The Malay language is not spoken only in Malaysia. It is used across a large area of Southeast Asia called the Malay world (Alam Melayu).
The Malay world
Millions of people speak Malay in many countries. It is a home language and a language of trade for people who live near the sea and rivers of this region.
| Country | Malay speakers |
| Malaysia | National language |
| Indonesia | Bahasa Indonesia (from Malay) |
| Brunei | National language |
| Singapore | National language |
Key idea
Malay is spoken across the Malay world: Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, and also parts of southern Thailand and the southern Philippines.
Why so widespread?
Long ago, traders and sailors carried the Malay language from place to place. Because so many people used it for buying and selling, Malay became a lingua franca — a shared language that people of different groups use to understand one another.
Remember
- Alam Melayu means the Malay world.
- Malay is spoken in Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore.
- Trade helped spread Malay as a shared language.