Numbers 0-10
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Malay numbers 0-10 are phonetic, consistent, and do not change based on the gender or plurality of the noun they modify.
- Memorize the base digits 0-10: 'kosong' to 'sepuluh'.
- Numbers are placed after the noun they describe: 'buku satu' (one book).
- No gender or plural agreement is needed for numbers in Malay.
Meanings
Cardinal numbers are used to express quantity or count items in Malay.
Counting
Used for simple counting of objects.
“Satu epal”
“Dua buku”
Malay Numbers 0-10
| Digit | Malay Word | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | kosong | koh-song |
| 1 | satu | sah-too |
| 2 | dua | doo-ah |
| 3 | tiga | tee-gah |
| 4 | empat | em-pat |
| 5 | lima | lee-mah |
| 6 | enam | eh-nam |
| 7 | tujuh | too-joo |
| 8 | lapan | lah-pan |
| 9 | sembilan | sem-bee-lan |
| 10 | sepuluh | seh-poo-loo |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Noun + Number | Buku satu |
| Negative | Noun + Bukan + Number | Buku bukan satu |
| Question | Noun + Number + Kah? | Buku satukah? |
| Quantity | Noun + Number | Kereta dua |
| Zero | Noun + Kosong | Markah kosong |
| Ten | Noun + Sepuluh | Orang sepuluh |
Espectro de formalidade
Saya mahu satu. (Ordering at a stall)
Saya nak satu. (Ordering at a stall)
Nak satu. (Ordering at a stall)
Satu, bang! (Ordering at a stall)
Malay Number Structure
Objects
- Buku satu One book
People
- Orang dua Two people
Exemplos por nível
Saya ada satu pen.
I have one pen.
Dua epal, terima kasih.
Two apples, thank you.
Tiga buku di sini.
Three books here.
Empat orang kawan.
Four friends.
Nombor telefon saya kosong satu dua.
My phone number is zero one two.
Lima ringgit sahaja.
Only five ringgit.
Enam jam perjalanan.
Six hours of travel.
Tujuh hari seminggu.
Seven days a week.
Lapan buah kereta di tempat letak kereta.
Eight cars in the parking lot.
Sembilan orang pelajar hadir.
Nine students are present.
Sepuluh minit lagi.
Ten more minutes.
Satu daripada mereka pergi.
One of them left.
Terdapat dua pilihan yang jelas.
There are two clear choices.
Empat daripada sepuluh orang bersetuju.
Four out of ten people agree.
Tiga langkah untuk berjaya.
Three steps to success.
Lima minit sebelum mesyuarat bermula.
Five minutes before the meeting starts.
Satu-satunya cara adalah melalui dialog.
The only way is through dialogue.
Enam dekad telah berlalu.
Six decades have passed.
Sembilan daripada sepuluh kes berjaya.
Nine out of ten cases were successful.
Dua sisi mata wang.
Two sides of a coin.
Tujuh petala langit dalam mitologi.
Seven layers of heaven in mythology.
Lapan penjuru dunia.
Eight corners of the world.
Sepuluh tahun dalam pengasingan.
Ten years in exile.
Kosong adalah permulaan segala sesuatu.
Zero is the beginning of everything.
Fácil de confundir
Learners often forget when to use 'buah' or 'orang'.
Learners try to add 's' to nouns.
Learners put numbers first.
Erros comuns
Satu buku
Buku satu
Dua bukus
Dua buku
Satu orang
Orang satu
Tiga kucings
Tiga kucing
Sepuluh-nya buku
Buku sepuluh
Buku dua-dua
Dua buku
Satu-satu buku
Satu buku
Dua buah-buah buku
Dua buah buku
Buku dua buah
Dua buah buku
Sepuluh orang-orang
Sepuluh orang
Satu-satunya buku-buku
Satu-satunya buku
Sepuluh-sepuluh orang
Sepuluh orang
Dua-dua orang
Dua orang
Padrões de frases
Saya ada ___ ___.
___ ___ ringgit sahaja.
Ada ___ ___ di sini.
___ daripada ___ orang setuju.
Real World Usage
Nasi goreng satu.
Baju dua.
Kosong satu dua.
Buku tiga.
Tiket dua.
Gambar satu.
Keep it simple
Word order
Classifiers
Stall talk
Smart Tips
Always put the noun first.
Use the number at the end.
Add a classifier.
Use 'orang'.
Pronúncia
Vowel sounds
Malay vowels are pure and short.
Statement
Buku satu ↘
Neutral declaration
Memorize
Mnemônico
Remember 'Satu' sounds like 'Set to' (start).
Associação visual
Imagine a big '1' (Satu) standing next to a book (Buku).
Rhyme
Satu, dua, tiga, empat, lima, enam, tujuh, lapan, sembilan, sepuluh, let's go!
Story
I bought one (satu) apple. Then I bought two (dua) bananas. Then I saw three (tiga) cats.
Word Web
Desafio
Count the items on your desk in Malay right now.
Notas culturais
In street food stalls, numbers are often shouted to the cook.
The numbers are almost identical, making it easy to travel between both.
Formal contexts prefer the use of classifiers.
Malay numbers are of Austronesian origin.
Iniciadores de conversa
Berapa buku awak ada?
Berapa harga ini?
Berapa orang dalam kelas?
Berapa lama awak tinggal di sini?
Temas para diário
Test Yourself
Buku ___
A) Buku dua B) Dua buku
Find and fix the mistake:
Satu buku
buku / dua
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Nombor ___
A) Sepuluh orang B) Orang sepuluh
Find and fix the mistake:
Tiga bukus
Score: /8
Exercicios praticos
8 exercisesBuku ___
A) Buku dua B) Dua buku
Find and fix the mistake:
Satu buku
buku / dua
3
Nombor ___
A) Sepuluh orang B) Orang sepuluh
Find and fix the mistake:
Tiga bukus
Score: /8
Perguntas frequentes (8)
No, Malay nouns do not change.
Always after the noun.
Yes, especially for phone numbers.
It's a classifier for objects.
Only in very specific poetic contexts.
Yes, they are identical.
Sepuluh.
No, Malay is gender-neutral.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
One book
Word order is reversed.
Un libro
Gender agreement.
Un livre
Plural markers.
Ein Buch
Case system.
Hon ichi-satsu
Complexity of counters.
Yi ben shu
Measure word usage.
