Super-Useful Malay Phrases for Traveling in Malaysia (with Manglish tips)
A little Bahasa Malaysia (Malay) goes a long way. Drop even a short phrase and you’ll get smiles, better directions, and warmer service. Below are travel-ready patterns you can plug words into, plus quick pronunciation, “Manglish” particles (the famous lah), and handy tables for numbers, money, and classifiers.
Note: In everyday KL/Penang you’ll also hear Cantonese, Mandarin, Tamil, and English. English works widely, but Malay is the polite default for greetings, food stalls, markets, and taxis.
Malay at a Glance (pronunciation you can trust)
- Vowels are consistent:
a = “ah”, e = “uh/ay” (two sounds; don’t stress it), i = “ee”, o = “oh”, u = “oo”.
Example: tandas (toilet) = tahn-dahs. - No tones. Say it simply and clearly.
- Polite starter: Tolong… (“please/help”) softens any request.
- You = awak/anda (you’ll often drop it). I = saya (formal/polite) or aku (casual; skip with strangers).
Cheat Sheet: 14 Patterns You’ll Use All Trip
| English | Malay | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Hello / Thank you / Sorry | Hai / Terima kasih / Maaf | Easy wins anywhere. |
| Excuse me (to pass / get attention) | Tumpang lalu / Maaf, cik/puan | Cik (Miss), puan (Madam), encik (Sir). |
| May I ask…? | Boleh tanya…? | Start any question politely. |
| Where is the (toilet/ATM)? | (Tandas/ATM) di mana? | Noun + di mana (“where”). |
| How much (is this)? | Berapa (harga) ini? | Point + ask; add boleh kurang? for bargaining. |
| Do you have (non-spicy/vegetarian)? | Ada (tak pedas/vegetarian)? | Ada = have; tak = not. |
| Is this halal? | Ini halal ke? | Useful at mixed-cuisine spots. |
| I want / I’d like… | Saya mahu / Saya nak… | Nak is the natural, friendly choice. |
| No sugar / less spicy, please | Tak gula / Kurang pedas, tolong | Coffee = kopi; tea = teh. |
| I don’t eat pork/peanuts | Saya tak makan daging babi/kacang | Allergies: alergi. |
| I’m from (country) | Saya dari (negara) | Saya dari Canada/Japan/Italy. |
| Call a Grab / Use the meter | Boleh panggil Grab? / Guna meter ya | For taxis, guna meter is magic. |
| Stop here / Go straight | Berhenti di sini / Terus | Left/right = kiri/kanan. |
| Thank you very much! | Terima kasih banyak! | Always lands well. |
Essential Food & Drink Phrases (street-tested)
| Situation | Say this | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ordering at a hawker stall | Saya nak (nasi lemak/char kuey teow), satu | Add satu/dua/tiga for quantity. |
| Make it less spicy | Kurang pedas, tolong | Tak pedas = not spicy. |
| No sugar / less sweet | Tak gula / Kurang manis | Default drinks can be sweet. |
| Eat in / Takeaway | Makan sini / Bungkus | You’ll hear tapau (Cantonese) too. |
| Cutlery request | Ada sudu/garfu/penyepit? | Spoon/fork/chopsticks. |
| Bill please | Boleh kira? or Bil, tolong | Kira = calculate. |
| Delicious! | Sedap! | Say it often. You’ll make friends. |
Getting Around (KL, Penang, everywhere)
| Need | Phrase | Pro tip |
|---|---|---|
| Buy token/card | Nak beli token/kad Touch ’n Go | Touch ’n Go is the transit/toll card. |
| Which platform? | Platform mana untuk (MRT/LRT/Komuter)? | Show the line name on your phone. |
| Does this go to…? | Ini pergi (KLCC/Batu Caves) ke? | Ke? turns it into a yes/no. |
| One adult, two kids | Seorang dewasa, dua kanak-kanak | Child = kanak-kanak. |
| Drop me at… | Turunkan saya di (alamat/tempat) | Add dekat (near) if unsure. |
| How long / traffic? | Berapa lama? / Jem tak? | Jem = traffic jam (Manglish). |
Money, Numbers & Time
| English | Malay |
|---|---|
| Ringgit / Sen | Ringgit / Sen |
| Receipt | Resit |
| Change | Baki |
| Expensive / Cheap | Mahal / Murah |
| Open / Closed | Buka / Tutup |
| Today / Tomorrow | Hari ini / Esok |
| Morning / Afternoon / Night | Pagi / Petang / Malam |
1–10: satu, dua, tiga, empat, lima, enam, tujuh, lapan, sembilan, sepuluh
20/30/100/1000: dua puluh, tiga puluh, seratus, seribu
Classifiers (like Chinese “measure words”) you’ll actually hear
| Classifier | Use for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| orang | people | dua orang (two people) |
| buah | general things/places | satu buah meja (one table), satu buah rumah |
| helai | flat items (cloth, paper) | satu helai t-shirt |
| batang | long objects (straw, stick) | satu batang straw |
| ekor | animals | seekor kucing (a cat) |
| cawan/gelas/botol | cups/glasses/bottles | segelas teh, sebotol air |
If you blank, use satu (one) or point + ini/itu (this/that). You’ll be understood.
Politeness, Culture & At Religious Sites
- Right hand for giving/receiving.
- Dress modestly at mosques/temples; many provide robes/scarves.
- Handshakes are fine; with some Muslim women, a nod/smile is better than initiating a handshake.
- Add tolong (please/help) and ya (softener) often: “Kurang pedas, tolong, ya.”
Manglish 101 (so you understand replies)
You’ll hear friendly particles that color the sentence, not the meaning:
| Particle | Feeling | Example |
|---|---|---|
| lah | casual emphasis | OK lah, can. |
| meh | doubt/question | Open so late meh? |
| lor | resignation | No seats lor. |
| mah | obviousness | Near MRT mah. |
| ah/ah? | gentle prompt | Pay now ah? |
Use them lightly and you’ll sound extra local (and get smiles).
Phrase Builder: Swap-ins that multiply your Malay
| Pattern | Template | Plug-in ideas |
|---|---|---|
| Boleh…? (Can…?) | Boleh (ambil gambar / pindah meja / kira cepat)? | take a photo / change table / bill quickly |
| Ada…? (Do you have…?) | Ada (vegetarian / tanpa kacang / tandas)? | vegetarian / without peanuts / toilet |
| Saya tak… (I don’t…) | Saya tak makan (babi/udang) / tak mahu (gula/ais). | pork/shrimp / sugar/ice |
| Pergi ke… (Go to…) | Pergi ke (KLCC/Alor Setar) naik apa? | which transport to take |
Handy Mini-Dialogues
At a stall (ordering):
Anda: Hai, saya nak nasi lemak satu. Kurang pedas, tolong.
Penjual: Minum?
Anda: Teh ais, kurang manis. Bungkus, ya.
Hi, I’d like one nasi lemak. Less spicy, please.
Drink?
Iced tea, less sweet. Takeaway, please.
In a taxi:
Anda: Guna meter ya. Turunkan saya di KLCC.
Pemandu: Boleh. Jalan jem sikit.
Use the meter, please. Drop me at KLCC.
Sure. Road’s a bit jammed.
Extra Useful Words (fast lookup)
| English | Malay | English | Malay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open now? | Buka sekarang? | Water | Air (say: ah-yer) |
| Spicy / Not spicy | Pedas / Tak pedas | Allergic | Alergi |
| Without / With | Tanpa / Dengan | Entrance / Exit | Masuk / Keluar |
| Left / Right / Straight | Kiri / Kanan / Terus | Nearby / Far | Dekat / Jauh |
| Full / Available seats | Penuh / Ada tempat | Help! | Tolong! |
Apps That Actually Help
- Touch ’n Go eWallet (reload Enhanced NFC card, some retail/parking)
- Google Translate (Malay ↔︎ English, photo scan for menus)
- Grab (ride-hailing + food)
