Knowing the right words is only half the battle; knowing *when* to use them is key to successful communication. Malay, like many languages, has different levels of formality, or "registers," depending on who you're talking to. Choosing the right words shows respect and social awareness.
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
The most important area where formality applies is pronouns.
| Pronoun | Formality | Usage and Notes |
|---|---|---|
| aku | Very Informal | Used only with very close friends, family, or God. Using it with a stranger or elder is considered rude. |
| saya | Neutral / Formal | This is your safest and most versatile word for "I". Use it in almost all situations. |
| kamu | Informal (to subordinate) | Used when talking to someone younger, a child, or a close friend of equal or lower status. Can sound condescending to an elder. |
| awak | Neutral / Informal | A good, safe, general-purpose word for "you" with friends, peers, and in most daily interactions. |
| anda | Formal | Used in writing, advertisements, official forms, and when speaking to an audience. Sounds impersonal and distant in one-on-one conversation. |
Beyond pronouns, many words have formal and informal equivalents. The formal version is often derived from classical Malay or Arabic, while the informal version is used in daily speech (`bahasa pasar`).
| Meaning | Formal | Informal (Common) |
|---|---|---|
| want | mahu | nak |
| but | tetapi | tapi |
| why | mengapa | kenapa |
| to eat | makan / santap (royal) | makan |
| to go | pergi | gi / pi (regional) |
| already | sudah | dah |
As a non-native speaker, you will always be forgiven for being *too* formal, but you might cause offense by being *too* informal.
Your safest bet is to always default to `saya` for "I" and `awak` for "you" in one-on-one conversations. If you are addressing a group or a respected figure, using titles like `Tuan` (Sir), `Puan` (Madam), `Encik`, `Cik`, `Pakcik`, or `Makcik` is even better than using a pronoun for "you".
Master the different levels of formality for key words.
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Which pronoun for "you" is best for each situation?
Two dialogues showing the difference in register.
Adi: Wei, aku dengar kau dapat kerja baru. Betul ke? (way, ah-koo duh-ngar kow dah-paht ker-jah bah-roo. buh-tool kuh?)
Ben: A'ah, betul. Aku dah mula minggu lepas. (ah-ah, buh-tool. ah-koo dah moo-lah ming-goo luh-pahs.)
Adi: Best tak? Kau okay? (bes tahk? kow okay?)
Ben: Okay sangat! Jom, aku belanja kau makan. (okay sah-ngaht! johm, ah-koo blahn-jah kow mah-kahn.)
Pewawancara (Interviewer): Selamat pagi. Sila perkenalkan diri anda. (...see-lah pur-kuh-nahl-kahn dee-ree ahn-dah.)
Calon (Candidate): Selamat pagi, Puan. Nama saya Ali bin Ahmad. Terima kasih kerana menjemput saya untuk temuduga ini. (...tuh-ree-mah kah-seh kuh-rah-nah mun-juhm-poot sah-yah oon-took tuh-moo-doo-gah ee-nee.)
Pewawancara: Boleh anda ceritakan sedikit tentang pengalaman kerja anda? (boh-leh ahn-dah chuh-ree-tah-kahn suh-dee-keet tun-tahng pung-ah-lah-mahn ker-jah ahn-dah?)
Hebat! Understanding register is a huge step towards true fluency and cultural sensitivity. You now know not just what to say, but how to say it appropriately. Next, we will apply these skills to a common real-world task: Membaca Berita (Reading the News). This will expose you to formal written Malay and help you understand current events in Malaysia.