Learning a language is not just about mastering the grammar or expanding your vocabulary; it’s also about understanding the culture and the everyday life, which includes music. In the Malay language, known as Bahasa Melayu, there are plenty of words related to music and musical instruments that can enrich your vocabulary and cultural understanding. Here are some of the key terms:
Muzik
Definition: Music in Malay is referred to as ‘muzik’, which is similar to its English counterpart.
Dia sedang mendengar muzik untuk bersantai.
Alat muzik
Definition: ‘Alat muzik’ means ‘musical instrument’. This term is used to describe any instrument that can create music.
Dia pandai bermain pelbagai alat muzik.
Gitar
Definition: The guitar, a popular stringed instrument, is known as ‘gitar’ in Malay.
Gitar itu miliknya dan dia sering berlatih setiap hari.
Piano
Definition: ‘Piano’ in Malay is the same as in English, and it denotes the musical instrument with keys.
Anaknya mengambil les piano setiap minggu.
Drum
Definition: The word for drum in Malay is also ‘drum’, borrowed from English, and it refers to the percussion instrument.
Dia memukul drum dengan penuh semangat.
Seruling
Definition: ‘Seruling’ is the Malay term for a flute, a woodwind instrument.
Seruling bambu itu menghasilkan bunyi yang merdu.
Biola
Definition: ‘Biola’ is Malay for the violin, a stringed instrument played with a bow.
Dia belajar cara memegang biola dengan betul dari gurunya.
Saxophone
Definition: ‘Saxophone’ is used in Malay for the saxophone, a brass instrument commonly used in jazz music.
Saxophone itu tampak bersinar di bawah cahaya panggung.
Bass
Definition: The bass guitar is simply known as ‘bass’ in Malay.
Pemain bass itu memainkan solo yang luar biasa.
Gendang
Definition: ‘Gendang’ refers to traditional Malay drums or a drum set.
Irama gendang memberikan nuansa etnik pada pertunjukan tersebut.
Sintesiser
Definition: Malay adopts the word ‘sintesiser’ for synthesizer, an electronic musical instrument.
Dia menggunakan sintesiser untuk menghasilkan latar musik yang unik.
Harmonika
Definition: ‘Harmonika’ is the Malay word for harmonica, a free-reed wind instrument.
Bunyi harmonika mengiringi api unggun mereka malam itu.
Ukulele
Definition: A small four-stringed guitar of Hawaiian origin, ‘ukulele’ keeps its name in the Malay language.
Ukulele adalah alat muzik pilihan beliau kerana ia mudah dibawa kemana-mana.
Nota muzik
Definition: ‘Nota muzik’ translates to ‘musical notes’, which are the symbols that represent the pitch and duration of a sound in music.
Guru itu mengajar murid-muridnya untuk membaca nota muzik.
Kord
Definition: ‘Kord’ stands for the group of notes played together as a part of harmony in music.
Kita perlu menghafal beberapa kord asas sebelum bermain gitar.
Mastering these Malay terms related to music and musical instruments not only diversifies your vocabulary but also allows you to engage in conversations about music with native speakers with greater confidence and understanding. Whether discussing your favorite songs, attending a concert, or simply wanting to play an instrument, these words will surely tune up your language skills!