Now that you're comfortable with the sounds of Malay, let's learn the essential phrases for meeting and greeting people. These are the building blocks of your first conversations.
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
Most Malay greetings start with `Selamat` (which means "safe" or "peaceful").
| Malay Phrase | Phonetic Guide | English |
|---|---|---|
| Selamat pagi | (suh-lah-mat pah-gee) | Good morning |
| Selamat tengah hari | (suh-lah-mat tung-ah hah-ree) | Good afternoon (around midday) |
| Selamat petang | (suh-lah-mat puh-tahng) | Good evening / late afternoon |
| Selamat malam | (suh-lah-mat mah-lahm) | Good night |
| Malay Phrase | Phonetic Guide | English |
|---|---|---|
| Apa khabar? | (ah-pah kah-bar?) | How are you? (Lit: What news?) |
| Khabar baik. | (kah-bar bah-eek.) | Fine. (Lit: Good news.) |
| Malay Phrase | Phonetic Guide | English |
|---|---|---|
| Terima kasih | (tuh-ree-mah kah-seh) | Thank you |
| Sama-sama | (sah-mah-sah-mah) | You're welcome |
| Tolong | (toh-long) | Please (as in "Please help") |
| Sila | (see-lah) | Please (a polite invitation, e.g., "Please, sit") |
| Maaf | (mah-ahf) | Sorry / Excuse me |
| Malay Phrase | Phonetic Guide | English |
|---|---|---|
| Selamat tinggal | (suh-lah-mat ting-gahl) | Goodbye (said by person leaving) |
| Selamat jalan | (suh-lah-mat jah-lahn) | Goodbye (said to person leaving) |
| Jumpa lagi | (joom-pah lah-gee) | See you later / See you again |
Master these essential greetings and phrases.
Import Chapter 2 Flashcards(Requires login to import/study)
Match the Malay greeting to the correct time of day.
Selamat pagi ( ) Evening
Selamat petang ( ) Night
Selamat malam ( ) Morning
Selamat pagi → Morning
Selamat petang → Evening
Selamat malam → NightHow would you respond in these situations?
The word `selamat` translates to "safe," "secure," or "peaceful." This adds a wonderful depth to Malay greetings. When you say `Selamat pagi`, you're not just saying "Good morning," you are literally wishing someone a "peaceful morning." This reflects the gentle and respectful nature of Malaysian culture. Using these greetings is a very important sign of courtesy and is always appreciated.
A simple conversation between two people, Ali and Siti, meeting in the morning.
Ali: Selamat pagi, Siti. (suh-lah-mat pah-gee, see-tee)
Siti: Selamat pagi, Ali. Apa khabar? (suh-lah-mat pah-gee, ah-lee. ah-pah kah-bar?)
Ali: Khabar baik. Terima kasih. Awak? (kah-bar bah-eek. tuh-ree-mah kah-seh. ah-wah?)
Siti: Khabar baik juga. (kah-bar bah-eek joo-gah.)
Ali: Maaf, saya kena pergi sekarang. Jumpa lagi! (mah-ahf, sah-yah kuh-nah pur-gee suh-kah-rahng. joom-pah lah-gee!)
Siti: Sama-sama. Selamat jalan! (sah-mah-sah-mah. suh-lah-mat jah-lahn!)
Ali: Good morning, Siti.
Siti: Good morning, Ali. How are you?
Ali: Fine. Thank you. You?
Siti: Fine too.
Ali: Sorry, I have to go now. See you again!
Siti: You're welcome. Goodbye! (Safe journey!)
Syabas! You can now handle basic greetings and polite interactions. In the next chapter, we will learn about `Kata Ganti Nama` (Pronouns), covering essential words like "I," "you," "he/she," "we," and "they," which are crucial for forming sentences.