Kelateh

Bunyi · Language

Speak a little
loghat Kelantan.

Kelantanese is one of the most distinctive dialects in the Malay-speaking world. You do not need to master it to enjoy your trip. But even one phrase earns you a grin that no gesture can match. Tap any loghat word to collect it in your phrasebook.

Pronunciation varies by village and speaker. These are warm approximations, not rules.

Greetings

Start here. Even one greeting in loghat earns a delighted reaction from locals.

How are you? Apa khabar? how are you
I'm fine, thank you Baik, terima kasih I'm fine, thank you
Thank you Terima kasih thank you
You're welcome / No need Sama-sama / Tak perlu you're welcome / no need
Yes Ya yes
No Tidak no
Take care (goodbye) Selamat tinggal take care (goodbye)

Food & Eating

"Sedak!" is the single most useful word a visitor can learn. Use it after any mouthful and you will make a friend for life.

Delicious! Sedap! delicious
I want to eat Saya nak makan I want to eat
How much? Berapa? how much
Add more rice Tambah nasi add more rice
Too spicy Pedas sangat too spicy
Water, please Air, tolong water

Getting Around

Ask "Mano...?" and point — locals will happily slow down and help.

Where is...? Di mana...? where is
Near / Close Dekat near / close
Far Jauh far
Turn right Belok kanan turn right
Turn left Belok kiri turn left
Straight ahead Terus straight ahead

Shopping

A friendly attempt to bargain in loghat — even a wrong vowel said with a smile — often gets a better price than silence.

How much is this? Berapa harga ini? how much is this
Can I get a discount? Boleh kurang sikit? can (I get a) discount a little
Too expensive Mahal sangat too expensive
I want to buy this Saya nak beli ini I want to buy this
Beautiful / Nice Cantik beautiful / nice

Everyday Words

The building blocks — swap these into any sentence and Kelantanese ears will light up.

I / Me Saya / Aku I / me (humble form)
You (or them) Awak / Mereka you, or them (context-dependent)
We / Us Kita / Kami we / us
What? Apa? what
How / In what way Bagaimana? how / in what way
Good / Lovely Baik / Cantik good / lovely / nice