Tourist Learning Malay Online Class: Family

Hi and greeting with honor to all tourists around the world. Are you coming to Malaysia? I am Amiene Rev. Today we start our class with the terms related to family.

Hope this will help you to get comfortable with adopted family, or homestay in Malaysia. You can speak Malay, that's better, and we Malaysian will be proud and happy to see that you can understand our words.

Malaysia is a country located in GMT +8.00, a neighbour to Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and Filipina. There are many people from Thailand (through Perlis, Kedah the northern states of Peninsular Malaysia, through Kelantan the eastern state of Peninsular Malaysia) and Singapore (through Johor, the south state of Malaysia) come to Malaysia.

What is benefit if you know how to speak Malay (if you're tourist and you can speak Malay)?

1. You might got discount when buying something
2. People will go easier with you
3. You can ask and get answer better

Amiene Rev will teach you some words related to family. Let's start with these words:
NOTE: Explanations below copyrighted work under Amiene Rev:

English - Malay (also known as Bahasa Melayu or Malay Language)

• Father - Ayah or Bapa or Ayahanda
  
• Example: This is my father. - Ini bapa saya.
• (This = Ini), (My = saya)
• As you can see, the word 'is' is not used in Malay. 'Is' usually mean 'adalah' or 'ialah'.
  
• Example: Dia adalah seorang lelaki yang baik - He is a good guy.
  
• (He = Dia), (is = adalah), (good = baik), (guy = orang lelaki)
• As you can see the word 'seorang' which is originated from 'orang' was existed by the combination of 'is a ___ guy'. You can fill the empty space (____) with any word such as evil, noble, weird and etc.
  
• The word 'dia' can be either 'she' or 'he' but not 'it'. You may use 'ia' for 'it'.
• 'Ayahanda' is a respectful term for father, usually used in private letter or by royal family.

• Mother - Emak or Ibu or Bonda
  
• Example: Where is your mother? - Di mana emak kamu?
• (Where = Di mana), (you = kamu or awak), (your mother = emak kamu)
• As you can see, the structure of 'emak' infront 'kamu' will exactly mean 'your mother' and not 'you mother'.
• Emak kamu = your mother (true)
• Emak kamu = you mother (wrong!)
• 'Bonda' is a respectful term for mother, usually used in private letter or by royal family.
  

• Parent - Ibu bapa
• Example: My parent still young - Ibu bapa saya masih muda
• (Parent = ibu bapa), (young = muda), (still = masih)

• Grandmother - Nenek
  
• Example: My grandma know how to cook - Nenek saya tahu memasak
• (know = tahu), (cook = memasak)
  

• Grandfather - Datuk, Atuk
  
• Example: My grandpa is a fisherman - Atuk saya seorang nelayan
• (fisherman = nelayan), (is a ____ = seorang)
• To make the word 'seorang' exist, you must make sure the sentence of 'is a ____' contain any word related to human such as attitude, behaviour, and occupation for the empty space (___).
  

• Son = Anak Lelaki
• Anak is a global word which can be either 'son' or 'daughter'. To make it classified, you must put the word 'lelaki' (male/man) or 'perempuan' (female/woman).
• You might also use the word 'putera' which mean 'prince'.
  

• Daughter = Anak Perempuan
• There is no specific word for 'daughter' in Malay. But the closest is 'puteri' or 'princess'.

• Brother = Saudara lelaki
• 'Saudara' is a global word for 'sibling' (in Malay, sibling is equal to 'adik-beradik').
• Younger brother = Adik lelaki
• 'Adik' is a global word for younger sibling.
  
• Elder brother = Abang
• Unlike 'Adik', the word 'Abang' is a specific term for ' elder brother'. You cannot use it for 'elder sister'.

• Sister = Saudara perempuan
• Younger sister = Adik perempuan
• Elder sister = Kakak
• 'Kakak' is a spesific term for 'Elder sister'. If you wrongly used it to a refer a man or elder brother, it would be an insulted to the man/boy or to the family members of that man/boy. Beware.

• Specific used of the word 'adik', 'abang' and 'kakak'.
  
• When you're calling a younger person (usually a child or a teenager), if you do not know his or her name, you can call he or she as 'adik'. This is a polite form of calling a younger person.
• If you meet a man, older than you, you can call him 'abang' or 'bang' (shorter form).
  
• If you meet a woman, older than you, you can call him 'kakak', or 'akak' (shorter form) or 'kak' (shortest form).

• Cousin = Sepupu
• 'Sepupu' is a global word for 'cousin'. This term can be used for male and female.

• Uncle = Pakcik or Bapa saudara or Ayah saudara
  
• 'Pakcik' or uncle can be a common way to greet mature or old man.
  
• 'Bapa saudara' mean a male person who is either your father or your mother's sibling. You might also use the word 'pakcik' for 'bapa saudara'.

• Auntie = Makcik or Emak saudara or Ibu saudara
• 'Makcik' or auntie is a common way to greet mature or old woman.
• 'Emak saudara' mean a female person who is either your father or your mother's sibling. You might also use the word 'makcik' for 'emak saudara'.

• Global term 'Anak saudara'
• Like 'anak', the word 'anak saudara' is a global word which can be either 'nephew' or 'niece'. To make it specific, you must add the word 'lelaki' (male) or 'perempuan' (female) behind the word 'anak saudara'.
• Nephew = Anak saudara lelaki
• Niece = Anak saudara perempuan

That's all for today. I hope my explanation will help you to understand more about how to use the 'family terms' in Malay Language. I am Amiene Rev, and I invite you to visit Malaysia.