Are you preparing for your work trip to Kuala Lumpur or planning to become an expatriate here? Either way, navigating corporate life and the business world in Southeast Asia can be challenging without knowing the Malay language. But don’t worry, we got you covered!
Some important business vocabulary in Malay includes kerja (work), rehat (rest), and mesyuarat (meeting). Let’s explore more of these words and see how they work in real life!
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Common Business Vocabulary In Malay
Imagine getting an assignment to travel to Malaysia for a month for business. You’d definitely want to familiarize yourself with the lingo and some basic Malay phrases. Though English is Malaysia’s second language, you still should pick up the language as it can greatly enhance your experience. This makes navigating between local communities easier, building meaningful connections, and experiencing Malaysian culture without misunderstandings.
Most importantly, to prepare for a work trip, it’s essential to learn business-related phrases in Malay. This is crucial, especially if your line of work is closely connected to the Malaysian government, as Malay is the official language. So, if you’re an expat coming to Malaysia and want to excel in both personal and professional interactions, keep reading!
Basic Business Greetings And Introductions
First, let’s dive into the basic phrases for Malay greetings and introductions in a business setting. Once you’re acquainted with the common terms, introducing yourself in Malay will be a breeze.
English | Malay |
---|---|
Good morning. How are you? | Selamat pagi. Apa khabar? |
Hi, my name is Rahmat. Nice to meet you. | Hai, nama saya Rahmat. Selamat berkenalan. |
I’m from Suka Suka company. How about you? | Saya dari syarikat Suka Suka. Anda pula? |
Hi, I’m Nadira, and I work as HR Manager at Mega Industries. | Hai, saya Nadira, dan saya bekerja sebagai Pengurus Sumber Manusia di Mega Industries. |
Could you tell me about your role at [your company]? | Boleh ceritakan tentang peranan anda di [syarikat anda]? |
May I give you my card? | Boleh saya beri kad saya? |
Local tip: Since Malaysia is a multicultural country (comprising Malays, Chinese, Indians, and more), it’s always appropriate to wave and smile at someone you wish to engage with. If they offer a handshake, feel free to reciprocate. If not, a wave and smile should be a common conversation starter.
Daily Office Interactions In Bahasa Malaysia
As a traveler, you might need to ask locals for directions. However, as a co-worker, here’s what you can say if you feel a bit lost in your work or if you want to lend a hand to your teammates.
English | Malay |
---|---|
Can I help you with this project? | Boleh saya bantu anda dengan projek ini? |
I need help to complete this report. | Saya perlukan bantuan untuk selesaikan laporan ini. |
Can I borrow your pen for a moment? | Boleh saya pinjam pen anda sekejap? |
Thank you for your help. | Terima kasih atas bantuan anda. |
Is there anything you need before the meeting starts? | Ada apa-apa yang anda perlukan sebelum mesyuarat bermula? |
Can you explain further about this project? | Boleh anda terangkan lagi tentang projek ini? |
We need to discuss the new marketing strategy. | Kita perlu berbincang tentang strategi pemasaran baru. |
I have a question about the meeting schedule. | Saya ada soalan mengenai jadual mesyuarat. |
Can you check this document for me? | Boleh anda semak dokumen ini untuk saya? |
Let’s discuss about this over a drink. | Marilah bincang tentang ini sambil minum-minum. |
How much is the price of this food cost? | Berapa harga makanan ini? |
My desk is filled with paperwork. | Meja saya penuh dengan kertas kerja. |
My computer has an issue. | Komputer saya ada masalah. |
Can you help me with the printer? It’s not working. | Boleh anda bantu saya dengan mesin pencetak ini? Ia tidak berfungsi. |
Please answer the telephone at your desk. | Sila jawab telefon di meja anda. |
Please keep these documents in the correct file. | Sila simpan dokumen ini dalam fail yang betul. |
I just sent an email to the IT department. | Saya baru hantar emel kepada jabatan IT. |
Communication And Correspondence
When it comes to writing business emails in Malay, it’s typically done in a formal tone; this is a standard way to address someone professionally, give updates, or make inquiries in a corporate setting. On the other hand, talking to a colleague on the phone includes a more informal tone; the pronunciation is more colloquial and friendly rather than formal.
English | Malay |
---|---|
Dear Mr./Ms. [Name] | Tuan/Puan [Nama] |
To whom it may concern | Kepada yang berkenaan |
Greetings | Salam sejahtera |
I want to inform you that… | Saya ingin memaklumkan bahawa… |
I wanted to update you on… | Saya ingin mengemaskini anda mengenai… |
Can you please… | Boleh ke anda… |
Sincerely, Kamalia | Yang benar, Kamalia |
Best regards, Adam | Salam hormat, Adam |
Hi, everyone. Can you hear me? | Hai, semua. Boleh dengar saya? |
Could you please repeat that? | Boleh tolong ulang? |
I’m sorry, the line is not clear. | Maaf, talian anda tidak jelas. |
Can you please share your screen? | Boleh anda kongsikan skrin? |
Meetings And Presentations
Here are examples of some key phrases for giving presentations, leading discussions, and organizing meetings in Malay.
English | Malay |
---|---|
Come prepared with all necessary materials. | Sila bersedia dengan bahan-bahan yang diperlukan. |
Give your input during the discussion session. | Berikan pandangan anda semasa sesi perbincangan. |
Make sure all participants understand the agenda. | Pastikan semua peserta memahami agenda. |
We will start the discussion as soon as the presentation is over. | Kita akan mulakan perbincangan sebaik sahaja pembentangan selesai. |
The discussion session will help us identify any existing issues. | Sesi perbincangan ini akan membantu kita mengenalpasti masalah yang ada. |
This presentation will take approximately 30 minutes. | Pembentangan ini akan mengambil masa kira-kira 30 minit. |
Please make sure you are ready for the presentation tomorrow. | Sila pastikan anda bersedia untuk pembentangan esok. |
Our meeting schedule next week is quite packed. | Jadual mesyuarat kita minggu depan agak padat. |
Can we set the time for next week’s meeting? | Boleh kita tetapkan masa untuk mesyuarat minggu depan? |
Financial Terms In Malay
English | Malay |
---|---|
We need to prepare the annual budget for this project. | Kita perlu sediakan bajet tahunan untuk projek ini. |
Ensure all accounts are reviewed before the end of the month. | Pastikan kesemua akaun disemak sebelum akhir bulan. |
The annual financial report will be presented next week. | Laporan kewangan tahunan akan dibentangkan minggu depan. |
Is this budget sufficient to cover all costs? | Adakah bajet ini mencukupi untuk menampung semua kos? |
We need to find ways to increase the company’s income. | Kita perlu mencari cara untuk meningkatkan pendapatan syarikat. |
Please ensure all transactions are recorded in the correct accounts. | Sila pastikan semua transaksi direkodkan dalam akaun yang betul. |
Marketing And Sales Vocabulary
English | Malay |
---|---|
What are the key features of this product? | Apakah ciri-ciri utama produk ini? |
Our marketing strategy needs to be more aggressive. | Strategi pemasaran kita perlu lebih agresif. |
We need to increase the budget for social media advertising. | Kita perlu tingkatkan bajet untuk pengiklanan di media sosial. |
Our sales team successfully met the target this month. | Pasukan jualan kita berjaya mencapai sasaran bulan ini. |
Our latest ad campaign received positive feedback. | Kempen iklan terbaru kita mendapat sambutan yang baik. |
Our target market is youth aged 18-25 years. | Sasaran pasaran kita adalah golongan belia berumur 18-25 tahun. |
We need to conduct a detailed analysis before launching the new product. | Kita perlu melakukan analisis terperinci sebelum melancarkan produk baru. |
Polite Requests And Questions
English | Malay |
---|---|
May I speak with Mr. Ahmad? | Boleh saya bercakap dengan Encik Ahmad? |
May I know when the meeting will start? | Boleh saya tahu bila mesyuarat akan mula? |
Please send the document before 5 PM. | Sila hantar dokumen tersebut sebelum pukul 5 petang. |
Could you review this report? | Bolehkah anda semak laporan ini? |
Expressing Agreement And Disagreement
English | Malay |
---|---|
I agree with your suggestion. | Saya setuju dengan cadangan anda. |
I disagree with that decision. | Saya tidak setuju dengan keputusan itu. |
I completely agree with this plan. | Saya bersetuju sepenuhnya dengan rancangan ini. |
I somewhat disagree with this approach. | Saya kurang setuju dengan pendekatan ini. |
I understand your point, but I think we need to consider other factors. | Saya faham pandangan anda, tetapi saya rasa kita perlu pertimbangkan faktor lain. |
Tips For Practicing Business Terms In Malay
Speaking Malay when you’re doing business (especially if you’re a non-native) can create a powerful first impression—it shows that you genuinely respect and appreciate the country’s identity and culture.
A great way to start is by getting interactive language learning apps like the Ling app, for example. While reading books is a solid method for language learning, it might not be the most efficient approach if your goal is to quickly develop conversational skills in the language.
Give the app a try and use its reminders to incorporate Malay language learning into your daily routine. Engaging with your local colleagues in Malaysia is also a very practical way to pick up the language quickly.
How Do You Say Business In The Malay Language?
In Malay, ‘business’ is perniagaan or urusan perniagaan. To do business is berniaga. If you’re a businessman, you can call yourself ahli perniagaan.
Important Malay Phrases For Businesses
Here’s a list of must-know business phrases in Malay.
English | Malay |
---|---|
Thank you for your cooperation. | Terima kasih atas kerjasama anda. |
I hope we can collaborate again in the future. | Saya harap kita dapat bekerjasama lagi pada masa akan datang |
I hope you are all satisfied with my explanation. | Saya harap anda semua berpuas hati dengan penjelasan saya. |
I agree to these terms. | Saya bersetuju dengan syarat-syarat ini. |
Are there any questions or suggestions? | Ada sebarang soalan atau cadangan? |
Our company has a branch in Kuala Lumpur. | Syarikat kami mempunyai cawangan di Kuala Lumpur. |
We have a meeting with the client tomorrow morning. | Kita ada mesyuarat dengan pelanggan esok pagi. |
We are considering to invest in the technology sector in Malaysia. | Kami sedang mempertimbangkan untuk melabur dalam sektor teknologi di Malaysia. |
We need to negotiate regarding the agreement. | Kami perlu berunding tentang perjanjian itu. |
Of course, we will address this issue as soon as possible. | Sudah tentu. Kami akan tangani isu ini secepat mungkin. |
We lost our biggest client due to a misunderstanding. | Kita kehilangan pelanggan terbesar kita disebabkan oleh salah faham. |
Frequently Asked Questions About Malay Business Vocabulary
1. How Do I Practice My Malay Business Vocabulary?
In your language learning journey, you must first be familiar with the common business phrases. This can be done with language apps like the Ling app, where you’ll acquire new words, vocabulary, terms, and ways to use and pronounce them properly. Once you’ve grasped the basic phrases, you can exchange conversations with your Malay colleagues.
2. How Do Malaysians Say Thank You?
In Malay, ‘thank you’ is terima kasih. If you want to tell someone you appreciate them for supporting your business, you can say: Terima kasih atas sokongan anda. And we’ll say sama-sama (you’re welcome) in return.
3. How Do I Improve Malay Corporate Lingo?
To address this issue and impress your network, you must learn the key business terms and phrases in Malay related to meetings, presentations, negotiations, finance, and marketing, among other things. Then, try writing using the language in emails or reports; you’ll notice how much easier it is to recall the vocabulary of the language.
Ready To Speak Malay At Work With Confidence?
Acquiring Malay business phrases goes beyond than just asking for directions when you’re lost or buying drinks in the market. Just like in other countries, specific norms or practices exist within the Malay business vocabulary. The good news for English speakers is that the professional landscape in this Southeast Asian country uses English extensively. This makes it easier to integrate Malay into the corporate environment. However, learning Bahasa Malaysia to incorporate it to your daily interactions will set you apart — you’ll leave a lasting impression on Malaysians, which, perhaps, opens doors to limitless opportunities.