The short answer
Bahasa Malaysia (Malay) is the official language of Malaysia, and the letter c is pronounced ch. You do not need to be fluent: a handful of greetings, polite words and question words covers most tourist situations. The phrases below are the official Tourism Malaysia set, with the five that matter most marked.
The five phrases that matter most
Selamat pagi
suh-lah-maht pah-gee
Good morning
सुप्रभात
Berapa harga?
buh-rah-pah hahr-gah
What is the price?
क़ीमत क्या है?
Terima kasih
tuh-ree-mah kah-sih
Thank you
धन्यवाद
Apa khabar
ah-pah kha-bahr
How are you?
आप कैसे हैं?
Maafkan saya
mah-af-kahn sah-yah
Excuse me
माफ़ कीजिए
All the phrases
Greetings and thanks
| English | Local script | How to say it | हिन्दी |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good morning | Selamat pagi | suh-lah-maht pah-gee | सुप्रभात |
| Good evening | Selamat petang | suh-lah-maht puh-tahng | शुभ संध्या |
| Thank you | Terima kasih | tuh-ree-mah kah-sih | धन्यवाद |
| How are you? | Apa khabar | ah-pah kha-bahr | आप कैसे हैं? |
| I am fine | Khabar baik | kha-bahr bah-ik | मैं ठीक हूँ |
| Excuse me | Maafkan saya | mah-af-kahn sah-yah | माफ़ कीजिए |
| I am sorry | Minta maaf | meen-tah mah-af | मुझे माफ़ कर दीजिए |
| Goodbye | Selamat jalan / Selamat tinggal | suh-lah-maht jah-lahn / suh-lah-maht ting-gahl | अलविदा |
Getting help
| English | Local script | How to say it | हिन्दी |
|---|---|---|---|
| Help | Tolong | toh-long | मदद |
Food (vegetarian, Jain, allergies)
| English | Local script | How to say it | हिन्दी |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eat | Makan | mah-kahn | खाना |
| Drink | Minum | mee-noom | पीना |
Directions and transport
| English | Local script | How to say it | हिन्दी |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where? | Di mana? | dee mah-nah | कहाँ? |
| Entrance | Masuk | mah-suk | प्रवेश |
| Exit | Keluar | kuh-loo-ahr | निकास |
| Restroom | Bilik air / Tandas | bee-lik ah-eer / tahn-dahs | शौचालय |
Shopping and numbers
| English | Local script | How to say it | हिन्दी |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the price? | Berapa harga? | buh-rah-pah hahr-gah | क़ीमत क्या है? |
Emergency
| English | Local script | How to say it | हिन्दी |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caution | Awas | ah-wahs | सावधान |
Save or print
Save the top phrases as a picture to send to your parents, or print the whole sheet.
The five phrases that matter most
- Good morning / सुप्रभात
- Selamat pagi (suh-lah-maht pah-gee)
- What is the price? / क़ीमत क्या है?
- Berapa harga? (buh-rah-pah hahr-gah)
- Thank you / धन्यवाद
- Terima kasih (tuh-ree-mah kah-sih)
- How are you? / आप कैसे हैं?
- Apa khabar (ah-pah kha-bahr)
- Excuse me / माफ़ कीजिए
- Maafkan saya (mah-af-kahn sah-yah)
Trips to Malaysia
We have no open trip to Malaysia right now. Tell us your dates and we will help you find one.
Quick questions
Sources
- Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP): Panduan Sebutan: official Malay pronunciation guide · checked 24 Oct 2026
- Tourism Malaysia (Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board): KL Destination Guide: Saying it in Malay · checked 24 Oct 2026