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Malay for free
Why learn Malay?
Malay is one of the 67 languages you can learn on Lingocard with frequency-ranked flashcards, spaced repetition, and live speaking partners. Build vocabulary and pronunciation at your own pace, on web and mobile.
Malay is written in the Latin script. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Malay is a Category II language - about 900 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers. Malay belongs to the Austronesian family - if you enjoy it, a natural next step is Filipino, Javanese or Malagasy.
The 50 most common Malay words
Start with the words you will actually meet: learn these and you will recognize something in almost every Malay sentence.
| # | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | yang | yahng | which |
| 2 | dan | dahn | and |
| 3 | di | dee | in |
| 4 | itu | EE-too | that |
| 5 | ini | EE-nee | this |
| 6 | dengan | duh-NGAHN | with |
| 7 | untuk | OON-took | for |
| 8 | tidak | TEE-dahk | not (negation) |
| 9 | ada | AH-dah | have |
| 10 | saya | SAH-yah | I |
| 11 | dia | DEE-ah | he / she |
| 12 | kamu | KAH-moo | you |
| 13 | kami | KAH-mee | we |
| 14 | mereka | muh-REH-kah | they |
| 15 | satu | SAH-too | one |
| 16 | orang | OH-rahng | people |
| 17 | pada | PAH-dah | at |
| 18 | ke | kuh | to |
| 19 | dari | DAH-ree | from |
| 20 | akan | AH-kahn | will |
| 21 | sudah | SOO-dah | already |
| 22 | boleh | BOH-leh | can |
| 23 | buat | BOO-aht | do |
| 24 | kata | KAH-tah | word |
| 25 | pergi | PUHR-gee | go |
| 26 | lihat | LEE-haht | see |
| 27 | tahu | TAH-hoo | know |
| 28 | mahu | MAH-hoo | want |
| 29 | tahun | TAH-hoon | year |
| 30 | masa | MAH-sah | time |
| 31 | hari | HAH-ree | day |
| 32 | baik | BAH-eek | good |
| 33 | besar | buh-SAR | large |
| 34 | baru | BAH-roo | new |
| 35 | benda | BEN-dah | thing |
| 36 | banyak | BAH-nyahk | many |
| 37 | dua | DOO-ah | two |
| 38 | pertama | puhr-TAH-mah | first |
| 39 | mana | MAH-nah | where |
| 40 | kenapa | kuh-NAH-pah | why |
| 41 | kemudian | kuh-moo-DEE-ahn | then |
| 42 | sana | SAH-nah | there |
| 43 | sama | SAH-mah | same |
| 44 | kerja | KUHR-jah | work |
| 45 | hidup | HEE-doop | live |
| 46 | sekarang | suh-KAH-rahng | now |
| 47 | lain | LAH-een | other |
| 48 | tetapi | tuh-TAH-pee | but |
| 49 | masih | MAH-see | still |
| 50 | saja | SAH-jah | only |
Useful phrases in Malay
- Helo · HEH-loh · Hello / Good day
- Apa khabar? · AH-pah KAH-bar · How are you?
- Terima kasih · teh-REE-mah KAH-seh · Thank you
- Tolong · TOH-long · Please
- Nama saya... · NAH-mah SAH-yah · My name is...
- Di mana...? · dee MAH-nah · Where is...?
- Selamat tinggal · seh-LAH-maht TING-gahl · Goodbye
- Maaf · mah-AHF · Excuse me
- Saya tidak faham · SAH-yah TEE-dak FAH-ham · I don't understand
- Bolehkah anda tolong saya? · bo-LEH-kah AHN-dah TOH-long SAH-yah · Can you help me?
- Berapa harganya? · beh-RAH-pah har-GAH-nyah · How much is it?
- Jumpa esok! · JOOM-pah EH-sok · See you tomorrow!
Learn Malay with comprehensive language resources
- Pronunciation
- Numbers
- Verbs and adjectives
- Frequency dictionaries
- Basic sentences
- Thematic dictionaries
- Politeness
- Idioms
Learn Malay, wherever you are
- AI-powered spaced repetition learning system on the go
- Audio processing for pronunciation
- Creation of visual language flash cards with images
- Search for speaking practice partners
- Frequency and thematic dictionaries for any language
- Alert system with exercise reminders
- Live video and messaging to facilitate learning
Join our global Malay learning community
Collaborate with native Malay speakers and fellow learners: exchange messages, correct each other's cards, and practice real conversation.
Send friend requests to the speakers you click with and build your own friends list - many practice partners become real friends.
Are you an educator? Teach Malay online · Create an online Malay school · Build a Malay curriculum
Frequently asked questions about learning Malay
How difficult is it to learn Malay?
How difficult Malay is depends on your background, but every language becomes manageable with consistent daily practice. Focusing on the most frequent words first means you can understand and say a lot early on. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Malay is a Category II language - about 900 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers.
What should I learn first to reach a basic level in Malay?
Start with the 100-500 most frequent words (free in our apps) and the thematic dictionaries most relevant to your daily life. Set clear goals and practise a few minutes every day - consistency is what produces results. Then connect with other learners to build confidence at your new basic level.
How long does it take to learn Malay?
Most learners reach a comfortable conversational level in Malay within 8-18 months of consistent daily study. Practising vocabulary with spaced repetition and speaking regularly speeds this up considerably. About 80 million people across 4 countries speak Malay, so you will never run short of practice partners.
How do I improve my Malay vocabulary?
Use the spaced-repetition and flashcard systems in the app. You can set daily, weekly, or yearly goals in our mobile apps and steadily reach the vocabulary size you’re aiming for.
Is Malay pronunciation hard?
Every language has a few sounds that take practice, but Malay pronunciation becomes consistent with regular listening and speaking. Hearing the language often matters more than memorising rules.
How do I get Free Malay speaking practice?
Open the Practice or Friends page in the app, send practice requests, and start real conversations with other learners - don’t be shy! You can also mention that you want speaking practice when you create your account, and the platform will help match you with suitable partners.
Do I need to learn the Malay alphabet first?
If Malay uses a different script, learning it early unlocks reading - and it's usually faster than people expect. On Lingocard you'll find every alphabet, with example words, free.