🇲🇾Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei

Learn Malay with real humans

Learn Malay (Bahasa Melayu) with native teachers from Malaysia and Singapore. Malay is the official language of Malaysia (33 million people), Brunei, and one of the 4 official languages of Singapore, Southeast Asia's financial and technology hub. Very close to Indonesian, Malay is an accessible language that opens the doors to a 350-million-person economic zone across ASEAN.

Small groupsNative teachersTwice a week

Try for 30 days

★★★★★✓ 30-day money-back guarantee • ✓ No commitment • ✓ Certified native teachers

First words in Malay

Apa khabar? / Hai! (A-pa KHA-bar), How are you? / Hi!

suh-LA-mat PA-gi / A-pa KHA-bar

Selamat pagi / Assalamualaikum (suh-LA-mat PA-gi), Good morning / Peace be upon you

Formal greeting

Did you know? Malay is the historical lingua franca of Southeast Asia, for centuries, it was the language of trade and diplomacy across the entire archipelago, from the coasts of Sumatra all the way to the Philippines. Its influence has shaped hundreds of regional languages. In Singapore, 'Singlish', a blend of English, Malay, Cantonese, and Tamil, is a national cultural identity in its own right ('Can lah', 'Alamak!', 'Wah lau!'). Malay politeness is deeply tied to Islamic culture: 'Assalamualaikum' is the universal greeting among Muslims.

Small

Class groups

2×

Live classes / week

100%

Native teachers

30d

Money-back guarantee

Live classes

Learn Malay live with a native teacher

2 live classes per week in small groups. Ask questions, practice conversation, progress fast.

Native teacher in class - Malay | Targumi

Conversation with a teacher - Malay | Targumi

classes per week

Small

groups

100%

certified native teachers

Live classes

Your typical Malay week

2 live video classes per week, Mondays and Thursdays at 8pm (Paris time). Small groups.

Week of

1 – Jun 7, 2026

Mon1

Tue2

Wed3

Thu4

20:00

At the restaurant: ordering

Role-playBeginner

Join class →

Fri5

Sat6

Sun7

Ready to get started?

Try Targumi risk-free for 30 days. Money-back guarantee, no commitment.

Try for 30 days

Risk-free trial · 30-day refund · Small groups of 2-5

The platform

Progress in Malay between classes, at your own pace

Interactive lessons with native audio, vocabulary, dialogues and quizzes. Everything you need to reinforce your skills between live sessions.

Ready to improve?

Access all interactive exercises and online courses.

Try for 30 days

Risk-free trial · 30-day refund · Small groups of 2-5

The community

Join Targumi's Malay community

Dedicated WhatsApp group, exchanges between learners, resource sharing. You're never alone in your learning journey.

Join the support group

Free · Lifetime access · Native speakers present

🇲🇦

Malay School - Community

Anissa

Hi everyone 🙌

4:22 PM

Fatiha

Hey, welcome back!

4:23 PM

I’m not on desktop, is it mobile-friendly too?

4:23 PM

Mrhd

Yes, it works on phone and computer together 📱💻

4:24 PM

Message

Full program

Your Malay curriculum

Exactly what you'll find inside the platform: 9 modules, 0+ structured lessons, quizzes and exercises.

🇲🇾

Bahasa Melayu — Les bases

🔤Malais vs Indonésien — Différences clés

Start this module→

🇲🇾

Malais Intermédiaire

🔤Système d'affixes (imbuhan)

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📐Grammaire et structure de phrase

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🏙️Conversations et vie en Malaisie

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🌏Société et culture malaisienne

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🇲🇾

Malais Avancé

🏛️Bahasa Malaysia formel et académique

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📚Littérature malaise classique

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🌐Malais des médias et de la diplomatie

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🎓Maîtrise linguistique avancée

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The method

Our method for learning Malay

Step 01

Quick level test

Assess your current knowledge in 5 minutes

Step 02

Structured modules

Progressive learning path with native audio and exercises

Step 03

Interactive live classes

2 sessions per week with your native teacher

Step 04

Level certification

Validate your progress with an official certificate

Why Targumi

What makes us different for Malay

100+

Available languages

Including rare languages you won't find anywhere else.

Free trial days

Try everything with no commitment. Classes, exercises, community.

3-en-1

Complete platform

Video classes + interactive exercises + WhatsApp community. All included.

24/7

Unlimited access

Learn whenever you want. Exercises and content are available 24/7.

The curriculum

What you'll learn in Malay

A curriculum designed to get you speaking Malay in the situations that actually matter to you.

Try for 30 days

01
Conversational Malay from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore
02
Simple grammar: no gender, no complex conjugation
03
Differences between Bahasa Melayu and Bahasa Indonesia
04
Business Malay for Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei
05
Malay culture: batik, keris, nasi lemak, and Malaysian Islam
06
Manglish and Singlish: the creolized English of Malaysia and Singapore

Start Malay now

Try free for 30 days, no commitment.

Try for 30 days

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about learning Malay

What is the difference between Malay and Indonesian?

Malay (Bahasa Melayu) and Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) are very close, mutual intelligibility is 80-90%. The main differences: Malay borrows vocabulary from English (versus Dutch in Indonesian), some everyday expressions, and writing style (Malay is slightly more formal in official communications). A Malay speaker and an Indonesian speaker can easily understand each other in conversation.

Is Malay useful in Singapore?

Yes. Malay is Singapore's national language (even though English is the working language). All military chants and the Singaporean national anthem are in Malay. In the Malay quarters (Geylang, Kampong Glam), Malay is everywhere. And for relations with neighboring Malaysia, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur are just 5 hours apart by train, Malay is indispensable.

Is Malay easy to learn?

Malay is considered one of the most accessible Asian languages for Europeans. Phonetic Latin alphabet, no tones (unlike Vietnamese or Thai), no grammatical gender, no tense-based conjugation (you say 'yesterday I eat', time is indicated by a word, not by a conjugation). The U.S. Foreign Service Institute rates it level 2 out of 5. The main challenges: vocabulary (few European cognates) and politeness particles.

Is Malaysia an attractive market for business?

Malaysia is one of the most developed economies in Southeast Asia, one of the highest GDP per capita in the region, a hub for electronics manufacturing (Penang = the 'Silicon Valley of Southeast Asia'), the global center of Islamic finance (Kuala Lumpur is the world's leading Islamic finance hub), and a booming tourism sector. Speaking Malay in local negotiations is a decisive advantage over English-only competitors.

Is there a Malaysian or Singaporean community in France?

The Malaysian community in France is modest but present, particularly in major university cities. More significantly: many French nationals work or travel in Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei (expatriates, entrepreneurs, teachers). Singapore is one of the most sought-after expatriate destinations in the world. Speaking Malay opens up these experiences to their full local dimension.

How much do Malay courses cost on Targumi?

Targumi offers 3 plans: quarterly, yearly, and lifetime access. All plans include live small-group classes with native teachers, interactive lessons, and the community. See full pricing on the pricing page.

Are the Malay courses online or in person?

100% online. Live classes happen twice a week in small groups via Google Meet. You can join from anywhere in the world. The mobile and web app stay accessible 24/7 for interactive lessons.

Is there a money-back guarantee?

Yes. Targumi offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans. If you are not satisfied, just email [email protected] for a full refund.

How do I cancel my subscription?

You can cancel anytime from your profile (“My subscriptions” section) with no hidden fees. Your access stays active until the end of your paid period.

Resources

All Malay resources

Explore our free tools to progress outside of class.

Reviews

They are learning Malay with Targumi

Verified learner testimonials.

“When I helped a tourist in Malay on the street, I wrote this memory in my evening journal.”

Yaw M.Verified purchase

“Optician, Malay changed my life: I access exclusive trainings in this language.”

Hassan V.Verified purchase

“Malay connects me to a worldwide diaspora. Friends on 4 continents thanks to this language.”

Amina RussoVerified purchase

“Malay transformed my identity. I'm no longer "the one who only speaks one language".”

Francesca K.Verified purchase

“After 5 months of Malay, I order at restaurants without asking for a translated menu. the result is concrete and tangible.”

Leila MullerVerified purchase

“Nice Malay platform to use. A progression badge system would be motivating.”

Marco LeroyVerified purchase

“AI researcher, Malay gives me access to cutting-edge non-English publications.”

Andrea LeeVerified purchase

“After 3 months of Malay, I hold a fluent phone conversation. my investment paid off.”

Miguel LiVerified purchase

Pricing

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30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked.

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Lifetime

One-time payment

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forever

Live classes 2x/week with a native teacher
Full learning platform (videos, quizzes, audio exercises)
Small group classes: you actually practice
Private WhatsApp community
24/7 access from mobile and desktop
Level certificate
Shareable account

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Cancel anytime · Same access on all plans

Ready to speak Malay ?

Join thousands of learners who make progress every week with our native teachers

Try for 30 days

30-day money-back guarantee • Secure payment

Learn Malay with real humans

Learn Malay live with a native teacher

Your typical Malay week

Ready to get started?

Progress in Malay between classes, at your own pace

Ready to improve?

Join Targumi's Malay community

Your Malay curriculum

Our method for learning Malay

Quick level test

Structured modules

Interactive live classes

Level certification

What makes us different for Malay

What you'll learn in Malay

Start Malay now

Frequently asked questions about learning Malay

All Malay resources

Malay level test

Malay survival kit

Malay cultural quiz

Malay articles

Malay vocabulary

Cultural resources

They are learning Malay with Targumi

Start learning Malay today

Ready to speak Malay ?