Thanks to the melting pot of culture we have here in Malaysia, we have developed an unofficial language called ‘Manglish’. No other country in the world could use three different languages such as English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil in one sentence and people would still understand you! Travellers coming to Malaysia often get confused, but here are the 13 most popular slang words to start your journey into this creative and amusing language. Before you know it, you can start speaking like a local! ?
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1. Lah
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You can’t go wrong with ‘lah’. The ultimate Malaysian slang word, ‘lah’ is added at the end of practically any sentence. It has no meaning, but we use it to spice up our sentences and emphasise what we’re trying to say. Use it in any sentence and you’ll immediately sound like a Malaysian. Fair warning, using ‘lah’ can be rather addictive once you get the hang of it!
Examples: “Ok lah.” / “No lah.” / “I’m so hungry lah.”
2. Jom
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Another popular catchphrase among Malaysians is ‘jom’. It literally means means ‘let’s go’. It’s mostly used as an invitation to ask someone to follow you.
Example: “Hey Jason, jom lah go eat”
Combine two Malaysian slang words and you’ll meet with impressive faces.
3. Yum Cha
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Derived from the Cantonese language, ‘yum cha’ literally means ‘drink tea’. Being Malaysians, we have to take the word and evolved it into something else. If you want to hang out with your friends, just ask them to “Hey, jom yum cha!”
4. Boss
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Not to be confused with your employer at work, Malaysians call each other ‘boss’. Be it at a restaurant or in a ‘mamak’ (we’ll get to that later), ride sharing or taxi drivers. Waiters will refer to their customers as ‘boss’ and customers too will call out ‘boss’ to get the waiter’s attention. And yes, it works both ways! Well, who doesn’t like being called ‘boss’ for a little pick me up, huh?
Examples: “Boss! Teh tarik satu!” / “Ok boss!”
5. Mamak
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Initially referred to Malaysians of a Tamil-Muslim origin, ‘mamak’ is now mainly used to refer to a type of restaurant that serves Indian and a Malaysian fusion cuisine. These ‘mamaks’ are a popular hangout spots for Malaysians from all walks of life and can be incredibly lively during massive sports events. It’s akin to the British pubs, only without the alcoholic drinks. We have teh tarik here.
Example: “Jom lepak mamak”
6. Lepak
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Literally means “hang out”, this is one useful phrase to know! Try this when you want to spend time with your friends — to get yum cha or just to go to the ‘mamak’!
7. Ang Moh / Guai Lou / Mat Salleh
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All of which are used to describe Caucasian people. ‘Ang moh’ and ‘guai lou’ is more often used by the Chinese whilst ‘mat salleh’ is more popular among the Malays and Indians. It was said that ‘mat salleh’ used to refer to a group of white sailors drinking. The phrase "mat salleh" possibly derives from "mad sailors", a dismissive term applied to white sailors on leave in Malaysia.
Example: “Walao-eh, see that mat salleh over there, so handsome!”
8. Walao-eh
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A slang word used to describe disbelief or a feeling of surprise. It’s similar to the English term ‘OMG’ and just like ‘OMG’, ‘walao-eh’ doesn’t necessarily have to be used in a full sentence and can mean different things depending on your tone!
Example: “Walao-eh Kenny Hills Baker is giving out free croissants!”
7. Tapau
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Now, this is a really handy slang to remember. Derived from the Cantonese language ‘da bao’, you can use ‘tapau’ when you’d like to pack your food to go. You can use it anywhere — mamak, Chinese and even Malay restaurants! Living in a multicultural country does have its perks.
Example: “Boss, tapau roti canai satu!”
8. Aunty / Uncle
We Asians are taught to respect our elders even if they are not related to us, hence, we refer to anyone older than us as ‘aunty’ or ‘uncle’ and almost never call them using their first names. You can also use these terms to call out to the people serving you food at hawker stalls. It goes both ways too — younger kids may address you as auntie or uncle.
Examples: “Hi aunty, long time no see!” / “Hello uncle, tapau nasi lemak satu”
9. Alamak!
A Malay slang that is used to express shock, surprise, or frustration. Most Malaysians tend to automatically punctuate this with a ‘face palm’ for dramatic effect.
Example: “Alamak! I left my wallet at home. Can help me tapau boba please?”
11. Kitorang
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This word comes from Malay pronouns. It's a pronoun used by the Malay speakers to refer to the first-person collective group, "we". It is a fusion of kita (we/us) and orang (people). This word does not exist in the Malay dictionary - it's made up and universally used by everyone, even in the workplace. It's safe to use among colleagues but let me stop you there. Yup, feel free to use kitorang with your colleagues in the workplace!
Example: “Kitorang wanna go lunch. Jom!”
12. Best gila
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‘Best gila’ is widely used among Malay speakers. ‘Best’ is an English word, an adjective used to describe the finest, greatest, and most excellent quality of something. And that same definition is entirely adopted in Malay. ‘Gila’, means crazy. Simply put, this one means that something is just crazy good or crazy fine! Its English equivalent is amazing or incredible. It's an expression Malaysians always say to fully describe any type of experience.
Example: “Billie Eilish’s concert yesterday best gila!”
13. Gostan
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If you’re driving in Malaysia and found yourself in a situation where you need to reverse, Malaysians may shout to you “gostan, gostan, gostan!” just know that it means to “reverse” a vehicle. It’s derived from the nautical English phrase “go astern”, which means “to go backward”.
Learn it, memorise it and use it on your next trip to Malaysia. You’ll be earning all the street cred and blending in like a local!