A many-named language that crops up in many corners of Southeast Asia.
Malay enjoys numerous sobriquets: Bahasa Malaysia; Bahasa Melayu; Bahasa Kebangsaan (national language) and so forth. All centre upon the same thing: Malay is the national language of Malaysia and is spoken officially in Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei, while in Timor-Leste and Thailand, it enjoys something of an unofficial status. So similar is Malay to Bahasa Indonesia that speakers of either language can often understand one another.
Read more: Escape Dili at Watabo’o Beach.
(Language Editor: As always with these guides, we compiled the list from wandering the streets of the host country. Thus, it is most likely incomplete, imperfect and strewn with errors; it is, however, raw and presented as-is. Only the foolhardy should consider it gospel.)
It is thus:
| English | Malay |
| Excuse me / Sorry | Maaf |
| Hello | Hello / Hai |
| How are you? | Apa kabar? |
| I’m fine | Saya baik |
| Thank you | Terima kasih |
| Please | Tolong |
| You’re welcome | Sama-sama |
| Goodbye | Selamat tinggal / Babai |
| Good morning | Selamat pagi |
| Good afternoon | Selamat patang / tenghari |
| Good evening | Selamat malam |
| What’s your name? | Siapa nama awak? |
| My name is (Thomm) | Nama saya (Thomm) |
| I’m from (Dili) | Saya datang (Dili) |
| Where you go? | Nak pergi mana? |
| I don’t know | Saya tidak tahu |
| I go to … | Saya pergi ke … |
| Where is (the temple)? | Mana (kuil)? |
| Over there | Di sana |
| How far is (the temple)? | Berapa jauh (kuil)? |
| How long? | Berapa lama? |
| Airport | Lapanagan terbang |
| Hotel | Hotel |
| Restaurant | Restoran |
| Bar | Bar |
| Temple | Kuil |
| This is … | Ini … |
| Cheap | Murah |
| Expensive | Mahal |
| Too | Terlalu |
| Very | Sangat |
| Do you have …? | Apakah anda mempunyai …? |
| I want / would like … | Saya mahu … |
| Beer | Bir |
| Water | Air |
| Cigarettes | Rokok |
| Lighter | Pemitik api |
| A room | Bilik |
| Ticket | Tiket |
| Food | Makanan |
| Drink | Minuman |
| Chicken | Ayam |
| Fish | Ikan |
| Rice | Nasi |
| Noodles | Mie |
| What’s the score? | Berapa markah? |
| I like your nose | Saya suka hidung awak |
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