Free survival kit

Malay survival kit

The 45 essential phrases and 38 key words to get by in Malay when travelling.

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  • 45 phrases
  • 38 key words in the PDF
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Greetings

MalayRomanizationEnglish
Selamat pagise-LA-mat PA-giGood morning
Selamat tengah harise-LA-mat TEN-gah HA-riGood afternoon
Selamat petangse-LA-mat pe-TANGGood evening
Apa khabar?A-pa ka-BAR?How are you?
Khabar baik, terima kasihka-BAR BAIK, te-RI-ma KA-sihFine, thank you
Selamat berkenalanse-LA-mat ber-ke-NA-lanNice to meet you
Selamat tinggalse-LA-mat TING-galGoodbye
Jumpa lagiJOOM-pa LA-giSee you soon
TolongTO-longPlease
Terima kasih banyakte-RI-ma KA-sih BA-nyakThank you very much

Asking for directions

MalayRomanizationEnglish
Di mana...?di MA-na...?Where is... ?
KiriKI-riTo the left
KananKA-nanTo the right
Teruste-ROOSStraight ahead
Saya tersesatSA-ya ter-se-SATI am lost
Boleh tolong saya?BO-leh TO-long SA-ya?Can you help me?
Bagaimana ke lapangan terbang?ba-GAI-ma-na ke la-PAN-gan ter-BANG?How do I get to the airport?
Berhenti di siniber-HEN-ti di SI-niStop here

Emergencies

MalayRomanizationEnglish
Tolong!TO-long!Help!
Panggil polis!PANG-gil PO-lis!Call the police!
Saya perlukan doktorSA-ya per-LOO-kan DOK-torI need a doctor
Panggil ambulans!PANG-gil AM-boo-lans!Call an ambulance!
Saya alah pada...SA-ya A-lah PA-da...I am allergic to...
Saya telah dirompakSA-ya te-LAH di-ROM-pakI have been robbed
Di mana hospital?di MA-na HOS-pi-tal?Where is the hospital?
Saya tidak sihatSA-ya TI-dak SI-hatI don't feel well

At the restaurant

MalayRomanizationEnglish
Meja untuk dua orangME-ja OON-took DOO-a O-rangA table for two, please
Menu, tolongME-noo, TO-longThe menu, please
Apa yang dicadangkan?A-pa yang di-cha-DANG-kan?What do you recommend?
Saya vegetarianSA-ya ve-ge-ta-RI-anI am vegetarian
Sedap!se-DAP!This is delicious!
Bil, tolongBIL, TO-longThe bill, please
Air, tolongA-ir, TO-longWater, please
Tidak terlalu pedasTI-dak ter-LA-loo pe-DASNot too spicy

At the hotel

MalayRomanizationEnglish
Saya ada tempahanSA-ya A-da tem-PA-hanI have a reservation
Saya mahu bilikSA-ya MA-hoo BI-likI would like a room
Pukul berapa daftar keluar?POO-kool be-RA-pa DAF-tar ke-LU-ar?Until what time is check-out?
WiFi percuma?WI-fi per-CHOO-ma?Is Wi-Fi free?
Penghawa dingin tidak berfungsipeng-HA-wa DIN-gin TI-dak ber-FOONG-siThe air conditioning is not working
Boleh bawa tuala?BO-leh BA-wa TOO-a-la?Can you bring towels?

Getting around

MalayRomanizationEnglish
Satu tiket ke...SA-too TI-ket ke...A ticket to...
Pukul berapa keretapi bertolak?POO-kool be-RA-pa ke-re-TA-pi ber-TO-lak?What time does the train leave?
Di mana stesen keretapi?di MA-na STE-sen ke-re-TA-pi?Where is the train station?
Berapa harga teksi?be-RA-pa HAR-ga TEK-si?How much is the taxi?
Turunkan saya di sinitoo-ROON-kan SA-ya di SI-niDrop me here

30 key words to remember

MalayRomanizationEnglish
YaYAYes
TidakTI-dakNo
Terima kasihte-RI-ma KA-sihThank you
Sama-samaSA-ma SA-maYou're welcome
MaafMA-afSorry
AirA-irWater
Makananma-KA-nanFood
HotelHO-telHotel
Lapangan terbangla-PAN-gan ter-BANGAirport
HospitalHOS-pi-talHospital
PolisPO-lisPolice
Farmasifar-MA-siPharmacy
KananKA-nanRight
KiriKI-riLeft
Dekatde-KATNear
JauhJA-oohFar
Berapa?be-RA-pa?How much?
Di mana?di MA-na?Where?
Bila?BI-la?When?
Hari iniHA-ri I-niToday
EsokE-sokTomorrow
PasarPA-sarMarket
TeksiTEK-siTaxi
BasBASBus
RinggitRING-gitRinggit (currency)
Restoranres-TO-ranRestaurant
TandasTAN-dasToilet
KadKADCard
TelefonTE-le-fonPhone
BukaBOO-kaOpen

In context: 5 scenes to get by

On arrival

You land in Kuala Lumpur in the early evening. The hall is huge and you are looking for the official taxi exit. An agent meets your gaze, you greet him and ask for directions.

  • Selamat pagi (se-LA-mat PA-gi) : Good morning
  • Tolong (TO-long) : Please
  • Di mana...? (di MA-na...?) : Where is... ?
  • Bagaimana ke lapangan terbang? (ba-GAI-ma-na ke la-PAN-gan ter-BANG?) : How do I get to the airport?

In the taxi

The driver loads your suitcase and asks for your destination. You give him the hotel address, want to check the price before leaving, then will ask him to stop right in front of the entrance.

  • Berhenti di sini (ber-HEN-ti di SI-ni) : Stop here
  • Berapa harga teksi? (be-RA-pa HAR-ga TEK-si?) : How much is the taxi?
  • Turunkan saya di sini (too-ROON-kan SA-ya di SI-ni) : Drop me here
  • Jumpa lagi (JOOM-pa LA-gi) : See you soon

At the restaurant

You enter a local restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. The waiter seats you and hands you the menu. You ask for his recommendation and mention that you cannot handle too much chili before ordering water.

  • Menu, tolong (ME-noo, TO-long) : The menu, please
  • Apa yang dicadangkan? (A-pa yang di-cha-DANG-kan?) : What do you recommend?
  • Tidak terlalu pedas (TI-dak ter-LA-loo pe-DAS) : Not too spicy
  • Air, tolong (A-ir, TO-long) : Water, please

In an emergency

You feel sick after a meal and need help quickly. You ask where the nearest hospital is and mention that you are allergic to certain foods.

  • Saya perlukan doktor (SA-ya per-LOO-kan DOK-tor) : I need a doctor
  • Saya tidak sihat (SA-ya TI-dak SI-hat) : I don't feel well
  • Saya alah pada... (SA-ya A-lah PA-da...) : I am allergic to...
  • Panggil ambulans! (PANG-gil AM-boo-lans!) : Call an ambulance!

On departure

On the morning of departure, you want to confirm check-out time at the reception, then catch a taxi to the airport. Before leaving, you warmly say goodbye to the hotel staff.

  • WiFi percuma? (WI-fi per-CHOO-ma?) : Is Wi-Fi free?
  • Bagaimana ke lapangan terbang? (ba-GAI-ma-na ke la-PAN-gan ter-BANG?) : How do I get to the airport?
  • Selamat tinggal (se-LA-mat TING-gal) : Goodbye
  • Jumpa lagi (JOOM-pa LA-gi) : See you soon

Cultural notes

  1. Malaysia is multi-ethnic: Malays (Muslims), Chinese, Indians, indigenous peoples. Adapt your behavior to the context. During Ramadan, avoid eating or drinking in public during the day.
  2. To greet, a slight bow of the head is enough. Between unrelated men and women, handshakes are avoided: wait for the other to extend their hand first. Touch your heart after a handshake to mark respect.
  3. You always remove your shoes before entering a house or a mosque. Dress modestly, especially in rural and religious areas. Cover shoulders and knees in places of worship.
  4. People often eat with their right hand (never the left, considered impure) or with a spoon and fork. Chopsticks are reserved for Chinese restaurants. Refusing an invitation to eat can seem rude.
  5. The head is sacred, do not touch it, even children's. Do not point with the index finger: use the right thumb, fingers folded. Never point the feet towards a person or a sacred place.
  6. Islam is the state religion. Pork and alcohol are absent from halal restaurants. Look for "halal" signs for Malays and Chinese or Indian restaurants for more variety.
  7. Bargaining is expected at markets and in souvenir shops, but not in modern malls or department stores. Negotiate with a smile.
  8. The concept of "muka" (face) is central. Avoid putting someone in an embarrassing situation in public, do not shout, do not express anger. Conflicts are resolved in private and calmly.

Keep the whole kit on your phone

The 45 phrases, 38 key words and the cultural notes in a PDF to keep offline or print. We also send it to you by e-mail.

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About this kit

Malay (Bahasa Malaysia) is spoken by around 290 million people in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia (as Bahasa Indonesia, very close). It is written in the Latin alphabet and remains one of the most accessible Asian languages for French speakers. With this kit, you have the bare minimum to get by in Kuala Lumpur, Penang or Kota Kinabalu.

Malay (Bahasa Malaysia or Bahasa Melayu) is spoken by around 290 million people in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia where it takes the form of Bahasa Indonesia, mutually intelligible. An Austronesian language, it is now written in the Latin alphabet (rumi), after long using the Arabic script (jawi) still present in some religious contexts. Its grammar is one of the most accessible for French speakers: no conjugations, no declensions, no grammatical genders, no mandatory plural (the word is sometimes doubled to mark the plural: "anak-anak" = children). Pronunciation is largely transparent: letters are pronounced as in French, except for "c" pronounced "tch", "j" pronounced "dj" and "y" pronounced "y" as in "yacht". Stress generally falls on the second-to-last syllable. Beyond the language, traveling to Malaysia means diving into a unique cultural mosaic: Muslim Malays, Buddhist or Taoist Chinese, Hindu or Muslim Indians, indigenous peoples of Borneo. The cuisine reflects this diversity: nasi lemak, laksa, satay, roti canai. This kit gathers the bare essentials to handle an arrival in Kuala Lumpur, a taxi ride, an order in a kopitiam, a medical emergency and a smooth departure. You will find key greetings, phrases to orient yourself, words to eat and sleep, as well as cultural tips to avoid faux pas.

Sources and references

Every translation is cross-checked against at least two concordant sources among the references below.

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