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Languages · Asia

Flag of MalaysiaWhat Language Do They Speak in Malaysia?

The official language of Malaysia is Malay. In total about 117 living languages are spoken there, the most common being Malay (75%), Malay (60%) and English (21%).

1
Official language
117
Living languages · #14
0
Regional official languages
66
Endangered languages

Official languages of Malaysia

Official

Malay

Bahasa Melayu

75% of the population · Austronesian

Most spoken languages in Malaysia

Malay Official
75%
Malay
60%
21%
17%
9%
8%
4%
3%
1%
1%
Kadazan Dusun
0.56%
Central Melanau
0.32%
Share of the population who speak the language (first or second language).

Languages commonly listed for Malaysia

ChineseDusunEnglishIbanMalayTamil

Languages of neighbouring countries

Flag of IndonesiaIndonesian
Flag of ThailandThai
Flag of BruneiMalay

All languages of Malaysia (117)

LanguageSpeakers hereFamilyStatus
Malay25,923,600 · 75%AustronesianOfficial
Malay20,766,000 · 60%AustronesianSafe
English7,258,608 · 21%Indo-EuropeanSafe
Chinese5,876,016 · 17%Sino-Tibetan—
Sabah Malay3,000,000 · 9%AustronesianSafe
Kedah Malay2,600,000 · 8%AustronesianSafe
Tamil1,451,721 · 4%DravidianSafe
Iban864,120 · 3%AustronesianSafe
Javanese414,777 · 1%AustronesianSafe
Negeri Sembilan Malay414,777 · 1%AustronesianThreatened
Kadazan Dusun193,562 · 0.56%AustronesianThreatened
Central Melanau110,000 · 0.32%AustronesianThreatened
Rungus90,000 · 0.26%AustronesianThreatened
Kimaragang90,000 · 0.26%AustronesianThreatened
Minokok90,000 · 0.26%AustronesianThreatened
Tobilung90,000 · 0.26%AustronesianThreatened
Biatah Bidayuh72,000 · 0.21%AustronesianThreatened
Semai60,000 · 0.17%AustroasiaticThreatened
West Coast Bajau55,000 · 0.16%AustronesianThreatened
Malayalam51,847 · 0.15%DravidianSafe
Bukar-Sadung Bidayuh49,000 · 0.14%AustronesianThreatened
Temiar37,489 · 0.11%AustroasiaticThreatened
Baram Kayan35,000 · 0.1%AustronesianThreatened
Buginese27,306 · 0.08%AustronesianSafe
Tatana21,000 · 0.06%AustronesianThreatened
Northern Tidung20,000 · 0.06%AustronesianVulnerable
Tagal Murut20,000 · 0.06%AustronesianThreatened
Mainstream Kenyah20,000 · 0.06%AustronesianThreatened
Labuk-Kinabatangan Kadazan16,000 · 0.05%AustronesianSafe
Eastern Penan13,000 · 0.04%AustronesianVulnerable
Western Penan13,000 · 0.04%AustronesianThreatened
Sugut Dusun12,200 · 0.04%AustronesianThreatened
Rara Bakati'12,000 · 0.03%AustronesianThreatened
Ida'an10,000 · 0.03%AustronesianThreatened
Tombonuo10,000 · 0.03%AustronesianThreatened
Timugon Murut7,000 · 0.02%AustronesianThreatened
Keningau Murut7,000 · 0.02%AustronesianVulnerable
Molbog6,700 · 0.02%AustronesianSafe
Punan Bah-Biau6,200 · 0.02%AustronesianThreatened
Kelabit5,000 · 0.01%AustronesianThreatened
Malaccan Creole Malay5,000 · 0.01%AustronesianMoribund
Upper Kinabatangan5,000 · 0.01%AustronesianThreatened
Lotud5,000 · 0.01%AustronesianThreatened
Banjar4,839 · 0.01%AustronesianSafe
Bintulu4,200 · 0.01%AustronesianThreatened
Semelai4,100 · 0.01%AustroasiaticThreatened
Tampias Lobu4,000 · 0.01%AustronesianThreatened
Lanas Lobu4,000 · 0.01%AustronesianThreatened
Besisi3,675 · 0.01%AustroasiaticVulnerable
Central Berawan3,600 · 0.01%AustronesianMoribund
Remun3,500 · 0.01%AustronesianThreatened
Okolod3,390 · 0.01%AustronesianThreatened
Sembakung Murut3,180 · 0.01%AustronesianThreatened
Rejang Kayan3,030 · 0.01%AustronesianThreatened
Kota Marudu Talantang2,900 · 0.01%AustronesianThreatened
Semaq Beri2,500 · 0.01%AustroasiaticVulnerable
Malaccan Creole Portuguese2,200 · 0.01%Indo-EuropeanVulnerable
Kalabakan2,200 · 0.01%AustronesianThreatened
Iranun (Malaysia)2,000 · 0.01%——
Sa'ban2,000 · 0.01%AustronesianThreatened
Sebop1,730 · 0.01%AustronesianThreatened
Bonggi1,500 · 0%AustronesianThreatened
West Berawan1,430 · 0%AustronesianThreatened
Murik (Malaysia)1,300 · 0%AustronesianVulnerable
Uma' Lasan1,200 · 0%AustronesianThreatened
Cocos Islands Malay1,100 · 0%AustronesianThreatened
Dumpas1,100 · 0%AustronesianVulnerable
Jehai1,000 · 0%AustroasiaticVulnerable
Klias River Kadazan1,000 · 0%AustronesianThreatened
Belait1,000 · 0%AustronesianMoribund
Batek1,000 · 0%AustroasiaticVulnerable
Selungai Murut1,000 · 0%AustronesianThreatened
Tringgus-Sembaan Bidayuh850 · 0%AustronesianSafe
Sekapan750 · 0%AustronesianSafe
Semnam670 · 0%AustroasiaticThreatened
Long Wat600 · 0%AustronesianVulnerable
Tring550 · 0%AustronesianThreatened
Orang Seletar540 · 0%AustronesianVulnerable
Papar500 · 0%AustronesianVulnerable
Kajaman500 · 0%AustronesianThreatened
Chewong460 · 0%AustroasiaticMoribund
Kiput450 · 0%AustronesianVulnerable
Sibu Melanau420 · 0%AustronesianThreatened
Mintil400 · 0%AustroasiaticMoribund
Bukitan400 · 0%AustronesianThreatened
Bukat400 · 0%AustronesianThreatened
Abai Sungai390 · 0%AustronesianVulnerable
Lanoh360 · 0%AustroasiaticVulnerable
Lahanan350 · 0%AustronesianThreatened
Serudung Murut350 · 0%AustronesianThreatened
Kensiu300 · 0%AustroasiaticVulnerable
Temoq300 · 0%AustroasiaticVulnerable
Gana250 · 0%AustronesianVulnerable
Kanowit-Tanjong Melanau200 · 0%AustronesianVulnerable
Ten'edn180 · 0%AustroasiaticVulnerable
Kintaq160 · 0%AustroasiaticVulnerable
Ukit120 · 0%AustronesianVulnerable
Minriq100 · 0%AustroasiaticVulnerable
Orang Kanaq80 · 0%AustronesianMoribund
Sian50 · 0%AustronesianVulnerable
Punan Batu 130 · 0%AustronesianMoribund
Bau Bidayuh—AustronesianThreatened
Temuan—AustronesianVulnerable
Duano—AustronesianVulnerable
Bookan—AustronesianVulnerable
Sabah Bisaya—AustronesianThreatened
Kuijau—AustronesianThreatened
Daro-Matu Melanau—AustronesianSafe
Jah Hut—AustroasiaticVulnerable
Jakun—AustronesianThreatened
Narom—AustronesianVulnerable
Paluan—AustronesianThreatened
Mapun—AustronesianSafe
Balangingi—AustronesianSafe
Kembayan—AustronesianThreatened
East Berawan—AustronesianThreatened
Standard Malay—AustronesianSafe

Frequently asked questions

What language do they speak in Malaysia?

The official language of Malaysia is Malay. In total about 117 living languages are spoken there, the most common being Malay (75%), Malay (60%) and English (21%).

What is the official language of Malaysia?

Malay.

Is English spoken in Malaysia?

About 21% of people in Malaysia speak English (7.3 million).

How many languages are spoken in Malaysia?

About 117 living languages — #14 in the world for linguistic diversity. 66 of them are endangered.

Data: Languages of the World dataset (MIT) — ISO 639-3, Glottolog (CC BY 4.0), Unicode CLDR, Google LinguaMeta (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata; country lists: samayo/country-json (MIT).

Malaysia country profileLanguages by country