buat saringan kesihatan di hospital je, Pak Long | Uncle Long, remember to do health checkup at the hospital, okay? |
| 16. To prepare | Sediakan | Nenek akan sediakan makanan untuk Maira, ke> | Aunt Su, would you prepare the food for Maira (me)? |
| 17. To bring | Bawa | Aisha bawa Nenek ke klinik esok | Aisha (I) will take Grandma (you) to the clinic tomorrow. |
| 18. To wait | Tunggu | Pak Lang, tunggu Faris kejap. | Pak Lang (Third uncle), wait for Faris (me) for a moment. |
We have also created a blog on vocabulary about health problems in Malay, helping you better understand and communicate about your elder loved ones’ conditions!
3. More Verbs For Cooking & Food
| English | Malay | Example (Malay) | Example (English Translation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20. To cook | Masak | Nenek masak rendang ke? | Grandma, are you cooking rendang? |
| 21. To stir-fry | Tumis | Maklong tumis sayur ni dengan lada | Aunt Long is stir-frying these vegetables with chili. |
| 22. To grill | Bakar | Kita bakar ikan di luar | We will grill fish outside! |
| 23. To eat | Makan | Jom makan nasi lemak | Let’s eat nasi lemak! |
| 24. To taste | Rasa | Abang Ngah, rasa masakan ni, sedap take? | Brother Ngah, taste this dish; does it taste good? |
| 25. To drink | Minum | Mak Ngah, minum air kelapa ni, bagus untuk kesihatan. | Aunt Ngah, drink this coconut water, it’s good for health. |
| 26. To fry | Goreng | Nenek akan goreng telur juga? | Will you fry some eggs too, grandma? |
| 27. To serve | Hidang | Fatin hidangkan makanan kepada tetamu, je. | Fatin (I) will serve the food to the guests, okay? |
| 28. To stir | Kacau | Kena kacau sup tak? | Do I need to stir the soup? |
| 29. To cut | Potong | Macam mana potong buah-buahan ni? | How do I cut these fruits? |
You can also check out our blog on Malay cooking verbs for a more comprehensive list, especially useful for mastering delicate techniques in Malay food, as well as our blog on vocabulary about food in Malay.
4. More Verbs For Family Activities & Outing
| English | Malay | Example (Malay) | Example (English Translation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30. To go | Pergi | Jom pergi ke pasar malam! | Let’s go to the night market! |
| 31. To go out | Keluar | Mak Ngah, keluar jap, saya nak bawa Mak Ngah tengok taman. | Aunt Ngah, let’s go out for a while, I want to take you to see the garden. |
| 32. To choose | Pilih | Pilih mana satu yang Atuk suka. | Choose whichever one you like, grandpa. |
| 33. To see/look at | Tengok | Tengok gambar lama ni | Look at these old photos! |
| 34. To walk | Jalan | Ayo jalan-jalan ke taman, Nenek! | Let’s take a walk in the park, Grandma! |
| 35. To bring | Bawa | Faizul bawa anak-anak keluar bermain je. | Faizul will take the kids out to play, okay? |
| 36. To invite | Ajak | Amina ajak Pak Su makan malam dengan kita. | Uncle Su, Amina (I) is inviting you for dinner with us. |
| 37. To arrive | Sampai | Sampai di rumah nenek dulu. | Arrive at Grandma’s house first. |
| 38. To wait | Tunggu | Tunggu sebentar, Abang Njang. | Wait a moment, Brother Njang. |
| 39. To see/look at | Lihat | Pak Long, lihat bunga yang saya tanam | Uncle Long, look at the flowers I planted! |
5. More Verbs For Storytelling
| English | Malay | Example (Malay) | Example (English Translation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40. To ask | Tanya | Sasha nak tanya, Pak Long, dulu masa perang macam mana | Sasha (I) wants to ask Uncle Long what it was like during the war. |
| 41. To remember | Ingat | Atuk, ingat tak masa kita pergi kampung dulu | Grandpa, do you remember when we went to the village? |
| 42. To reminisce/ to think about | Kenang | Faizul tenang Abang Long setiap hari. | I think about Brother Long (you) every day. |
| 43. To live/stay | Tinggal | Nenek, di mana Nenek tinggal semasa kecil | Grandma, where did you live when you were little? |
| 44. To marry | Kahwin | Macam mana cerita perkahwinan Mak Long dengan Pak Long | How did the marriage between Auntie Long and Uncle Long happen? |
| 45. To know | Kenal | Bila Abang Ngah kenal dengan isteri dia? | When did Brother Ngah know her wife? |
| 46. To move | Pindah | Kenapa dulu Pak Su pindah ke bandar | Why did Pak Su move to the city in the past? |
| 47. To see/look at | Lihat | Lihat bagaimana kehidupan di kampung dulu? | How did life look like in the village before? |
| 48. To work | Buat kerja | Abang Idris buat kerja apa semasa muda dulu | Older brother Idris, what did you do for a living when you were young? |
| 49. To grow up | Besar | Macam mana rasanya besar di kampung | What was it like growing up in the village? |
How Do You Say Verb In The Malay Language?
In Malay, the word for “verb” is kata kerja.
Examples of Malay verbs include makan, which means “to eat,” and saying “to love.”
These verbs remain consistent across tenses, and the context or auxiliary verbs determine the tense or time of action.
For those reconnecting with their roots and wanting to honor their family’s heritage, learning these simple verbs can foster deeper conversations with grandparents and loved ones.
With Ling, you can easily master these essential verbs and engage with your family meaningfully.
Frequently Asked Questions About Malay Verbs
1. What Are The Auxiliary Verbs In Malay?
In Malay, verbs don’t change form to express different tenses.
Instead, auxiliary verbs, known as kata bantu, show time and intention.
For example, akan is used for future actions (e.g., Saya akan makan – “I will eat”), while sudah or telah expresses past actions (e.g., Saya sudah makan – “I have eaten”).
Sedang is used for present continuous actions (e.g., Saya sedang makan – “I am eating”).
Knowing these auxiliary verbs will help you accurately talk about family stories and plans in the correct timeline, whether you’re discussing the past, present, or future with your loved ones.
2. What is the Suffix -kan in Malay?
The suffix -kan in Malay has two main uses: it can show that an action is done for the benefit of someone or something (benefactive), or it can cause something to happen (causative).
For example, beli means “to buy,” but with -kan, it becomes belikan, which means “to buy for someone.” You could say, Abang belikan Nenek kain (Abang bought cloth for Grandma).
On the other hand, sedih means “sad,” but when you add -kan, it turns into sedihkan, meaning “to make someone sad.”
For instance, Jangan sedihkan Atuk (Don’t make Grandpa sad).
This suffix allows you to express both the act of giving to others and causing an emotional or situational change, making it perfect for conversations with your family about caring for one another.
3. What is a Regular Verb in Malay?
A regular verb in Malay is one that remains in its basic root form without any conjugation or affixes.
For instance, makan means “to eat,” tidur means “to sleep,” and baca means “to read.”
These verbs remain consistent across tenses, and the context or auxiliary verbs determine the tense or time of action.
The simplicity of regular verbs makes them easy to learn and a great starting point for connecting with your family’s language!
4 Practical Tips For Using Malay Verbs While Reconnecting With Family Members
1. Master Basic Verbs First
Start by learning essential verbs in their basic form, such as makan (eat), tidur (sleep), and sayang (love). These simple verbs are commonly used in casual conversations with your grandparents or loved ones. Focus on the root verbs first before diving into more complex conjugations.
2. Use Verbs In Their Basic Form
In everyday conversations, you can often use verbs in their root form. Malay tends to be less rigid than other languages regarding verb conjugation, so don’t worry about perfecting the verb tense. For example, you can simply say Nenek makan? (Grandma, are you eating?) instead of over-complicating the verb structure.
3. Enhance Conversations With Auxiliary Verbs
Take your conversations to the next level by adding kata bantu (auxiliary verbs) to indicate time and mood. For example, say Sudah makan (I’ve eaten) or Akan pergi (Will go) to show past or future actions. Adding these auxiliary verbs helps you share family stories more clearly, creating a deeper connection with your heritage.
4. Recognize Affixes In Certain Verbs
Learn to identify when a verb is always accompanied by an affix like ber- or me-, even in speech. These affixes are commonly used in Malay, and understanding their usage will help you communicate more clearly. For example, berusaha means “to strive,” and menggambar means “to draw.” Recognizing these patterns will naturally improve your fluency and ability to converse with loved ones about your family history.
Bridging Generations Through Language: Your Next Steps
In this blog, we’ve explored how you can use Malay verbs to honor your family’s heritage and build stronger connections with your loved ones.
The section on Basic Malay Verbs For Reconnecting with Your Roots gave you the essential verbs to begin meaningful conversations with your grandparents and relatives.
We have also provided more verbs for you to use to form deeper connections with your loved ones, such as the ones in More Verbs For Family Care & Concern, which will help you deepen your bonds by learning how to express care and concern in a culturally resonant way, and More Verbs For Cooking & Food, where you can bond over shared meals, an important part of family traditions with these verbs.
Lastly, the Practical Tips for Using Malay Verbs While Reconnecting With Family Members offered practical guidance for using verbs naturally in daily conversations.
With these tools in hand, you’ll honor your heritage and embrace your cultural identity while improving your language skills.
Elevate Your Malay Skills To The Next Level!
The Malay verbs taught in this blog are essential for meaningful interactions with your loved ones.
While they may seem straightforward, using them accurately can deepen your conversations.
A simple way to master them is with tools like the Ling app, which helps you Learn Malaysian interactively and elevate your skills, especially for mastering verbs.
Rediscover the beauty of your heritage language, and let Ling guide you on this meaningful journey!
