Bahasa Melayu
Malay
Austronesian
Also known as: Malay, Bahasa Melayu
Malay (Bahasa Melayu) is the national language of Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore (~33M L1 + ~44M L2; ~290M including the closely related Indonesian sister-standard). It is a Malayic Austronesian language, shares ~80% mutual intelligibility with Indonesian, and was the lingua franca of Maritime Southeast Asia for over a millennium of Indian Ocean trade. Two writing systems coexist: Rumi (Latin, government standard since the 1972 MABBIM accord harmonizing Malaysian and Indonesian orthographies) and Jawi (Arabic-derived, 14th-c. Pasai inscriptions through 19th c. dominance; still active in Brunei, Pattani Thailand, Malaysian ceremonial contexts). Linguistically: SVO, non-tonal, extensive verbal affixation, and noun-class-free typology.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Malay
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Austronesian
| Meaning | Malay | Indonesian | Musi | Old Malay | North Moluccan Malay | Papuan Malay | Ambon Malay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | air /ˈair/ | air /ˈair/ | ayek /ajek/ | air /air/ | aer /aer/ | air /aer/ | aer /aer/ |
| Fire | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /ˈapi/ | api /api/ |
| Sun | matahari /matahari/ | matahari /matahari/ | matahari /matahari/ | matari /matari/ | matahari /matahari/ | matahari /mataˈhari/ | mata hari /mata hari/ |
| Moon | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /ˈbulan/ | bulang /bulaŋ/ |
| Star | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ |
| Night | malam /ˈmalam/ | malam /ˈmalam/ | malem /maləm/ | malam /malam/ | malam /malam/ | malam /malam/ | malang /malaŋ/ |
| Rain | hujan /ˈhudʒan/ | hujan /ˈhudʒan/ | ujan /uˈdʒan/ | — | ujang /uˈdʒaŋ/ | ujan /udʒan/ | ujang /udʒaŋ/ |
| Snow | salji /saldʒi/ | salju /saldʒu/ | — | — | salju /saldʒu/ | salju /saldʒu/ | — |
| Wind | angin /ˈaŋin/ | angin /ˈaŋin/ | angin /aŋin/ | — | angin /aŋin/ | angin /aŋin/ | anging /aŋiŋ/ |
| Earth | tanah /tanah/ | tanah /tanah/ | tanah /tanah/ | — | tana /tana/ | tana /tana/ | tana /tana/ |
| Stone | batu /ˈbatu/ | batu /ˈbatu/ | batu /batu/ | batu /batu/ | batu /batu/ | batu /batu/ | batu /batu/ |
| Mountain | gunung /ɡuˈnuŋ/ | gunung /ɡuˈnuŋ/ | gunung /ɡunuŋ/ | — | gunung /ɡunuŋ/ | gunung /ɡunuŋ/ | gunung /ɡunuŋ/ |
| Sea | laut /ˈlaut/ | laut /ˈlaut/ | laot /laot/ | — | lao /lao/ | laut /laut/ | lau /lau/ |
| Mother | ibu /ibu/ | ibu /ibu/ | mak /mak/ | ibu /ibu/ | mama /mama/ | mama /ˈmama/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | ayah /ajah/ | ayah /ajah/ | bapak /bapak/ | bapa /bapa/ | papa /papa/ | bapa /ˈbapa/ | papa /papa/ |
| Daughter | anak perempuan /anak pərəmpuan/ | anak perempuan /anak pərəmpuan/ | — | — | ana parampuang /ana parampuaŋ/ | anak prempuan /anak prempuan/ | ana parangpuang /ana paraŋpuaŋ/ |
| I | saya /saja/ | saya /saja/ | aku /aku/ | aku /aku/ | kita /kita/ | sa /sa/ | beta /beta/ |
| You | awak /awaʔ/ | kamu /kamu/ | kau /kau/ | kamu /kamu/ | ngana /ŋana/ | ko /ko/ | ose /ose/ |
| We | kita / kami /kita / kami/ | kita / kami /kita / kami/ | kito / kami /kito / kami/ | kita / kami /kita / kami/ | torang /toraŋ/ | kitorang /kitoraŋ/ | katong /katoŋ/ |
| Name | nama /nama/ | nama /nama/ | namo /namo/ | ngaran /ŋaran/ | nama /nama/ | nama /nama/ | nama /nama/ |
| Person | orang /ˈoraŋ/ | orang /ˈoraŋ/ | wong /woŋ/ | — | orang /oraŋ/ | orang /oraŋ/ | orang /oraŋ/ |
| Head | kepala /kəˈpala/ | kepala /kəˈpala/ | palak /palak/ | — | kapala /kapala/ | kepala /kepala/ | kapala /kapala/ |
| Eye | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mato /mato/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /ˈmata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Ear | telinga /təˈliŋə/ | telinga /təˈliŋa/ | telingo /teliŋo/ | — | talinga /taliŋa/ | tlinga /tliŋa/ | talinga /taliŋa/ |
| Nose | hidung /hiˈduŋ/ | hidung /hiˈduŋ/ | idung /iduŋ/ | — | idong /idoŋ/ | idong /idoŋ/ | idong /idoŋ/ |
| Mouth | mulut /ˈmulut/ | mulut /ˈmulut/ | mulut /mulut/ | — | mulu /mulu/ | mulut /mulut/ | mulu /mulu/ |
| Tooth | gigi /ˈɡiɡi/ | gigi /ˈɡiɡi/ | gigi /ɡiɡi/ | gigi /ɡiɡi/ | gigi /ɡiɡi/ | gigi /ɡiɡi/ | gigi /ɡiɡi/ |
| Tongue | lidah /ˈlidah/ | lidah /ˈlidah/ | lidah /lidah/ | lidah /lidah/ | lida /lida/ | lida /lida/ | lida /lida/ |
| Hand | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangang /taŋaŋ/ | tangan /ˈtaŋan/ | tangang /taŋaŋ/ |
| Foot | kaki /ˈkaki/ | kaki /ˈkaki/ | — | — | kaki /kaki/ | kaki /ˈkaki/ | kaki /kaki/ |
| Heart | hati /hati/ | hati /hati/ | hati /hati/ | hati /hati/ | hati /hati/ | hati /ˈhati/ | hati /hati/ |
| Bone | tulang /ˈtulaŋ/ | tulang /ˈtulaŋ/ | tulang /tulaŋ/ | tulang /tulaŋ/ | tulang /tulaŋ/ | tulang /ˈtulaŋ/ | tulang /tulaŋ/ |
| Blood | darah /ˈdarah/ | darah /ˈdarah/ | darah /darah/ | darah /darah/ | dara /dara/ | dara /dara/ | dara /dara/ |
| Poop | tahi /ˈtahi/ | pup /pup/ | taik /taik/ | — | tai /tai/ | — | tai /tai/ |
| Love | cinta /tʃinta/ | cinta /tʃinta/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | sayang /ˈsajaŋ/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ |
| Tree | pokok /pokoʔ/ | pohon /pohon/ | kayu /kaju/ | kayu /kaju/ | pohong /pohoŋ/ | pohon /ˈpohon/ | pohong /pohoŋ/ |
| Dog | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /ˈandʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ |
| Cat | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | — /—/ | ikung /ikuŋ/ | kucing /ˈkutʃiŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ |
| Fish | ikan /ˈikan/ | ikan /ˈikan/ | ikan /ˈikan/ | ikan /ikan/ | ikang /ˈikaŋ/ | ikan /ˈikaŋ/ | ikang /ˈikaŋ/ |
| Bird | burung /buruŋ/ | burung /buruŋ/ | burung /buruŋ/ | burung /buruŋ/ | burung /buruŋ/ | burung /buruŋ/ | burung /buruŋ/ |
| Butterfly | rama-rama /rama rama/ | kupu-kupu /kupukupu/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Egg | telur /təˈlor/ | telur /təˈlur/ | telok /telok/ | — | tolor /tolor/ | telor /telor/ | telor /təlor/ |
| Bear | beruang /bəruaŋ/ | beruang /bəruaŋ/ | — | — | — | — | beruang /bəruaŋ/ |
| Horse | kuda /ˈkuda/ | kuda /ˈkuda/ | — | — | kuda /kuda/ | kuda /kuda/ | kuda /kuda/ |
| House | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | ruma /ruma/ | ruma /ˈruma/ | ruma /ruma/ |
| Milk | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ |
| Honey | madu /ˈmadu/ | madu /ˈmadu/ | — | — | madu /madu/ | madu /ˈmadu/ | madu /madu/ |
| Salt | garam /ɡaram/ | garam /ɡaram/ | garam /ɡaram/ | garam /ɡaram/ | garam /ɡaram/ | garam /ɡaram/ | garang /ɡaraŋ/ |
| Wine | wain /wain/ | anggur /aŋɡur/ | — | — | anggur /ˈaŋɡur/ | anggur /aŋɡur/ | anggor /ˈaŋɡor/ |
| Rice | beras /bəˈras/ | beras /bəˈras/ | beras /bəras/ | — | baras /baˈras/ | — | baras /baras/ |
| Chocolate | coklat /ˈtʃoklat/ | coklat /ˈtʃoklat/ | coklat /tʃoklat/ | — | — | — | — |
| Iron | besi /bəsi/ | besi /bəsi/ | besi /bəsi/ | — | besi /besi/ | besi /ˈbesi/ | besi /besi/ |
| Wheel | roda /roda/ | roda /roda/ | — | — | roda /roda/ | roda /roda/ | roda /roda/ |
| Silk | sutera /suˈtəra/ | sutra /ˈsutra/ | — | — | sutra /sutra/ | — | sutra /sutra/ |
| Book | buku /ˈbuku/ | buku /ˈbuku/ | buku /buku/ | — | buku /buku/ | buku /buku/ | buku /buku/ |
| Eat | makan /makan/ | makan /makan/ | makan /makan/ | makan /makan/ | makang /makaŋ/ | makan /ˈmakan/ | makang /makaŋ/ |
| Drink | minum /minum/ | minum /minum/ | minum /minum/ | minum /minum/ | minong /minoŋ/ | minum /ˈminum/ | minong /minoŋ/ |
| Sleep | tidur /tidor/ | tidur /tidur/ | tido /tido/ | tidur /tidur/ | tidor /tidor/ | tidor /tidor/ | tidor /tidor/ |
| One | satu /satu/ | satu /satu/ | siko /siko/ | sa /sa/ | satu /satu/ | satu /ˈsatu/ | satu /satu/ |
| Two | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ | duo /duo/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ |
| Three | tiga /tiɡa/ | tiga /tiɡa/ | tigo /tiɡo/ | tlu /tlu/ | tiga /tiɡa/ | tiga /tiɡa/ | tiga /tiɡa/ |
| Four | empat /əmpat/ | empat /əmpat/ | empat /əmpat/ | mpat /əmpat/ | ampa /ampa/ | empat /empat/ | ampa /ampa/ |
| Five | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | limo /limo/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ |
| Hundred | seratus /səratus/ | seratus /səratus/ | seratus /səratus/ | ratus /ratus/ | saratus /saratus/ | seratus /seratus/ | saratus /saratus/ |
| Hello | hai /hai/ | halo /ˈhalo/ | halo /halo/ | — /—/ | cerang /tʃeraŋ/ | halo /ˈhalo/ | hela /hela/ |
| Thank you | terima kasih /tərima kasih/ | terima kasih /tərima kasih/ | terimo kasih /terimo kasih/ | — /—/ | tarima kase /tarima kase/ | trima kasi /ˈtrima ˈkasi/ | tarima kase /tarima kase/ |
| Good | baik /baiʔ/ | baik /baiʔ/ | bagus /baɡus/ | baik /baik/ | bae /bae/ | bae /ˈbae/ | bagus /baɡus/ |
| New | baru /ˈbaru/ | baru /ˈbaru/ | anyar /aɲar/ | — | baru /baru/ | baru /baru/ | baru /baru/ |
| Red | merah /ˈmerah/ | merah /ˈmerah/ | merah /ˈmerah/ | merah /merah/ | mera /ˈmera/ | mera /ˈmeɾa/ | mera /ˈmera/ |
| White | putih /ˈputeh/ | putih /ˈputih/ | putih /putih/ | putih /putih/ | puti /puti/ | puti /puti/ | puti /puti/ |
| Black | hitam /ˈhitam/ | hitam /ˈhitam/ | item /itəm/ | hitam /hitam/ | itam /itam/ | hitam /hitam/ | itang /itaŋ/ |
| Green | hijau /ˈhidʒau/ | hijau /ˈhidʒau/ | ijo /idʒo/ | — | ijo /idʒo/ | hijou /hidʒou/ | ijo /idʒo/ |
| Blue | biru /ˈbiru/ | biru /ˈbiru/ | — | — | biru /biru/ | biru /ˈbiɾu/ | biru /biru/ |
| Cuckoo | sewah /ˈsewah/ | kangkok /ˈkaŋkɔʔ/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Woof | gonggong /ɡɔŋɡɔŋ/ | guk guk /ɡuk ɡuk/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Computer | komputer /kɔmˈputə(r)/ | komputer /kɔmˈputər/ | komputer /komˈputər/ | — | komputer /komˈputer/ | komputer /komˈputer/ | komputer /komˈputər/ |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi /ˈwifi/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwifi/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sushi | susyi /suʃi/ | susyi /suʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | pekasam /pəkasam/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ |
| Tea | teh /teh/ | teh /tɛh/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Coffee | kopi /ˈkopi/ | kopi /ˈkopi/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sugar | gula /ˈɡula/ | gula /ˈɡula/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Orange | oren /ˈoren/ | jeruk /dʒəˈruk/ | — | — | — | jeruk /ˈdʒeɾuk/ | — |
| Ninety-nine | sembilan puluh sembilan /səmbilan puluh səmbilan/ | sembilan puluh sembilan /səmbilan puluh səmbilan/ | — | — | sembilan pulu sembilan /sembilan pulu sembilan/ | — | sambilang pulu sambilang /sambilaŋ pulu sambilaŋ/ |
| Dopamine | dopamin /dopaˈmin/ | dopamin /dopaˈmin/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| At sign | di /di/ | et /ɛt/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Internet laughter | haha /ˈhaha/ | wkwk | — | — | — | — | — |
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