diam
/ˈdiam/
In Malay, "be quiet" is expressed as diam.
The word diam is used to request or command that someone stop talking or making noise. It is important to distinguish it from senyap, which describes a state of silence or a quiet environment, whereas diam refers to the act of becoming quiet.
Which one should you use?
While diam focuses on the act of stopping noise, jangan bising is another informal way to say "don't make noise".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Diam used by itself as a command can sound blunt or even rude, similar to saying "shut up" in English. For a more polite approach, you can use sila diam, which means "please be quiet".
How does it change in a sentence?
You can add the suffix -lah to the word to create diamlah. This makes the command more emphatic or persuasive and is often used to add a sense of urgency or to soften the command.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈdiam/
Did you know?
- Because the word originally meant to 'stay in one place', it can also be used to mean 'to reside' or 'to live' in a certain location.
- In certain contexts, diam can imply a state of 'keeping a secret' or 'remaining silent' about a specific truth rather than just stopping noise.
- A person who is described as diam in a personality sense is considered 'quiet' or 'reserved', regardless of whether they are currently speaking.
Examples in context
- Dia menengking kanak-kanak itu: "Diamlah!"She cried to the child: "Be quiet!".This sentence shows how diam is used in an emphatic command directed at a child.Tatoeba #9714076 by imperiex, translation #2912206 by astyng
- Diam, aku tengah buat kerja ni.Be quiet, I'm working.
- Sila diam. Sesi ini adalah mesyuarat formal.Please be quiet. This is a formal meeting.
- Maaf, saya akan diam sekarang.I apologize, I will be quiet now.
- Tolong diam sebentar.Please be quiet for a moment.
- Diam, saya sedang belajar.Be quiet, I am studying.
Example conversation
Aishah and Ahmad are in a library trying to study.
- AishahAhmad, tolong diam.Ahmad, please be quiet.
- AhmadMaaf, saya tidak sengaja.Sorry, I didn't mean to.
- AishahKita perlu diam di sini.We need to be quiet in here.
- AhmadBaiklah, saya akan diam.Alright, I will be quiet.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry diam, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries diam, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
