Welcome to one of the most exciting parts of learning any language: talking about food! Malaysia is a food paradise, and this chapter will give you the basic vocabulary to start exploring its delicious cuisine.
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
| Malay | Phonetic Guide | English |
|---|---|---|
| nasi | (nah-see) | rice |
| ayam | (ah-yahm) | chicken |
| daging | (dah-geeng) | beef |
| ikan | (ee-kahn) | fish |
| mee | (mee) | noodles |
| roti | (roh-tee) | bread (can also refer to various flatbreads) |
| sayur | (sah-yoor) | vegetable |
| telur | (tuh-loor) | egg |
| Malay | Phonetic Guide | English |
|---|---|---|
| air | (ah-yeer) | water |
| kopi | (koh-pee) | coffee |
| teh | (tay) | tea |
| jus | (joos) | juice |
| Malay Phrase | Phonetic Guide | English |
|---|---|---|
| Saya mahu... | (sah-yah mah-hoo) | I want... |
| Berapa harga? | (buh-rah-pah har-gah?) | How much is the price? |
| Minta kira. | (min-tah kee-rah) | Ask for the bill. (Lit: "Ask to calculate") |
| Sedap! | (suh-dahp) | Delicious! |
Memorize these essential food and drink words.
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Match the Malay word to its English meaning.
ayam ( ) water
nasi ( ) chicken
air ( ) delicious
sedap ( ) riceayam → chicken
nasi → rice
air → water
sedap → deliciousTranslate the following phrases into Malay.
One of the most common greetings in Malaysia, similar to "How are you?", is `Sudah makan?` (soo-dah mah-kahn), which literally means "Have you eaten already?". It's not usually a literal invitation to eat, but rather a way to show care and friendliness. It highlights the central role of food in Malaysian social life.
The standard, polite reply is `Sudah, terima kasih.` (Yes, thank you.) or `Belum.` (Not yet.).
A simple dialogue of someone ordering at a restaurant (`kedai makan`).
Pelayan (Waiter): Selamat datang! Mahu makan apa? (suh-lah-maht dah-tahng! mah-hoo mah-kahn ah-pah?)
Pelanggan (Customer): Saya mahu nasi ayam. (sah-yah mah-hoo nah-see ah-yahm.)
Pelayan: Minum? (mee-noom?)
Pelanggan: Teh ais satu. Berapa harga semua? (tay ays sah-too. buh-rah-pah har-gah suh-moo-ah?)
Pelayan: Sepuluh ringgit. (suh-poo-looh ring-git.)
Waiter: Welcome! What do you want to eat?
Customer: I want chicken rice.
Waiter: To drink?
Customer: One iced tea. How much is the price for everything?
Waiter: Ten ringgit.
Syabas! You now have the vocabulary to navigate a Malaysian menu. In the next chapter, we'll shift from ordering for yourself to talking about others by learning about Keluarga Asas (The Basic Family). You'll learn the words for mother, father, sister, brother, and more.