Tuesday, 22 March 2016

Top 10 phrases to learn before a visit to Malaysia



Malaysia, a nation brimming with beautiful and spectacular natural scenes and locations. It practically screams perfection for a retreat; be it to the mountains or the beaches or into the cool canopy of Sarawak's rainforests. Despite most of the younger generation being able to understand English, Malay is considered the national language. With communication as key, here are a few Malay phrases we suggest to everyone to learn before your trip to Malaysia. 


1. Sorry/Excuse me – Minta maaf (Mint a mah uff)
2. Thank you/Welcome – Terima kasih (Ter rih ma Kah sih)/Sama – sama (Sah mah sah mah)
3. What is this? - Apa ini? (Ap pa in ni)
4. How much? – Berapa? (Ber ah pah)
5. Expensive/Cheap – Mahal (Mah hull)/ Murah (Moo rah)
6. Water – Air? (Ire)
7. Can (verb) – Boleh (Bow lay)
8. Help – Tolong (Tow long)
9. Yes/No – Ya (yea)/Tidak (Tea duck)
10. Don't understand – Tidak faham (tea duck fa hum)
11. Toilet – Tandas (tun dus)

One need not worry as some English phrases work and the locals do understand English to a certain extent that doesn't cover overcomplicated phrases or sentences. Therefore, it is still better to know a few Malay sentences to help us out in a sticky situation. Till next time, safe travels everyone!

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