Rules/Culture Flashcards
Where should you put ber-?
You can put ber before bahasa to indicate you speak a language e.g berbahasa Inggeris
When should you include sedang?
To imply the verb is currently occuring.
What’s the order between nouns and adjectives?
Nouns come before adjectives
How can verbs be made into nouns?
By adding prefixes, most of the time ‘pen-‘
e.g tonton (watch) - penonton (audience)
How can you specify a verb’s function in a sentence or make it fit more smoothly?
Add the prefix ‘men-‘ before the verb
e.g tonton (watch) - menonton (watch)
What is the basic structure of Malay?
- Subject 2. Verb 3.Noun
What changes according to the first letter of the root verb?
The ‘n’ in the prefixes ‘men-‘ and ‘pen-‘
How do the ‘n’s’ in the -men-‘ and ‘pen-‘ prefixes change with different beginning letters of the root verbs?
c, d, j, t - ‘pen-‘/’men-‘
b, p, f - ‘pem-‘/’mem-‘
a, g, h, i, k, u - ‘meng-‘/’peng-‘
Where does ada come in sentence structure?
Same as verb
What is ‘ada’?
The word that represents existence of the noun.
Where does mempunyai come in sentence structure?
Same as verb
What is ‘mempunyai’?
The word that represents possession/to have.
How do ‘e’s’ sound?
Like uhh
How to ‘a’s’ sound at the end of words?
Like uhh
How do ‘a’s’ sound?
Like ahh
How do you pronounce t’s?
Form the T with your mouth but don’t make the T sound.
Easy to visualise if you move your jaw downwards as you make the T sound
How do ‘I’s’ sound?
Like ee
How do ‘O’s’ sound?
Normal O but don’t bring your lips closer together - sounds like oar
How do ‘U’s’ sound?
Like oooh - like something intriguing has just happened.
How flexible are the question words in sentences e.g why?
You can put question words at the start or end of a sentence and nothing will change.
What is Malay’s basic word order?
- Subject - 2. Verb - 3. Object e.g Saya cakat berbahasa Inggeris.
What’s wrong with Aku?
Even to malaysians it can sound rough so only use it when your with very familiar people. Malaysians often use I and you instead.
When speaking to someone older then you should you try older brother/ older sister or auntie/uncle first?
older brother/older sister first
How should you address people not much older than you?
older brother/older sister
When should you call someone grandfather/grandmother?
Only when they refer to themselves that way first.
What does putting ‘ke’ at the end of a sentence do?
Turns the sentence into a question.
What do you do with tak?
Put it at the end of a question where you ask permission to make it a ‘can I _ or not’ and in yes/no questions ‘do you have this or not’.
What are you refering to with pasar raya?
Supermarkets like tesco and asda
What are you refering to with kedai runcit?
Grocery stores like small coops/spars and street/corner shops
What are you refering to with pasar tani?
Markets and grocer’s areas.
What are you refering to with pasar malam?
24 hour/nightime grocery stores e.g 24 hour tesco express and small coop shops.
When are tua an muda most commonly used?
When describing dark and light blue and green. They can be used for other colours but not commonly.
What words are best to use when describing shades of colours which aren’t blue and green?
pekat (concentrated (darker))
cair (diluted (lighter))
What do you do to describe a colour with -ish?
put ‘ke’ before and ‘an’ after the colour e.g kemerahan (reddish)
What do you do to describe a shade of colour that is (colour)-ish (colour) e.g greenish yellow?
As the solid colour described is the noun that goes first e.g yellow (kuning).
Then you say the -ish colour with ‘ke’ before it and ‘an’ after it e.g kehijauan.
What are ni and tak short for?
‘ini’ and ‘tidak’
How do you structure a question for Have/has/did/do/does - you/I/they/she/he __ or not questions?
Begin with ada, finish with tak.
E.g Do you have fried rice - Ada nasi goreng tak?
Do you have a pen - Ada pen tak?
How do you structure Can I/she/he/they __ or not questions?
Begin with boleh, finish with tak.
e.g can I hear - bole dengar tak?
can I hold - boleh saya pegang tak?
How do you say plurals?
Repeat the noun e.g buku-buku means books
What do ringgit and sen equivalate to?
Ringgit is like pounds
Sen is like pences
How many sen in a ringgit?
100 same as UK
Full Malay sentence structure?
- Subject 2. verb 3. noun with adjectives after 4. polite bit at end
Where and why should you use -lah
Use ‘lah’ at the end of the sentence to make abrupt sentences sound friendly and polite
How do you treat mr/mrs in a sentence?
Same as I/you/he/her/them - the subject at the start
What do you add to indicate a verb was done by accident?
The prefix ‘ter-‘
e.g sesat becomes tersesat (being lost becomes being accidentally lost)
How does abbreviation relate to formality?
The abbreviated forms of words are more informal than full words
You’ll have to check when you can and cant use them.
How do adjectives change the sentence structure?
Adjectives always go after each subject in a sentence. So say the first subject then all the adjectives that go with it, then the next subject and its adjectives etc.
e.g Awak dah jauh sangat ni
1. S-You 2. S-already V-far very 3. S-here
Also adjectives that emphasise other adjectives go second hence ‘far very’
What’s the order of multiple adjectives?
- Colours come before all other adjectives
- Adjectives that emphasise other adjectives come second e.g far very
Where do numbers go in sentence in relation the object’s number?
Numbers aren’t treated as descriptive so go before object
Very useful hyperlinks:
https://www.101languages.net/malay/grammar.html#:~:text=Malay%20word%20order%20is%20subject,%22%20%3D%20%22I%20ate%22.
https://ling-app.com/ms/malay-sentence-structure/
How do you use suffix -nya?
Put on end of adjectives to imply enthusiasm - same as saying very.
Why would you use ‘kan’ in a sentence?
Question tag at end of statement like ‘isn’t it’ or ‘can’t you’.
How does a different number of g’s change pronunciation?
one g you dont say ‘guh’ just form the g and move on
two g’s and you say ‘guh’
What word do you use when describing a group of animals?
ekor
What’s a word you can use for asking?
Minta - commonly used to ask for things.
What are shop owners usually addressed as?
Boss
What isn’t there in Malay?
plurals, genders and verb conjugations for persons, numbers, or tenses.
How are plurals, genders and verb conjugations for persons, numbers, and tenses expressed?
Adverbs and tense indicators.
Where are all the prefixes and suffixes attached to?
The base root words in sentences.
How do you use the prefix ‘ber’ with time periods?
Put before plural of a time period to make e.g for days, for years
What does putting tempat behind a verb achieve?
Allows you to describe a place you’re looking for. For example tempat jual ubat - place that sells medicine
How are parts of the day split up in Malaysia?
Noon is 12:00 pm -12:59 pm or 13:59 pm
Evening is 13:00 pm -18:59 pm
Night is 19:00 pm - 00:59 am
Morning 1:00 am - 11:59am
How do you pronounce two vowels together
As if an apostrophe was between them. So say first one then pause then say second one.
What suffix do you use to imply a verb is being done by someone for you?
Put ‘-kan’ on the end of the verb e.g tuliskan - write for me
What are used to refer to numbers of objects?
Classifiers e.g ears of corn, pieces of paper, cans of beans.
What’s the classifier for a number of people?
Orang
(Like saying I have five persons of siblings)
What suffix do you use to convert a number to a position/rank?
Put ‘Ke-‘ befroe the number e.g fifth - Kelima
What three prefixes should you use to make a verb a continuous verb?
Me-, mem-, meng- (Unique to certain verbs though) e.g membaca - reading
Difference between me-, mem-, and meng- and sedang?
Sedang implies you are currently doing the verb
Me-, mem-, and meng- are used for making verbs continuous generally
How do you say your favourite of anything?
Put the thing before ‘favourite’ at start of sentence. e.g my favourite colour is green - Warna kegemara saya ialah hijau.
How do you pronounce ‘Cs’ in words?
Ch
How do you pronounce ‘Ks’ in words?
Cuh - like c
What rule with dia is purposefully broken?
Means it
Use of dia only meant for humans/animals
But colloquially its used for anything
How to pronounce ‘g’?
Just form ‘g’ and then make sound or next letter in word.
What is tak the short form of?
Tidak
What two letters refer to physical and mental fitness
‘g’ is physical fitness
‘d’ is mental fitness
What does it mean when ‘O’ is after a drink name?
Its the type of the drink that is without milk
Why is it common to repeat dah (already) in a sentence?
It’s like in English saying I have started _ already. It makes a complete sentence
What’s meh the shortened version of?
Mari which means come
What do you do to change a question asking someone to do something for you to can you do something for someone or vice versa?
Switch the position of ‘awak’ and ‘saya’ in the sentence.
What is the classifier for fruit numbers?
biji
What term can be used as ‘then’?
lah
What is ‘ke’?
Informal conversational version of ‘kah’
What is ‘ke’ used for?
Used to make statements into questions e.g cake? if you see something you’re not sure is cake
What is ‘eh’?
Variation of ‘ke’, ‘yeah’, or ‘ya’
What is ‘eh’ used for?
To instigate a response of confirmation from someone. like ‘You’re walking yeah?’
How do Malay people say Malaysia?
Malay-sia (seeah) or Malaysia (english)
Which part of Malaysia is most advertised?
East Malaysia
Which part of Malaysia is called peninsular Malaysia?
West Malaysia
Where are Pahang and Kuala Lumpur?
West Malaysia - semenanjung malaysia
What’s the biggest state in Peninsular/ West Malaysia?
Pahang
What prefix do you put behind a verb to make it the verb ‘-est’.
‘ter-‘ for example large ‘besar’ becomes largest ‘terbesar’.
In Malaysia do you have to pay a toll to use the highway?
Yes
What’s the arabic greeting used by muslims globally and in Malaysia?
Assalamualaikum (shortened)
Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi ta’ala wabarakatuh (full version)
What phrase usually follows the Arabic greeting by Muslims if you are not of Islamic faith?
Dan salam sejahtera
What is the term coined by Malaysia’s 6th prime minister Najib Razak to encourage unity?
Dan salam 1Malaysia ya
What does the phrase ‘cecik darah’ mean and what is it used for?
Choking blood - really expensive
What is the staple dish of terengganu?
Nasi dagang
Trade rice
What is the longest night market in Malaysia?
(pasar malam) Taman connaught
How long is Taman connaught?
2 kilometres long
Three main cultures in Malaysia?
Malay, Chinese, Indian
What are the most dominant religions in Malaysia?
Islam, Buddhism, christianity, and hinduism,
What’s the common response you get when you show appreciation to Malaysia?
Malaysia sayang kamu juga
Malaysia loves you too
What does suga makanan mean?
Lots of people from around the world come to Malaysia especially Penang for the food.
What’s another use for the suffix ‘-nya’.
Put on end of plurals to act as ‘the’ e.g sotong-sotong (squids) to sotong-sotongnya (the squids)
What does ‘hari raya’ mean and what does it refer to?
‘Day of celebration’ as in Malaysia its used to refer to Eid which is a global islamic event.
What’s the term for ‘the person who puts in effort’? Refers to managers, owners ect.
pengusaha
Where can you put question word(s)?
At front or end of sentence.
If one g is in a word how do you pronounce it? And how do you pronounce two g’s
one g is silent and pronounce previous letter
two g’s means pronounce g
Where is lompattikam from in Malaysia?
State of Kelantan in peninsular Malysia
What is Kelantan state know for?
Their pretty women XD, they would be Kelantanese.
What are kuih bahulu?
Also called asian medallions, they are offerings if you attend open houses during Malay celberations e.g deepavali (diwali)
What is teh tarik?
Means pulled tea. Beverage of tea and condensed milk, mixed by pouring from long distance which is why its ‘pulled’. Beloved drink in Malaysia.
What is Tepung Pelita?
Means flour lantern. A type of coconut milk dessert which is traditionally green from pandan leaves but food colouring is more common now.
Need to find out what english words don’t exist in Malay
So you know when you want to say certain sentences when you need to use alternate appropriate words to say sentences correctly.
What’s the sentence order when talking about ownership of an object?
Item word first then word for claiming e.g Buku saya (book my)
What are all meanings for ‘saya’?
I/me/my/mine
What are all the meanings for awak?
You/your/yours
How does saying ‘mine’ work?
As can’t say ‘is I’ saya is used to sow personal element then ‘punya’ to make it ‘mine’.
Order when assigning ownership to an object?
first object then ownership e.g buku awak = your book
What are all the meanings for ‘awak’?
You/your/yours
What are all the meanings for ‘dia’?
He/she/him/her/his/hers
Order when assigning subject of conversation to an object?
first object then reference word e.g buku itu = that book
Why do Malaysian people often refer to themselves and others in the third person?
Sounds polite and caring, usually done between family.
How do you usually address servers in mamak restaurants?
Boss
What is kuah and how does it apply to talking about food in Malaysia?
Its the liquid element of any dish. Has no translation. Various dishes in Malaysia are defined by their kuah e.g curry, rendang, kerutuk, kuzi, gulai, lemak etc.
What’s a general expression of panic in Malay?
Alamak!
When eating a meal on banana leaf what indicates you liked/disliked the food?
Folding leaf inwards after finishing means you liked it, folding it outwards means you disliked it.
What topping for canai bread are usually eaten with it and on a banana leaf?
Dhal curry, coconut chutney, tomato chutney
What is thosai?
savoury thin pancake made form rice and lentils, a very popular breakfast in Malaysia.
What fish is commonly found in Malaysian restaurants?
Mackerel
What is Sahur?
Arabic term from Islam meaning the meal eaten before sunrise in ramadhan. Meant to give energy for whole day
What is Iftar?
Arabic term from Islam meaning the breakfast at sundown
What is Imsak?
Arabic term from Islam for the period of ten minutes before sunrise. Often used as point to stop eating by muslims so they don’t accidentally eat after sunise.
What is sobok?
Arabic term for Islamic call for morning prayers.
How do the Islamic prayers work in ramadham?
Five prayers,
Subuh at sunrise, then zohor, then asar, then maghrib at sundown, then isyak
How do Muslims fast?
From sunrise to sundown, where they abstain from food, water and more
What is Azan?
The muslim call to prayer. It is broadcasted five times a day. Happens for all five prayes across day. When it first happenf for subuh it marks the start of th fasting period.
Extra phrase at end of subuh that roughly translates to ‘praying is better than sleep’.
(Arabic) Assolatu khairum minan naum
Muslim prayer during ramadhan spoken before eating or drinking anything.
(Arabic) Allahuma barik lana fima razaqtana waqina azabannar.
Translation: O Allah bless the food you provided us and save us from the punishment of the fire.
What’s a brand of dates heavily advertised in Malaysia during ramadhan?
Yusuf Taiyoob
Words for past tense?
Sudah Have/Already
Belum Have not
Words for present tense?
Sedang (f)/Tengah (i) which mean ‘in the middle of’
Words for future?
Akan which means ‘will’
Between the two words for the present which is informal and used more everyday?
Tengah
How is word ‘do’ (buat) affected by past, present, and future.
Word ‘do’ (buat) remains unchanged for past, present, and future.
Are verbs affected by past, present, and future tenses?
no, one word for each verb regardless. Only prefixes and suffixes affect them.
‘Don’t want’ is too formal so what is it and what is it shortened to?
Tidak hendak shortened to tak nak
In conversation the full versions of ‘dont’ and ‘want’ are too formal so what are they shortened to usually?
dont to tak
want to nak
What makes Malay easier to learn?
Malay is a very snappy and practical language so even if you mess up grammar they will likely still understand e.g what is this thing is just ‘apa nama ini’ ‘what name this’
Example of how Malay grammar can be rearranged and still make sense most of the time?
What is this can be:
Ini nama apa
Ini apa nama
Nama ini apa
Nama apa ini
Apa ini nama
Apa nama ini
What makes learning Malay slightly less stressful?
It is important to learn all suffixes and grammar structure but even if you mess it up you will likely still be understood will correct words and pronunciation.
For learning Malay what is the three most important things and what are their ranks in importance?
Vocabulary is most important, then comes pronunciation, then comes grammar which is less but still important.
Can you get by with poor pronunciation?
Yes, but its important, respectful, better and easier to learn as best you can.
How is Malay pronounced?
How its spelt
How can you expand your Malay vocabulary?
Read Malay newspapers and books, listen to/watch people speaking Malay, get official malay to english dictionary (english to Malay), watch malay dramas, join Malay community groups.
How to pronounce ‘k’s’?
Don’s say K, form sound then release jaw at same time, let it catch in your throat
As Malay is practical how are basic sentences such as ‘I want a _’ simplified?
I want _, Saya nak _
As Malay is practical how are basic sentences such as ‘I want to _ now’ simplified?
I want _ now, Saya nak _ sekarang
In Malay what words aren’t said in basic short sentences which makes them easier to say?
to, for, a, an
Structure of a basic sentence?
- I 2. want/don’t want 3. verb 4. object
Correct sentence structure is important but what’s the safety net?
Though correct sentence structure is important there are sentences where you can say Malay words in English sentence order and it’ll be correct or passable.
How do you specify you want hot water tea?
Say air teh (water tea) as there are multiple types of tea.
How do you say ‘ I want this one’ whilst coming across as polite in Malay
Malay is a naturally polite language so saying things in a soft calm tone conveys politeness.
Who would you use ‘tak nak’ with?
People you are close to as it sounds curt, for others use full version or say lah.
Can you put lah on the end of every sentence?
No, isn’t really a rule for when to use it but you think its good to use for abrupt statements and any sentence which may seem rude.
Polite sentence instead of saying ‘don’t want’.
I feel like I don’t want to
Saya rasa macam tak nak
What do you need to be careful of even when saying no need informally
A harsh tone can still come across as rude so say in soft friendly welcoming calm voice
How do guys especially make what they sy come across as polite?
Say it in a friendly and genial tone.
How do you tell someone ‘that’s not correct’?
Bukan
What is a Ramadham bazaar?
Night market that usually starts at 3-4 and ends before sundown.
What do ramadham bazaars have?
A variety of Malaysian food.
What are Popia?
Malaysian spring rolls
How do Popia become Basah?
When they are raw and served with sauce
What is kuih akok?
A traditional kelantanese food.
Its soft, sweet, rich and is made of coconut, sugar and pandan leaves.
What prefix do you put behind a verb to show it was by accident?
ter-
What is ayam kurma?
A rich and spicy savoury chicken dish
What is putu piring?
Steamed rice cake with coconut and palm sugar. Malaysian version of Indian puttu.
What is roti jala?
Made using batter like pancakes but shaped like a net. Its then folded and rolled to bite size pieces and usually served with curry.
What is eid al-fitr?
Celebration at the end of fasting for Ramadhan
How do Malaysians address eid al-fitr?
‘Hari raya aidilfitri’ or ‘raya’
What do buyers and sellers commonly say after transactions?
buyer says saya beli - I buy
seller says saya jual - I sell
It vaguely officiates the transaction.
What is significant with the left hand in Malay culture?
It’s considered to rude give, take, touch, point gesture with left hand. This is as traditionally Malay people eat with right hand and to unclean activities such as cleaning themselves with left hand.
What is tau foo fah?
Soy bean pudding that is smooth and can be eaten with syrup. Can be eaten hot or cold and is beloved in Malaysia.
What do you put after a term to show you referring to something belonging to the term?
punya
e.g new year’s - new year punya (also works when saying for something so presents for christmas would be presents christmas punya).
What is air bandung?
Popular drink made of milk and rose cordial syrup
What do Malaysians call the time when its time to break a fast?
Buka puasa (open fast)
What to Malaysians say to people who are about to break a fast?
selamat berbuka (happy opening)
selemat berbuka puasa (happy opening)
What is Iftar?
An arabic term for breaking fast and is often used in Malay conversations.
Placement of pernah and tak when asking if someone has ever done something?
Pernah at start then either tak right after pernah, or right after verb, or at end of sentence.
What is sekali short for?
‘satu kali’ which means one time
Rule for dari and daripada?
dari is only supposed to be used for time or distance and daripada everything else, but due to its length lots of malays use dari instead for other things.
How do you pronounce dengar?
Like dengaah as that’s how most people say it.
When do you use wangi for smell?
When something smells good.
How do you pronounce bau?
‘Bahooh’ in one smooth sound
How do you imply an object is yours?
Put saya after it e.g pisang saya - my banana
What is the derogatory term for promiscuous people in Malaysia?
gatal
How can you use tau/tahu to emphasise feeling?
Like how you say you know? tahu/tau means know so if you say an adjective then tahu/tau then repeat the adjective it emphasises it. e.g keliru tau keliru is so confused - most commonly tau is used.
How do malaysians say ‘shit’?
They usually say shit and ‘tahi’ doesn’t act as a replacement for it.
Who are referred to as northeners in Malyasia?
Called Orang Utara - northeners
People from the states of perlis, kedah, pulau pinang and perak
How does pronunciation change between the northern and non-northern states of Malaysia?
Non-northerners pronounce words that end in ‘a’ as ‘uh’. - saya(uh)
Northerners say the ‘aah’ sound. - saya(aah)
What are the years called in schools?
Primary school - darjah
Secondary school - tingkatan
How many years are there in schools?
primary - six
secondary - five
How do you pronounce waktu?
Don’t pronounce k just form it, almost like a ‘g’ noise.
Rules for use of ‘masa’ and ‘waktu’?
both mean time
generally interchangeable in colloquial
‘masa’ applicable to most situations - used to quantify time
‘waktu’ specifically used for ‘time for’ - purposeful time
What two words can you put after a question to add ‘or not?’
tak? or ke?
Which word for time do you use when asking for the time?
Pukul - its like asking for the o’clock.
How do you pronounce minit?
pronounce the i’s as the ‘eh’ sound in mayonaise.
How to use lewat when telling time?
When using it say o’clock number then lewat then number past - you can just say oclock number and then number past.
How to Malaysians call drinks like frappuccino or cappuccino?
No Malay word for them so the same name that’s on the menu.
How do Malaysians often refer to barista drinks?
Literally so they would ask for coffee with milk or coffee with no sugar ect.
Why would ‘mamak’ shops likely not serve affogato?
They don’t usually have ice cream.
How do you use ‘yang’?
Yang doesn’t have a particular meaning but when its used with ini (this) and itu (that) it becomes one - as in referring to an object.
What is more commonly used that ‘ya’ to say ‘you can’?
Boleh (can)
Besides meaning water, what is ‘air’ slang for?
a drink
How else can you say my?
Say the object and then your name e.g pisang Jack
How can you say, it has/there is?
ada
What is pekasam fish?
A traditional malaysian fermented fish.
What does the term ‘tauke’ mean?
Owner of the shop
Do dialects differ in Malaysia?
Yes different states and some districts have different dialects. e.g temerloh.
What is begedil?
Fried potato patty with onions, minced beef, herbs, seasoning and coated in egg.
What is the big spoon for serving rice in Malaysia called?
Senduk
Features of Malaysian restaurants
Like buffets-usually cheap-get rice first then have anything with it-pay after you eat-avoid wild fish as its usually expensive.
What do Malaysians commonly have with fried food?
cut chili and onion (cili potong and bawang)
What do Malaysians commonly have with less seasoned food?
Dipping sauce
What is an alternate method of saying pergi?
pagi
What is kerabu?
shredded coconut with vegetables and herbs
What is solok lado?
Kelantanese dish that is green chili stuffed with minced mackrel and its spicy.
Malaysian food shops/restaurant functioning?
Common in food shops and restaurants to take what you want and bring to your table. Then later a staff member will arrive and count everything then charge off of that. Leads to math errors and getting charged on individual judgement. Leads to favourite servers as some charge less than others.
What makes ikan kerai hard to eat?
Has a lot of bones
How do Malaysian people usually eat?
With their hands
How do you clean your hands after eating with them?
Can wipe fingers with lime they provide with a drink to clean smell and then wash hands after meal properly.
What’s a more colloquial way of saying numbers over twenty?
Saying the numbers in order without multiple of ten indicator for example tiga lima over tiga puluh lima
or dua empat tiga over dua ratus empat tiga
When do banks usually open?
9:30am to 4:30am
What can encik (mr) be abbreviated to?
en
What is one pound in Malaysian ringgit?
5.45 malaysian ringgit (myr)
What is the bank commission is Malaysia?
Usually RM10 to Rm30 but could be more depending on amount and location. Can also be a %.
What do you add to cash to make it the verb to cash something?
-kan
tunai (cash) tunaikan (to cash something)
What language are forms at the bank often written in?
English and Malay
How can kecil be spelled in written form in informal conversion?
kecik.
What do many Malaysian restaurants not serve?
plain water, they serve bottled water instead.
Despite being a friendly thing to put on the end of a sentence what is one of the other purposes ‘lah’ serves?
When put after ‘please give object’ it becomes then - e.g tolong bagi roti lah (please give me bread then please)
What does Malay culture emphasise in conversation?
Politeness and gentleness in words, tone, and body language.
Not expected as much in foreigners
What prefix do you put before a verb to imply accidentally doing it.
ter-
e.g terbeli (accidentally buy)
What are the words and implications different levels of anger?
Marah - angry
Sakit hati - (pain in heart) - internalised anger
Geram - very angry/frustrated - also usually internalised
Menyampah - fed up/disguisted
Besides being used normally between close friends (as they’re blunt) when else can ‘aku’ and ‘kau’ be used?
When expressing frustration/anger
aku (I) Kau (you)
Are the words for tired ‘penat’ and ‘letih’ interchangeable.
Yes as they’re neither formal or informal.
In colloquial Malay how to people imply something should be happening now but isn’t
They repeat the verb e.g balik-balik (return in they haven’t returned yet)
How is the term puas hati (satisfied heart) used?
Applies to anytime you are satisfied
It has no positive or negative connotations.
What are the three most common religions in Malaysia?
Islam, christianity, buddhism
What’s a humorous way to say ‘I’m getting my hands on this first’?
I’m officiating this first (Saya rasmikan dulu ya) - applies to any object or situation.
What is ke? And what does it do?
Or not? Means like an open suggestion to turn a statement into a question.
Awak suka susu - Awak suka susu ke?
How is ke? treated by Malaysians and foreigners?
Malay people may sometimes skip ke? as their tone is enough to convey meaning.
Useful for foreigners as despite tone it ensures what they say is seen as a question.
What is kan? And what does it do?
right? Turns statement into a question but in more of a situation where you expect the person to agree with you and so also works with presumption, e.g when walking towards cinema awak pergi pawagam kan? (you want to go to the cinema?) - you want to eat, right? (awak nak makan kan?)
What religion is 50% of bosnians?
muslims
How do you pronounce liar (wild)?
leey-are
What doesn’t change about the way you say butterflies and moths?
It’s rama-rama (butterfly/ies)
Its kupu-kupu (moth/s)
whether its singular or plural
The most polite form of you and I?
‘Saya’ and ‘awak’
Most polite and formal version of ‘I’?
‘Saya’
Who can you use saya with?
family, close friends, acquaintances, colleagues, superiors and strangers.
What is the polite but not formal version of you?
awak
Which version of you is more appropriate for casual settings?
awak
Who can and cannot you use awak with when speaking to them?
Can anyone except,
Can’t someone older than you/superior and work/clients.
How can you address your superior at work or clients in a work setting?
Encik(Mr)/Puan(Mrs)/Cik(Ms) followed by their name.
Course language forms of I and you?
Aku (I) and Engkau/kau (you)
Who can and cannot you use aku and kau with when speaking to them?
Can - very close friends, some men between male strangers
cannot - people older than you, people in a proffesional setting
What emotion are aku and kau used to express?
anger
What course words are considered normal and poetic in Malay literature?
aku and kau
Are awak and saya interchangeable with aku and kau?
No, awak and saya only go together and aku and kau only go together.
What version of I is kamu (you) usually paired with?
Saya
What does kamu refer to its used?
One or many people - usually many people
What version of you cannot be used on anyone as it sounds authoritative?
Kamu
How is kamu usually used?
When an older person is talking to someone younger or someone is addressing a subordinate or a superior is talking to a person of an inferior position.
What version of you is usually not used for talking to one person as it seems rude?
kamu
What version of you is extremely formal?
anda
Used in posters and intruction manuals
What version of you doesn’t get used in conversational Malay?
anda
Which version of I does anda go with?
Saya
What is a polite and informal way of saying you?
saudara (male)
saudari (female)
When would you use saudara/saudari?
When addressing stranger or person you just met
Which version of you can be used in a casual setting to look very polite?
saudara/saudari
What version of you is rarely used in conversational malay?
saudara/saudari
What version of I is saudara/saudari used along?
Saya
Best versions of I and you to use with close friends?
aku and saya and awak and kau
What makes awak appropriate for talking to people you know and people who are younger?
Its a very friendly term as well as being polite so its good for those groups.
How do you address someone older instead of word types for you?
Even though awak is polite it may still not be polite enugh so use terms for older people e.g kakak (big sis)
What’s the issue with saya and awak with close friends and especially family? And how is it avoided?
Can come across as distant. Instead use your name and their name/nickname/familial term.
What suffix do you put on the end of a verb to imply your doing it for something?
-kan
How normal is it in Malaysia for for family members to refer to themsleves by their names and familial terms and to each other the same way?
very normal.
Is referring to each other using names more common between women or men?
Women
Men tend to use aku and kau more instead.
If you follow all of Lisa’s tips will you pass a academic speaking Malay test?
No
In Malay what is cinta (romantic love) used to usually refer to?
romantic love - attraction, intimacy, passion ect.
What word for romantic love is rarely used and why?
Cinta because its is intense and outward and strong declarations an gestures aren’t common in Malay culture. Milder gestures are more accepted.
Despite meaning romantic love what can cinta also be used to describe?
Strong affection for family, friends, and pets and abstract ideals like freedom and loyalty.
In colloquial Malay why is cinta used for meaning affection considered its secondary meaning?
It’s more commonly found in literature and text than normal conversation.
In Malay both cinta and sayang can be used to mean affection but whoch one is much more common?
Sayang - used to express love in all forms.
Difference between cinta and sayang meaning for love?
Cinta - romantic, couples, passion
Sayang - general affection for anyone, familial, love in all forms.
Does cinta or sayang come across as more meaningful?
sayang
what is kasih a synonym for?
cinta and sayang
How often is kasih used in colloquial malay? And what does its meaning overlap with?
Not commonly used and its meaning overlaps with sayang.
As kasih is formal what is often used instead?
sayang
What do you say in response to someone doing you a favour?
terimah kasih (please accept my affections)
Does suka apply to everything?
yes
What does kan do on the end of verbs? And why do you not need to worry about it?
Makes a word grammatically correct but doesn’t matter for colloquial Malay.
What is the national flower of Malaysia?
Hibiscus
What is the correct term for woman when saying girlfriend?
wanita because saying perampuan doesn’t specify well whether its a girlfriend or a female friend.
Malay culture is conservatives so what relations are frowned upon?
Intimate out of marriage relations.
You are considered either single or engaged/married.
Despite dating existing in Malaysia what appearance are you expected to maintain?
chasteness - morals, and modesty.
Why don’t people announce people to their families as boyfriend/girlfriend?
Its considered improper and immodest.
How do Malaysians announce their partners to their family?
Due to Malay culture being subtle you introduce them as a friend and if someone asks if they’re special you can just say yes.
In Malay culture what behaviors is avoided?
Overt behaviour, and subtle cues are preferred by people. - in some cases its not seen as rude its just not naturally found.
Words kids use for boyfriend and girlfriend? Often seen as cringey to use as adults.
Pakwe (boyfriend)
Makwe (girlfriend)
What is the very informal and slang way of saying girlfriend?
Awek
Used among friends and fairly common
What does putting tak on the end of a question do?
Makes is end in or not?
How do you make a sentence thats ‘I _ you’ go to ‘Do you _ me?’
Switch the position of saya and awak
Put tak on end
Any verb can go in the middle
I smell you (Saya bau awak)
Do you smell me? (Awak bau saya tak?)
Where did Nanami want to go on holiday?
Malaysia
What undoes noun then verb rule when tanslating?
If its a term or word that in malay is multiple words, then it goes verb then noun like english.
e.g hot tempered (panas baran)
What prefix do you use to show you or someone has or is with an adjective? e.g strength/strong.
ber- put before word to show person or you is it/ has it. e.g strength (kuat) has/is with strength (berkuat).
What prefix do you put before a verb to make it ‘verb-ing’?
me- e.g merancang (planning)
What suffix do you put after two words together to make them one term?
-nya
e.g sweet person (manis orangnya) makes it sweet person instead of sweet person like a person made of sweets. (Also notice verb comes before noun as its become a term).
What compliment which may seem undesirable in western culture is highly appraised in Malay culture
lemah lembut (gentle)
Makes someone come across as well mannered
What does sopan mean and why is it so admired in Malaysia’s culture?
Sopan (respectable) means well mannered/moralled/polite/decent/self controlled
What trait is strongly assessed in Malay culture?
Decency, body language, tone of voice and word choice are monitored naturally.
What do you put at the end of a statement to make it a is that so/are you? question/ make any statement a question?
ke? (pronounced kuh)
How do you make a statement sound softer and less aggressive?
Put lah at the end
Why do you have to be careful when listening to tak ada (no have)?
It can sound like takde.
Why do you have to be careful when listening to tahu (know)?
It can sound like tau.
How do you formulate a is it because of? question?
Sebab (noun/context) ke?
Sebab pisang ke? (is it because of the banana)
Sebab mana kita pergi? (is it because of where we went?)
What are the two different pronunciations of minta (ask)?
minta (meentuh)
minta (meentah)
What suffix can you put on blunt words in a sentence to soften them?
-lah e.g jangan (dont) usually is janganlah
Despite including lah what do you need to check when saying a statement? Especially a blunt one.
your tone, if not in a gentle tone it can be seen as angry or condescending.
Since it doesnt have a legitimate meaning what is lah used for?
convey mood - anger, suprise, gentleness etc.
What happens when you add -kan to a noun? (if the particular noun applies)
It becomes a verb
e.g maaf (forgiveness) becomes maafkan (forgive)
What do Malay phrasebooks get wrong when translating apologies?
They say maaf (forgiveness) and minta maaf (ask for forgiveness) mean sorry when culturally they mean a formal and genuine request for someone’s forgiveness.
Why do you need to be careful when you say I want to go for a walk/I’m going for a walk?
Jalan (walk) has strong connotations for travelling so some Malaysians may think you mean you want/are going on holiday.
Say I’m going out instead.
Why due to the nature of malay culture is it hard to say your going for a walk/bike ride?
The activities aren’t commonly done for relaxation as the weather is so hot. Usually Malaysians prefer driving or socializing in cool places. So the activities are less common.
Due to the cultural difficulty, how do you say you are going for a walk/bike ride?
Say Saya nak keluar (I want to go out) which is understood as leaving for a bit. You can soften the statement by adding sekejap (little time).
What word are Malay people more accustomed to using instead of pengurus?
Manager
Why isn’t there its own word for ‘bathrobe’ in Malay?
They’re commonly not used as its very hot so they’re unnecessary.
Why is the word for derivative ‘kata terbitan’?
kata means word - terbit means appearence. So it means the new word that appears after getting affixes. So the derivitive.
Can affixes turn a base word that’s a verb into a noun?
yes.
All four affixes can be applied to nouns, verbs and adjectives. Except one exception, what is it?
In Malay there are no suffixes for adjectives.
What are the noun prefixes?
Pe-, pen-, pem-, peng-, penge-, pel-, per-, ke-. juru-, maha-. tata-, pra-, sub-, supra-, eka-, dwi-.
There are many different conditions for using prefix ‘pe-‘ for nouns. But what are the main ones?
If the base word starts with m,n,ny,ng,r,i and w then ‘pe-‘ is used. Also, if the word starts with p,t,k or s ‘pe-‘ is still used but the first letter has to be replaced by either m,n,ng,ny depending on the context.
In what type of Malay are affixes mostly used?
Formal Malay uses them, whilst colloquial mostly doesn’t which is what you’re learning.
Do you need to know most of the affixes?
No, only a few as you’re learning colloquial Malay.
Why do you need to be careful when using the prefix ‘juru-‘?
Doesn’t apply to all jobs as lots of Malay words for occupations don’t begin with ‘juru-‘. So might just have to learn them instead of using initiative.
Where did the prefix ‘maha-‘ originate from?
Sanskrit
What explains the influence of Sanskrit in Malay?
Before Islam was integrated into Malaysia many Malays were Hindus.
What’s the prefix ‘maha-‘ almost exclusively used for and why?
Almost exclusively used to refer to god.
This is because most Malays are Muslim and god is the most supreme being in any case.
What are the verb prefixes?
me-, mem-, men-, meng-, menge-, memper-, ber-, be-, bel-, ter-, di-, diper-.
There are many different conditions for using prefix ‘me-‘ for verbs. But what are the main ones?
Any base word that starts with n, m, ny, ng, r, l, w and y has ‘me-‘ instead of ‘men-‘ used. There’s further conditions which require the other ones.
There may be modern affixes sierre lisa hasn’t covered she has warned.
To keep in mind.
What’s the condition for using the adjective prefixes ‘te-‘ or ‘ter-‘?
If base word starts with r or its first syllable ends with ‘er’ you use ‘te-‘. In this doesn’t apply use ‘ter-‘.
What phrase do Malay people use that means hang on/time out?
Chup!
How to describe more complicates nouns?
Can describe stuff simply like red chicken - ayam merah.
But for stuff more in depth like saying complex feelings you can say ‘feelings that are complex (slightly more grammatically correect) - perasaan yang kompleks.
How can you use ‘nak’ to mean instead of ‘want’?
If context of what is wanted is already established you can use ‘nak’ to go on from there and use it as ‘to’. Like its abbreviated for ‘to want to’.
What’s interesting about Malay and makes it easy and difficult
Full of interpretation and abbreviation and slang, lots of words can mean same thing so less pressure to get message across in a sentence but specific sentences are harder to communicate.
Have to get what they mean from initial rough interpretation atm until experienced enough to work it out fast.
What’s Malaysia’s emergency services contact number?
999 for the Malaysia Emergency Response Service
112 on mobile that gets redirected to 999
What are Malaysia’s emergency response services?
Royal Malaysian police, Fire and rescue department, Health ministry, Civil defence department, Malaysian maritime enforcement agency
What are specific vehicles such as hatchbacks called?
Same names as English names.
