Malay And Indonesian – 5 Main Differences Summarized

Are Malay and Indonesian the same language?

At first glance, Bahasa Malaysia (Malay) and Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian) might seem interchangeable.

Their shared linguistic roots often allow speakers to understand one another without much difficulty.

However, distinct historical influences, cultural developments, and linguistic adaptations have created subtle yet important differences that distinguish the two.

For instance, in Malay, the word for “medicine” is ubat, while in Indonesian, it’s spelled obat.

Even punctuation differs between the two languages: Malay uses a decimal point in numbers, while Indonesian uses a comma (e.g., 1.5 vs. 1,5).

Loanwords in both languages highlight key differences: in Malay, the word beg (borrowed from English) refers to a bag, whereas in Indonesian, the equivalent word is tas, borrowed from Dutch.

These distinctions make Malay and Indonesian fascinating to explore as unique languages despite their shared roots.

Let’s delve into these differences further to uncover the richness of both.

Difference Between Malay vs. Indonesian: At A High Level

Malay and Indonesian may appear similar at first glance due to shared origins as part of the Austronesian language family, but significant differences reveal themselves upon closer inspection.

Both are mutually intelligible to a high degree, yet each has developed distinct characteristics influenced by colonization, culture, and geography.

Malay, largely shaped by British colonial influence, incorporates many English loanwords and follows English-based conventions.

Conversely, Indonesian reflects the linguistic impact of Dutch colonization, particularly in its vocabulary and orthography.

The grammatical structure remains similar, making the languages intelligible for native speakers.

However, native speakers can easily detect nationality through accents, word choices, and even colloquial expressions.

We have summarized their differences into four key areas below.

Differences In Spelling

The spelling conventions of Malay and Indonesian were shaped by the colonial powers that influenced them—British for Malay and Dutch for Indonesian.

Historically, in Malay writing, the Arabic script (Jawi) was used, but this was replaced with Romanized letters under British rule.

Similarly, Indonesians adopted Roman script during Dutch colonization but followed Dutch spelling conventions.

English	Malay	Indonesian
Traditional snack	Kuih	Kue
Snow	Salji	Salju
Towel	Lembik	Lembek
Answer	Jawapan	Jawaban
Medicine	Ubat	Obat
Sugar	Telefon	Telepon
Because	Kerana	Karena

Differences in Pronunciation

Pronunciation variations in Malay and Indonesian reflect distinct regional influences and cultural practices.

In Peninsular Malaysia, Malay pronunciation softens vowels and elongates syllables, giving it a more melodic tone.

In contrast, Indonesian pronunciation generally follows spelling conventions more closely, resulting in a crisper, more direct articulation.

Bahasa Baku refers to the standardized form of Indonesian, emphasizing its strict adherence to pronunciation rules, while Malay is more flexible.

For instance, the vowel “u” in Malay is pronounced like “oh,” whereas in Indonesian, it is often articulated as a long “uuuuh.”

For example, tujuh (seven) is pronounced /tu-joh/ in Malay, but /tu-juh/ in Indonesian.

The schwa sound (often pronounced as “uh”) in Malay contrasts with the clearer “ah” sound in Indonesian (e.g. nama “name”—/nah-muh/ in Malay; /nah-mah/ in Indonesian.).

Additionally, the rolling of the tongue is more pronounced in Indonesian than in Malay.

For example, the word pasar (“market”) is pronounced with a subtle rolling “r” in Indonesian, sounding like pah-sarrrr, while in Malay, it’s softer, more like pasa.

Geographic proximity also plays a role in pronunciation, with East Malaysian Malay sounding more similar to Indonesian due to shared borders and cultural exchanges.

English	Malay Pronunciation	Indonesian Pronunciation
Name	Nama (/nah-muh/)	Nama (/nah-mah/)
Seven	Tujuh (/too-joh/)	Tujuh (/too-juh/)
Enough	Cukup (/choo-kop/)	Cukup (/choo-kup/)
Market	Pasar (/pa-sa(r)/)	Pasar (/pah-sar/)
Bamboo	Buluh (/boo-loh)	Buluh (/boo-luh/)
Time	Masa (/mah-suh/)	Masa (/mah-sah/)
Water	Air (/ah-yer/)	Air (/ay-er/)

Differences In Punctuation

While punctuation is largely consistent across both languages, there are notable differences in the use of decimal points and commas.

Malay numbers, influenced by British English, use a decimal point (e.g., 2.5), whereas Indonesian, following Dutch conventions, employs a decimal comma (e.g., 2,5).

This difference is especially apparent in numerical contexts such as prices, measurements, and statistical data.

Additionally, quotation marks in Malay often follow the British style (” “), while Indonesian uses the Dutch style („ “) in formal writing, although modern usage is converging due to global standardization.

Punctuation Type	Malay	Indonesian
Decimal Mark	2.5	2,5
Quotation Marks	“Hello”	„Hello“
Thousand Separator	1,000	1
Colon Usage	Used sparingly	Used frequently
List Separators	Commas	Semicolons

Differences in Loanwords

Loanwords in Malay and Indonesian offer fascinating insights into their colonial pasts.

Malay has absorbed many English words, while Indonesian leans heavily on Dutch.

For example, the word for “bag” is beg in Malay, derived from the English “bag,” but tas in Indonesian, from Dutch tas.

These differences extend to everyday items, professional terms, and modern technological vocabulary.

English	Malay (from English)	Indonesian (from Dutch)
Pharmacy	Farmasi	Apotek
Bag	Beg	Tas
Coin	Syiling	Duit
Bicycle	Basikal	Sepada
Receipt	Resit	Bon
Coat	Kot	Jas
Pencil	Pensel	Potlot
Account	Akaun	Rekening
Brake	Brek	Rem

Differences in meaning of the same word: False friends

One of the most intriguing aspects of Malay and Indonesian is their “false friends.”

The same words are used in both languages but with entirely different meanings, which can lead to embarrassing mistakes or humorous misunderstandings.

For instance, pejabat means “office” in Malay but refers to high officials in Indonesian.

Similarly, Berbual means “to chat” in Malay but “to bluff” in Indonesian.

Understanding these differences is essential for effective communication, especially for non-native speakers.

Word	Meaning in Malay	Meaning in Indonesian
Pejabat	Office	High officials
Berbual	To chat	To bluff
Bercinta	In love	To make love, sexual intercourse
Tambang	Transportation fee	Rope
Pokok	Tree	Principal/ main
Kacak	Handsome	The act of placing hands on one’s waist
Kesal	Regret	Annoyed
Percuma	Free of charge	No use
Punggung	Buttock	Back
Pantas	Fast	Suitable
Baja	Fertilizer	Steel
Pusing	Circling something	Dizzy

Differences In Vocabulary

Let’s now explore the vocabulary differences between Malay and Indonesian.

Both languages share a large vocabulary pool but use different words to express the same concepts or ideas.

Here, we are not focusing on differences caused by loanwords from different origins but rather on the distinct words used in each language of pure Malay origin.

For example, Indonesians use mau to mean “want,” while Malaysians prefer nak; both words are recognized in Standard Malay and Indonesian.

Another example is bisa, which translates to “can” in Indonesian.

While Malaysians recognize bisa in standard Malay, it’s typically used in songs or poems rather than everyday conversation, where boleh is the preferred term.

Furthermore, some words are found in only one of the two languages.

For instance, the word for “no” in Indonesian is nggak, while in Malay, it’s tak or tidak.

These differences emphasize how vocabulary can vary between the two languages, even when they share the same linguistic roots.

English	Malay	Indonesian
Tired	Penat	Lelah
Afternoon	Tengah hari	Sore
Need	Perlu	Butuh (means female genital in Malay)
To want	Hendak/ Nak	Mahu/ Mau
Can	Boleh	Bisa
No	Tak/ Tidak	Nggak

How Do You Say Malay And Indonesian In Malay?

In Malay, Bahasa Melayu refers to the Malay language, which literally means “language of the Malay people.”

For Indonesian, it is called Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian language).

Foreigners often mistakenly use “Bahasa” by itself, but this is incorrect because it doesn’t specify the language being referred to.

Always say “Bahasa Melayu” for Malay and “Bahasa Indonesia” for Indonesian to be clear and correct in both languages.

Frequently Asked Questions About Malay And Indonesian

What Is The Difference Between Indonesia And Malaysia?

Yes, Indonesians and Malaysians can generally understand each other.

Both are standardized varieties of the Malay language, and while they share a common linguistic base, there are differences in vocabulary, pronunciation, and certain expressions.

Despite these differences, most speakers of both languages can communicate easily.

Mutual intelligibility depends on familiarity with the accents, regional dialects, and specific vocabulary of the other country.

What Is The Difference Between Indonesia And Malaysia?

Indonesia and Malaysia are two distinct countries in Southeast Asia with notable differences.

Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world, consisting of over 17,000 islands, whereas Malaysia is located primarily on the Malay Peninsula and a portion of Borneo.

Culturally, Indonesia is predominantly Javanese, while Malaysia is a more diverse blend of Malay, Chinese, and Indian communities.

Politically, Indonesia is a republic, and Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy.

The languages spoken in both countries—Bahasa Indonesia and Bahasa Malaysia—are similar but have different vocabulary, pronunciation, and spelling conventions due to their separate colonial histories (Dutch for Indonesia and British for Malaysia).

Which Is Easier Malay Or Indonesian?

Malay and Indonesian are considered the easiest languages for English speakers to learn.

They rank low on language difficulty scales due to their simple grammar, lack of verbal inflections, and straightforward sentence structure.

However, ease of learning can depend on your linguistic background.

Indonesian features many loanwords from Dutch, making it more accessible for Dutch speakers.

On the other hand, many English loanwords in Malay might give English speakers a slight advantage.

Phonetically, Indonesian adheres more strictly to its spelling rules, which can simplify pronunciation for beginners, while Malay often softens and alters vowels in speech.

Linguistically, both languages are similar, with shared roots and vocabulary.

However, Indonesians tend to have a more standardized formal structure (Bahasa Baku), making it easier to learn systematically.

Malay sentence structure, meanwhile, has more colloquial flexibility that aligns closely with everyday spoken language.

In summary, while both are easy languages to learn, your native language and goals (e.g., casual conversation versus formal use) might make one slightly easier than the other.

Wrapping Up the 5 Big Differences

Learning the key differences between Malay and Indonesian, as we’ve explored in this blog, can greatly enhance your appreciation of these rich languages.

From the Difference in Pronunciation, where Malay’s softer syllables contrast with Indonesian’s crisper sounds, to Differences in Loanwords, where English and Dutch colonial legacies left their mark, understanding these distinctions deepens cultural connections.

Additionally, Difference in Vocabulary highlighted how even shared concepts can use different expressions, such as nak in Malay versus mau in Indonesian for “want.”

These insights are valuable for language learners and anyone navigating these regions.

By mastering one of these languages, you unlock access to communication in Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and Singapore—a skill useful for travel, business, and personal growth.

With tools like the Ling app, you can learn Malay or Indonesian effortlessly at your own pace, laying the foundation for even broader linguistic exploration.

Start your journey today and immerse yourself in the beauty of these closely related yet distinct languages!