Speak Malay Like a Local – Lesson 7 : Name, Age, Where You’re From & Ways of Saying ‘I’

Speak Malay Like a Local – Lesson 7 : Name, Age, Where You’re From & Ways of Saying ‘I’

 

MALAY   ENGLISH
 
Nama saya Lisa : My name is Lisa
Nama : Name
Saya : I
 
Nama kawan saya Adam : My friend’s name is Adam
Nama : Name
Kawan : Friend
Saya : I
 
Umur saya tiga puluh tahun : I am thirty years old
Umur : Age
Saya : I
Tiga Puluh : Thirty
Tahun : Year
 
Saya datang dari … : I come from…
Saya : I
Datang : Come
Dari : From
 
Saya orang Itali tapi saya datang dari US : I am Italian but I come from the US
Saya : I
Orang : Person
Tapi : But
Saya : I
Datang : Come
Dari : From

 

Ways of Saying I

1) Saya

  • Most appropriately used with strangers and for formal occasions
  • Very polite
  • If used with friends, it can sound a little distant as many favourAku’ instead

 

2) Aku

  • Commonly used with people you are familiar with
  • Caution: It sounds quite rough and can be misconstrued as being disrespectful and rude

 

3) Kita

  • The literal meaning is ‘We’
  • Favoured by school children
  • Used by adults who want to sound affectionate
  • I do not recommend using ‘kita’ as a way to say ‘I’ as it can come across as childish


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