Indonesian and Malay: 372 words that are the same
Among the two thousand words each language uses most, these are written identically and carry the same meaning in both. If you have one of the two, this is the part you do not have to learn.
A shared word is not proof of a shared root. Two languages can land on the same spelling by borrowing from a third — that is all tren and bomba are — and a word that looks the same can still be said quite differently. What this list is good for is the head start.
| Word | In English | Indonesian | Malay |
|---|---|---|---|
| ituid /ˈitu/ms /itu/ | that | #6 | #16 |
| dan/dan/ | and | #7 | #10 |
| untukid /ˈuntuʔ/ms /ˈuntuk/ | for | #13 | #17 |
| dengan/dəˈŋan/ | with | #20 | #21 |
| dari/ˈdari/ | from | #22 | #27 |
| tapi/ˈtapi/ | alternative form of tetapi | #24 | #31 |
| jikaid /ˈd͡ʒika/ms /ˈd͡ʒikə/ | if | #35 | #47 |
| hanya/ˈhaɲa/ | only | #37 | #53 |
| semuaid /səˈmua/ms /səˈmuə/ | all | #38 | #30 |
| sekarangid /səˈkaraŋ/ms /səˈka.raŋ/ | now, today | #39 | #38 |
| siniid /ˈsini/ms /sini/ | here | #40 | #29 |
| dalamid /ˈdalam/ms /dalam/ | inside, in, within | #42 | #28 |
| bukan/ˈbukan/ | not | #43 | #43 |
| padaid /ˈpada/ms [pa.də] | at, on | #50 | #40 |
| lakukan/laˈkukan/ | to do something | #53 | #73 |
| sangat/ˈsaŋat/ | very | #55 | #60 |
| satuid /ˈsatu/ms /satu/ | one | #56 | #51 |
| siapaid /siˈapa/ms /ˈsiapə/ | who, whose | #61 | #61 |
| atauid /ˈatau̯/ms [a.tau̯] | or | #69 | #77 |
| datang/ˈdataŋ/ | to come | #70 | #55 |
| melakukan/məlaˈkukan/ | to do, to perform, to take action | #79 | #174 |
| bilang/ˈbilaŋ/ | to say | #87 | #504 |
| masihid /ˈmasih/ms /ˈmaseh/ | still | #88 | #82 |
| sanaid /ˈsana/ms /ˈsanə/ | there | #91 | #80 |
| malam/ˈmalam/ | night | #98 | #111 |
| sekali/səˈkali/ | once | #105 | #160 |
| beberapaid /bəbəˈrapa/ms /bəbəˈrapə/ | a few | #110 | #149 |
| mengapaid /məˈŋapa/ms /məŋapə/ | why | #115 | #148 |
| tunggu/ˈtuŋɡu/ | to wait | #120 | #113 |
| ygid /jɡ/ | abbreviation of yang | #134 | #289 |
| ibu/ˈibu/ | mother | #135 | #153 |
| masalahid /maˈsalah/ms [maˈsalah] | problem | #136 | #144 |
| belumid /bəˈlum/ms /bəˈlom/ | not yet | #138 | #190 |
| dua/ˈdua/ | two | #141 | #141 |
| cukupid /ˈt͡ʃukup/ms /ˌˈt͡ʃukop/ | sufficiently, adequately | #144 | #205 |
| selaluid /səlalu/ms /sə.la.lu/ | always; forever; evermore | #145 | #222 |
| tuhanid /ˈtuhan/ms /tuhan/ | god | #146 | #142 |
| seseorang/səsəˈoraŋ/ | someone | #148 | #184 |
| setelah/sətəˈlah/ | after | #150 | #391 |
| makan/ˈmakan/ | to eat | #163 | #176 |
| sayang/ˈsajaŋ/ | love | #172 | #170 |
| kali/ˈkali/ | times; multiplied by | #173 | #171 |
| tetap/təˈtap/ | continuously | #174 | #317 |
| mulaiid /ˈmulai̯/ms /muˈlai/ | starting | #181 | #496 |
| duniaid /duˈnia/ms /ˈdunia/ | world | #182 | #168 |
| sebelum/səbəˈlum/ | before | #189 | #157 |
| sebenarnyaid /səbəˈnarɲa/ms /səbəˈna(r)ɲə/ | actually, in fact | #202 | #209 |
| tanpa/ˈtanpa/ | without | #206 | #216 |
| jam/ˈd͡ʒam/ | hour | #207 | #262 |
| berapaid /bəˈrapa/ms /bərapa/ | how many, how much | #212 | #217 |
| itulahid /ˌituˈlah/ms /iˈtulah/ | that's | #214 | #180 |
| ingat/ˈiŋat/ | to remember | #215 | #169 |
| punid /ˈpun/ms [pon] | also, too | #220 | #116 |
| segera/səɡəˈra/ | soon | #225 | #396 |
| takut/ˈtakut/ | afraid | #229 | #235 |
| namaid /ˈnama/ms /ˈnamə/ | name | #233 | #167 |
| muid /ˈmu/ms /mu/ | alternative spelling of -mu | #244 | #561 |
| tiga/ˈtiɡa/ | three | #252 | #242 |
| bawahid /ˈbawah/ms /bawah/ | under, below | #257 | #225 |
| pagi/ˈpaɡi/ | morning | #260 | #276 |
| keluargaid /kəluˈarɡa/ms /kəluarɡa/ | family | #262 | #233 |
| jauhid /ˈd͡ʒauh/ms /ˈd͡ʒaoh/ | far | #274 | #295 |
| palingid /ˈpaliŋ/ms /ˈpaleŋ/ | most | #278 | #244 |
| cumaid /ˈt͡ʃuma/ms /ˈt͡ʃumə/ | only, merely | #289 | #123 |
| tua/ˈtua/ | old | #293 | #362 |
| minumid /ˈminum/ms /ˈminom/ | to drink | #305 | #300 |
| bulan/ˈbulan/ | moon | #308 | #309 |
| sejak/səˈd͡ʒak/ | since | #310 | #329 |
| tetapi/təˈtapi/ | but | #315 | #127 |
| pintu/ˈpintu/ | door | #329 | #255 |
| hati/ˈhati/ | liver | #332 | #250 |
| bermain/bərˈmain/ | to play | #335 | #344 |
| timid /ˈtim/ms /tim/ | team | #340 | #1,192 |
| berubahid /bərˈʊbah/ms /bəˈrubah/ | to change, to shift | #351 | #384 |
| minggu/ˈmiŋɡu/ | week | #360 | #374 |
| bunuhid /ˈbunuh/ms /bunuh/ | to kill | #363 | #177 |
| kehidupan/kəhiˈdupan/ | life | #365 | #319 |
| berharap/bərˈharap/ | to hope | #367 | #506 |
| darah/ˈdarah/ | blood | #375 | #350 |
| dilakukanid /dilaˈkukan/ms /ˌdilaˈkukan/ | to do something | #381 | #468 |
| lepaskan/ləˈpaskan/ | let go | #397 | #293 |
| perang/pəˈraŋ/ | war | #406 | #410 |
| pertanyaan/pərtaˈɲaan/ | question | #407 | #993 |
| belajarid /bəˈlad͡ʒar/ms /bəˈlad͡ʒa(r)/ | to study; to learn | #409 | #371 |
| suaraid /suˈara/ms /ˈsuarə/ | voice, utterance | #410 | #461 |
| lupaid /ˈlupa/ms /ˈlupə/ | to forget | #411 | #418 |
| mudaid /ˈmuda/ms /muda/ | young | #412 | #446 |
| cerita/t͡ʃəˈrita/ | story | #416 | #381 |
| naikid /ˈnaik/ms /ˈnaek/ | to climb, to ascend, to rise | #418 | #360 |
| lima/ˈlima/ | five | #429 | #389 |
| kecualiid [kət͡ʃuˈali]ms /kət͡ʃuali/ | except | #434 | #503 |
| semakin/səˈmakin/ | increasingly; more and more; getting; becoming | #458 | #430 |
| kesalahanid /kəsaˈlahan/ms /kəsalahan/ | error | #460 | #658 |
| api/ˈapi/ | fire | #465 | #358 |
| bahasaid /baˈhasa/ms [ba.hə.sa] | language | #482 | #475 |
| empat/əmˈpat/ | four | #485 | #455 |
| setuju/səˈtud͡ʒu/ | to agree | #493 | #520 |
| janji/ˈd͡ʒand͡ʒi/ | promise | #497 | #380 |
| tampakid /ˈtampaʔ/ms /ˈtampak/ | to look | #499 | #1,572 |
| surat/ˈsurat/ | document | #503 | #518 |
| kelas/kəˈlas/ | a group, collection, category or set sharing… | #504 | #548 |
| ulang/ˈulaŋ/ | to repeat | #508 | #831 |
| jumpa/ˈd͡ʒumpa/ | to meet; to encounter | #509 | #139 |
| sebaiknyaid /səˈbai̯k.ɲa/ms /səbaˈikɲa/ | preferably, better, one's best | #510 | #1,062 |
| namunid /ˈnamun/ms /ˈnamon/ | however | #512 | #746 |
| permainan/pərmaˈinan/ | game | #514 | #424 |
| tutup/ˈtutup/ | to close | #519 | #464 |
| terbangid /tərˈbaŋ/ms /ˈtə(r)baŋ/ | to fly | #525 | #332 |
| laut/ˈlaut/ | sea | #530 | #551 |
| perempuan/pərəmˈpuan/ | female | #533 | #234 |
| segalaid /səˈɡala/ms /səɡala/ | everything | #534 | #568 |
| mesinid /məˈsin/ms /mesin/ | machine | #540 | #554 |
| berita/bəˈrita/ | news | #542 | #407 |
| mimpi/ˈmimpi/ | dream | #544 | #523 |
| tembakid /ˈtembak/ms /tembaʔ/ | to shoot | #548 | #313 |
| berbahayaid /bərbaˈhaja/ms /bə(r)baˈhajə/ | dangerous; hazardous | #551 | #643 |
| tersebut/tərsəˈbut/ | that, the aforementioned, said | #555 | #639 |
| berani/bəˈrani/ | brave | #557 | #434 |
| hitam/ˈhitam/ | black | #564 | #491 |
| lagu/ˈlaɡu/ | song | #568 | #577 |
| tubuhid /ˈtubuh/ms /tubuh/ | body | #570 | #750 |
| siang/ˈsiaŋ/ | daytime | #571 | #1,027 |
| bersalah/bərˈsalah/ | to make a mistake | #574 | #574 |
| salingid /ˈsaliŋ/ms [sa.leŋ] | each other, one another | #579 | #774 |
| paman/ˈpaman/ | uncle | #581 | #1,399 |
| manis/ˈmanis/ | sweet | #593 | #800 |
| selainid /ˈsɛlaɪn/ms /səˈlain/ | in addition to, besides | #597 | #627 |
| bebas/ˈbebas/ | free | #600 | #593 |
| juta/ˈd͡ʒuta/ | million | #601 | #505 |
| milikid /ˈmilik/ms /ˈmilek/ | property | #606 | #445 |
| benciid /bənˈt͡ʃi/ms [bənˈt͡ʃi] | hatred | #608 | #575 |
| merahid /ˈmɛrah/ms /ˈmerah/ | red | #614 | #566 |
| arahid [ˈarah]ms /arah/ | direction | #616 | #376 |
| menyesalid /məˈɲɛsal/ms /məɲəˈsal/ | to regret | #617 | #858 |
| wajah/ˈwad͡ʒah/ | face | #619 | #723 |
| enam/əˈnam/ | six | #621 | #594 |
| lantaiid /ˈlantai̯/ms /lantai̯/ | floor | #625 | #986 |
| anggota/aŋˈɡota/ | body part | #628 | #656 |
| jujur/ˈd͡ʒud͡ʒur/ | honest, truthful | #631 | #757 |
| sibuk/ˈsibuk/ | busy | #635 | #636 |
| gagal/ˈɡaɡal/ | to fail | #646 | #547 |
| musik/ˈmusik/ | music | #650 | #1,756 |
| serangan/səˈraŋan/ | an attempt to cause damage, injury to, or death of opponent… | #654 | #488 |
| musuh/ˈmusuh/ | enemy, foe | #655 | #508 |
| pakaianid /paˈkajan/ms /pakai̯an/ | clothes; clothing | #659 | #502 |
| acaraid /aˈt͡ʃara/ms /aˈt͡ʃarə/ | agenda | #667 | #937 |
| memanggilid /məˈmaŋɡil/ms [mə.maŋ.ɡel] | active of panggil | #677 | #560 |
| detikid /dəˈtiʔ/ms [dəteʔ] | second | #682 | #1,317 |
| kiniid /ˈkini/ms /kini/ | now, today | #685 | #500 |
| tertawaid /tərˈtawa/ms /tə(r)ˈtawə/ | to laugh | #689 | #1,784 |
| tujuanid /tuˈd͡ʒuan/ms /ˈtud͡ʒuan/ | goal, objective, aim, purpose | #695 | #705 |
| hutan/ˈhutan/ | forest | #705 | #605 |
| menonton/məˈnonton/ | to watch | #707 | #674 |
| utaraid /uˈtara/ms /uˈtarə/ | north | #708 | #637 |
| utamaid /ˈutama/ms /uˈtama/ | best | #709 | #543 |
| kameraid [kaˈmɛ.ra]ms [kɛ.mə.rə] | camera | #710 | #608 |
| burungid /ˈburuŋ/ms /ˈburoŋ/ | bird | #711 | #553 |
| dewa/ˈdewa/ | god | #712 | #621 |
| pahlawan/pahˈlawan/ | hero, patriot, a strong and brave warrior | #718 | #743 |
| perhatianid /pərhaˈtian/ms /pərˈhatian/ | attention | #726 | #515 |
| kiriid /ˈki.ri/ms /kiri/ | left | #728 | #534 |
| menjualid [mənˈd͡ʒual]ms /mənˈd͡ʒual/ | to sell, to market | #730 | #815 |
| menggangguid /məŋˈɡaŋɡu/ms [məŋ.ɡaŋ.ɡu] | to disturb | #736 | #666 |
| pistolid /ˈpɪstɔl/ms /ˈpistol/ | a pistol | #737 | #537 |
| bahaya/baˈhaja/ | danger | #738 | #532 |
| gelap/ɡəˈlap/ | dark | #740 | #701 |
| ahliid /ˈahli/ms /ˈah.li/ | expert | #742 | #369 |
| mainid /ˈmain/ms /ˈmaen/ | unpromptedly | #744 | #585 |
| kejadian/kəd͡ʒaˈdian/ | incident, occurrence | #751 | #631 |
| penjaga/pənˈd͡ʒaɡa/ | guard; guardian | #765 | #970 |
| sampahid /ˈsampah/ms /sam.pah/ | discarded items that are of no use | #772 | #753 |
| pemerintahid [pəməˈrɪntah]ms /pəməˈrintah/ | government | #774 | #1,605 |
| laparid /ˈlapar/ms /ˈlapa(r)/ | hungry | #776 | #708 |
| emasid /əˈmas/ms /ə.mas/ | gold | #781 | #555 |
| mejaid /ˈmed͡ʒa/ms /ˈmed͡ʒə/ | table | #792 | #732 |
| ikan/ˈikan/ | fish | #797 | #578 |
| jiwaid /ˈd͡ʒiwa/ms /d͡ʒi.wa/ | soul | #806 | #782 |
| selatanid [səˈlat̪an]ms /səlatan/ | south | #810 | #744 |
| lelah/ləˈlah/ | tired | #811 | #1,882 |
| tumbuhid /ˈtʊmbʊh/ms /ˈtumbuh/ | to grow | #818 | #1,485 |
| rambutid /ˈrambut/ms [rambot | hair | #837 | #607 |
| pelacur/pəˈlat͡ʃur/ | prostitute | #854 | #1,052 |
| peluruid [pəˈlu.ru]ms /pəˈluru/ | bullet, projectile, ammunition | #859 | #498 |
| binatang/biˈnataŋ/ | animal | #862 | #797 |
| tujuhid /ˈtud͡ʒuh/ms /ˈtud͡ʒoh/ | seven | #874 | #785 |
| putusid /ˈputus/ms /ˈputos/ | cut off | #877 | #1,023 |
| bercinta/bərˈt͡ʃinta/ | to be in love | #879 | #1,235 |
| lemah/ləmah/ | weak | #881 | #673 |
| suamiid /ˈsua̯.mi/ms /ˈsuami/ | husband | #885 | #638 |
| pemimpinid /pəˈmimpin/ms /pəmimpin/ | leader | #886 | #950 |
| langit/ˈlaŋit/ | sky | #895 | #821 |
| anginid /ˈaŋin/ms /ˈaŋen/ | wind | #896 | #650 |
| lokasiid [loˈkasi]ms /loˈkasi/ | location | #900 | #735 |
| pihak/ˈpihak/ | side | #905 | #451 |
| sungaiid /ˈsuŋai̯/ms /ˈsuŋaj/ | river | #908 | #789 |
| sepuluh/səˈpuluh/ | ten | #910 | #837 |
| pulauid /ˈpulau̯/ms /ˈpulaw/ | island | #911 | #626 |
| menahan/məˈnahan/ | active of tahan | #912 | #924 |
| hujanid /ˈhud͡ʒan/ms /hud͡ʒan/ | rain | #921 | #878 |
| kucing/ˈkut͡ʃiŋ/ | cat | #922 | #814 |
Showing the 200 commonest of 372. Download all 372
The overlap is the easy part.
The rest comes from using it with someone who speaks it.