Whether you’re living abroad or taking a quick vacation, nothing is more frustrating than not being able to speak the local language. I’ve been there, and I know precisely how you feel! That’s why in today’s post, we’ll go over the polite Malay phrases perfect for anyone who is in or is planning to visit Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, or Singapore. Let’s get started!
Traveling to a country far from home is one of the best ways to learn new things and experience a different culture. While you’re there, it’s important to also make an effort to connect with the people around you and be polite at all times! You don’t want them branding you as the “rude traveler,” right? We’re not saying that you must take lessons or spend countless hours and money to sound like a near-native speaker! Knowing some basic words and phrases can make your travels more enjoyable even if you don’t speak the local language. If you’re looking for some inspiration, keep reading below!
Malaysia Truly Asia
Malaysia is one of the most popular countries in Asia thanks to its range of amazing food and unique sites like the Petronas towers, Batu Caves, Malacca city, and much more. It is also home to several people from other Asian countries like China and India. With that said, the country is believed to be very welcoming to foreigners. The locals are open-minded and are always looking for ways to ensure that everyone is respected and not discriminated.
If you are traveling to the country for the first time, it is only right that you look for ways to demonstrate good behavior as well. To do this, one of the things you must consider is to use the Malay language in a polite way when interacting with the locals. Let’s find out how in the sections below!
Polite Malay Phrases
While there are several phrases that one can use depending on the situation, what we covered below are those that can be used at all times. Let’s get started!
| English | Malay |
| Thank you | terima kasih |
| I do not know | saya tidak tahu |
| I do not | saya tidak |
| Welcome | selamat datang |
| Good night | selamat malam |
| Goobye | selamat jalan |
| Fine | khabar baik |
| Good afternoon | selamat tengah hari |
| My name | nama saya |
| Same to you | sama sama |
| I do not understand | saya tidak faham |
| How are you | apa khabar |
| Good evening | selamat petang |
| Good morning | selamat pagi |
| Good night | selamat tidur |
| Refuse | tak nak |
| Goodbye | selamat tinggal |
| I don’t | saya tak |
| I miss you | saya rindu kamu |
| What are you doing | apah ka bar |
| It is long anyway | toh long |
| Dont | jangan |
| Forgive me | maafkan saya |
| I am lost | saya tersesat |
| I do not understand | saya tak faham |
| In language | dalam bahasa |
| Where | di mana |
| Turn left | belok kiri |
| Turn right | belok kanan |
| Where is the toilet | di mana tandas |
| Hmmm | mah lahm |
| What’s up | kah nahn |
Polite Malay Sentences
| English | Malay |
| I was nice to meet you | ia adalah baik untuk bertemu dengan kamu |
| Where are you going | nak pergi mana |
| I am sorry, can you say that again | Saya minta maaf, boleh awak cakap macam tu sekali lagi |
| Forgive me, I misunderstood | maafkan saya, saya salah faham |
| I am fine, thank you | Saya baik saja, terima kasih |
| How are you today | Apa khabar hari ini |
| Thank you very much | Terima kasih banyak – banyak |
| I appreciate your help | Saya menghargai bantuan anda |
| I am sorry to bother you | Saya minta maaf mengganggu awak |
| I understand , it’s okay | Saya faham, tidak mengapa |
| I am learning Malay | Saya belajar bahasa Melayu |
| I am from… | saya berasal dari |
| I live in… | saya tinggal di |
| I don’t think I can come tomorrow | Saya rasa saya tidak boleh datang esok |
| How is the weather? | Bagaimana cuaca |
| Can you help me? | Boleh kamu bantu saya |
| May I help you? | May I help you – Boleh saya tolong awak |
| Could you excuse me please? | Tolong maafkan saya |
| I will be right back | Saya akan kembali segera |
| May I be excused | May I be excused – Boleh saya dimaafkan |
Remember that learning languages open the doors for many opportunities – new people, new culture, and new adventures. It will take some effort but do try to practice these sentences. If possible, do it with a friend. Construct your own simple sentences, and see how you do!
Learn Malay With Ling
Want to see a huge improvement to your Malay language skills? To learn words and basic phrases in Malay, choose Ling – your gamified language learning app. It is the best solution for any type of learner as it comes with several lessons geared to meet the needs of learners of all levels! And the best part? It comes with lessons for 60+ foreign languages (including Malay!)! How cool is that?
Are you someone who needs constant motivation when studying? If yes, then Ling proves to be the best app for you since it is built with a gamified system that’ll keep you engaged every session. Just by trying it out for 15 minutes a day, you can master critical grammatical points and discover translations all while earning a Banana point!
Don’t believe us? Start learning Malay with Ling by installing it from the Play Store or App Store and creating your free account! Trust us, you can’t find anything better than this resource!
