Malay Verbs
Welcome to the 10th lesson about verbs in Malay. We will first learn about the present tense, followed by the past tense, and future tense. We will also analyze some grammar rules, and finally practice how to ask for direction in Malay.
Verbs are used to express an action (I swim) or a state of being (I am). The present tense in Malay conveys a situation or event in the present time. Here are some examples:
| Present Tense | Malay |
|---|---|
| I speak English | Saya berbahasa Inggeris.  |
| you speak French | Anda berbahasa Perancis |
| he speaks German | Dia berbahasa Jerman. |
| she speaks Italian | Dia berbahasa Itali. |
| we speak Arabic | Kami berbahasa Arab. |
| they speak Chinese | Mereka berbahasa Cina. |
The past tense in Malay conveys a situation or event in the past time. Here are some examples:
| Past Tense | Malay |
|---|---|
| I visited France | Saya telah melawat Perancis. |
| you visited Italy | Anda telah melawat Itali. |
| he visited Morocco | Dia telah melawat Maghribi. |
| she visited China | Dia telah melawat Cina. |
| we visited Mexico | Kami telah melawat Mexico. |
| they visited Kenya | Mereka telah melawat Kenya. |
The future tense in Malay conveys a situation or event which is anticipated to happen in the future. Here are some examples:
| Future Tense | Malay |
|---|---|
| I will drink milk | Saya akan minum susu. |
| you will drink coffee | Anda akan minum kopi. |
| he will drink tea | Dia akan minum teh. |
| she will drink water | Dia akan minum air. |
| we will drink apple juice | Kami akan minum jus epal. |
| they will drink tea | Mereka akan minum teh. |
Now let's take a break and refresh our vocabulary by learning the body parts.
ear Telinga | eye Mata | mouth Mulut | nose Hidung |
hair Rambut | face Muka | head Kepala | heart Jantung |
hand Tangan | fingers Jari-jari | leg Kaki | feet Kaki |
Travel Phrases in Malay
Imagine yourself in some Malay speaking country. The following travel phrases are highly important and can help you avoid misunderstanding. Try to memorize them and practice!
| English | Malay |
|---|---|
| Can you help me? | Bolehkah anda tolong saya? |
| Can I help you? | Bolehkah saya tolong anda? |
| Where is the airport? | Di mana lapangan terbang? |
| Go straight | Jalan terus |
| Then | Kemudian |
| Turn left | Pusing kiri |
| Turn right | Pusing kanan |
I hope this lesson about the verbs in Malay was not hard for you. If you have any question about this lesson please contact me here. Now it's time to check the next lesson below.
| Malay Audio |
Inspirational Quote: Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do. Goethe |