Traveling to a foreign country is always fun, but we always wonder if everything goes smoothly. Emergencies happen! And if ever you find yourself in an emergency while in a Malay-speaking country such as Malaysia, Indonesia, or Singapore, you’ll be glad you read this article.
In today’s post, we’ll discuss some of the most common Malay phrases for emergency situations. Find yourself in need of help? These Malay phrases will be essential in letting others know that you are under duress — even if you don’t speak Bahasa Malaysia!
Let’s get started: time to learn Malay phrases that will help you in an emergency!
Malay Phrases For Emergency – Important Phrases And Words To Remember
Selamat pagi! We’ll cover some of the most important emergency phrases you need to know when you visit a country that speaks Malay. These Malay phrases will be listed one by one, along with an explanation of their meaning and case of use. If you want to learn Malay, you’ll have to come across these words eventually…
1. Tolong
Tolong directly translates to “help!” and is the most essential phrase you should learn! It applies to many situations where one may need assistance. Shout this out if you find yourself in a sticky situation.
2. Saya perlukan bantuan
A long way to say tolong is saya perlukan bantuan – which translates to “I need help.” This is a less urgent way of saying it. Consider using this phrase when asking for directions or asking for some light assistance.
3. Ambulans
Ambulans is the Malay word for “ambulance.” Shout this out when you need medical assistance, or see someone who does. If there is no one to call an ambulance for you, you may look up the emergency services number online for the country you are in. For example, the Malaysia Emergency Response Service’s phone number is 999.
4. Polis
Like the previous word, polis is pronounced like “police” in English. Both polis and ambulans are English loanwords! Use this word when you are involved in or witness a crime. People who hear you will likely help out by calling the police for you.
5. Api
Api means “fire,” and it is also the simplest way to let everyone around you know that a fire is raging. People will likely come rushing to your help with buckets of water to help quench the fire!
6. Kecemasan
Kecemasan means “emergency” in the Malay language but isn’t necessarily a phrase that locals say when they need help. Usually, they would ask for help, or describe what was happening. However, you are free to use this word if you want!
List Of Common Emergency Words
Let’s list down all these words for easy reference!
| English | Malay |
| Help | Tolong |
| I need help | Saya perlukan bantuan |
| Ambulance | Ambulans |
| Police | Polis |
| Fire | Api |
| Emergency | Kecemasan |
Words For Medical Emergencies In Malay
Experiencing a medical emergency? When you find yourself in physical pain, you may be asked by your responding paramedics or attending nurses about what you are feeling. However, you can get over the Malay language barrier pretty quickly with these words:
1. Terseliuh
Terseliuh translates to “electrical shock.” If you have been the victim of an electrical shock – due to touching a wire or being caught in hujan petir – you may use this word to let your attendants know what kind of treatment you need.
2. Sakit/Sahit
Sakit/sahit translates to “sick.” So if you are experiencing symptoms that you’re not sure of, or if you feel sick to your stomach, medical professionals will at least know what is wrong with you, even if you don’t know the Malay language.
3. Terluka
Terluka translates to “injured.” This Malay word may be used if you have experienced a physical injury, such as a fracture, a sprain, a laceration, or more. External injuries will be visible, but if you were hit with blunt force, your injuries might be internal.
4. Pernafasan Terganggu
Pernafasan terganggu translates to “difficulty breathing” or “interrupted breathing,” but both words mean the same when you learn Malay! So use this if you find yourself or your companion being short of breath.
5. Pendarahan/Perdarahan
Pendarahan/perdarahan both translate to “bleeding.” Use this if you have experienced an injury where you have lost blood. Granted, people might see the blood before you even say you’re bleeding, but you should know this just in case.
6. Kemalangan
Kemalangan translates to “accident.” People who learn Malay come across this phrase early and with good reason. If you are in an accident, use this word to let the responders know what happened to you.
7. Sesak Nafas
Sesak nafas translates to “difficulty breathing,” but is more commonly used for situations when someone is having an asthma attack. Using this phrase instead of pernafasan terganggu will more effectively communicate your status to responders.
8. Sakit Kepala
Sakit kepala translates to “headache.” So if you have a painful sensation in your head, this is the best way to describe it to your first responders in the Malay language.
List Of Common Medical Emergency Words
Let’s list down the Malay words we just learned!
| English | Malay |
| Electrical shock | Terseliuh |
| Sick | Sakit/Sahit |
| Injured | Terluka |
| Difficulty breathing | Pernafasan terganggu |
| Bleeding | Pendarahan |
| Accident | Kemalangan |
| Asthma attack | Sesak nafas |
| Headache | Sakit kepala |
Learn Malay Words For Negotiation
Say you found yourself in a sticky situation in Malaysia, and now you’re being interrogated by the police. What do you do? You pull out this helpful list of Malay phrases to help you get your point across!
We’ll keep this in list form to make it easy for you to reference. In addition, using these phrases will help you communicate better with authorities.
List Of Malay Words For Negotiation
| English | Malay |
| My name is… | Nama saya <name> |
| I am fine | Saya khabar baik |
| I am here | Saya di sini |
| I do not. | Saya tidak |
| I do not want to. | Saya tak nak |
| I do not want to be here | Saya tak nak di sini. |
| I do not understand. | Saya tak faham |
| What are you doing? | Apa yang awak lakukan |
| What happened? | Apa yang berlaku? |
| Please have mercy | Kasihanlah saya |
| This is not fair. | Ini tidak adil |
| This was not my fault | Ini bukan salah saya. |
| Bring me to the embassy | Bawa saya kedutaan. |
| Where is the toilet? | Di mana tandas |
| Thank you | Terima kasih |
Learn Malay Phrases For Emergencies And More With Ling App
Now that you know the basics of asking for help in the Malay language, it’s time to take your education to the next level. We present Ling App: the best way for you to learn Malay! Everything you’ll need to learn Bahasa Melayu is now within your reach.
Ling App provides excellent lessons in Malay and over 60+ different languages! The app was created with the help of native speakers and educators and helps teach language to people of all learning stages: from beginners to experts.
Get started on your learning journey today by downloading the Ling App for Android and iOS. Pretty soon, you’ll say selamat tengah hari just like a local!
