Days, Months and Dates in Malay
The Malay names for days and months, how to say dates, and a note on the Islamic calendar that shapes many holidays.
Malay calendar words are short and easy, and many come from Arabic or English.
Days of the week
| English | Malay |
|---|---|
| Monday | Isnin |
| Tuesday | Selasa |
| Wednesday | Rabu |
| Thursday | Khamis |
| Friday | Jumaat |
| Saturday | Sabtu |
| Sunday | Ahad (also Minggu) |
Many day names come from Arabic. In Malaysia, Ahad is common for Sunday, while Minggu is more usual in Indonesia and also means "week".
Months
| English | Malay |
|---|---|
| January | Januari |
| February | Februari |
| March | Mac |
| April | April |
| May | Mei |
| June | Jun |
| July | Julai |
| August | Ogos |
| September | September |
| October | Oktober |
| November | November |
| December | Disember |
Saying dates
The order is day, month, year:
- Hari ini ialah 5 Mei. — Today is 5 May.
- Saya lahir pada 12 Jun 1998. — I was born on 12 June 1998.
Use pada ("on") before a date, and hari before a day name: pada hari Isnin (on Monday).
Useful time words
- hari ini — today
- semalam — yesterday
- esok — tomorrow
- minggu ini — this week
- bulan depan — next month
- tahun lalu — last year
The Islamic calendar
Many holidays follow the Islamic lunar calendar, so their dates shift each year on the ordinary calendar. Hari Raya Aidilfitri falls at the end of Ramadan, the fasting month.
Tips
- Learn the weekdays as a set.
- Notice Arabic roots in day names.
- Use the dictionary to check spellings.
English Malay Dictionary
Offline English–Malay (Bahasa Melayu) dictionary with clear, accurate meanings
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