Malaysian States and Places in Malay
The names of Malaysia's states and main cities in Malay, with words for geography and directions.
Knowing the Malay names of places helps you read signs, buy tickets and follow the news.
Malaysia's states and territories
| Malay | Notes |
|---|---|
| Johor | south of Peninsular Malaysia |
| Kedah | northwest |
| Kelantan | northeast |
| Melaka | historic port city (English: Malacca) |
| Negeri Sembilan | south of Selangor |
| Pahang | east of the Peninsula |
| Perak | northwest Peninsula |
| Perlis | smallest state |
| Pulau Pinang | Penang island |
| Sabah | on Borneo |
| Sarawak | on Borneo |
| Selangor | surrounds Kuala Lumpur |
| Terengganu | east coast |
| Kuala Lumpur | the capital (federal territory) |
| Putrajaya | administrative capital |
| Labuan | island territory |
Main cities
- Kuala Lumpur — often shortened to KL
- George Town — in Penang
- Johor Bahru — often JB
- Kota Kinabalu — capital of Sabah
- Kuching — capital of Sarawak
- Ipoh — in Perak
- Melaka — historic city
Place words
| Malay | Meaning |
|---|---|
| kota | city, fort |
| bandar | town |
| kampung | village |
| negeri | state |
| negara | country |
| pulau | island |
| gunung | mountain |
| sungai | river |
| laut | sea |
| pantai | beach |
| hutan | forest |
| tasik | lake |
Kuala means "river mouth" or "confluence", as in Kuala Lumpur and Kuala Terengganu. Pulau (island) appears in Pulau Pinang and Pulau Langkawi.
Countries in the Malay world
| Malay | English |
|---|---|
| Malaysia | Malaysia |
| Indonesia | Indonesia |
| Brunei | Brunei |
| Singapura | Singapore |
| Filipina | the Philippines |
Useful sentences
- Saya tinggal di Kuala Lumpur. — I live in Kuala Lumpur.
- Kami akan pergi ke Pulau Langkawi. — We will go to Langkawi Island.
- Sabah dan Sarawak terletak di Borneo. — Sabah and Sarawak are on Borneo.
Tips
- Learn the Malay names for tickets and signs.
- Learn kampung, pulau and sungai.
- Use the dictionary to check names.
English Malay Dictionary
Offline English–Malay (Bahasa Melayu) dictionary with clear, accurate meanings
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