selamat petang
/səˈlamat pəˈtaŋ/word by word
selamat petang is the Malay phrase for good afternoon.
selamat petang is a greeting used during the afternoon hours.
Meaning: greeting said in the afternoon (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of selamat meaning 'safe' or 'blessed' and petang meaning 'afternoon'.
Which one should you use?
While selamat petang is used during the daylight afternoon hours, selamat pagi is used for good morning and selamat malam is used for good night.
How do you pronounce it?
/səˈlamat pəˈtaŋ/
Did you know?
- The word petang is related to the Javanese word peteng, which means 'dark'. This suggests a historical linguistic connection between the time of day and the onset of shadows or dimness.
- The word selamat can also be used as an exclamation of 'Congratulations!' or 'Bravo!', meaning the phrase carries a much stronger weight of 'blessing' than the English 'good'.
- In some traditional contexts, a greeting like selamat petang may be accompanied by a slight bow or a gentle touch of the hand to the heart as a sign of respect.
Examples in context
- Selamat petang Encik Ahmad. Bagaimana saya boleh membantu anda?Good afternoon, Mr. Ahmad. How can I assist you?
- Selamat petang Encik Ali. Saya mempunyai beberapa pertanyaan berkaitan projek ini.Good afternoon, Mr. Ali. I have some questions regarding this project.
- Selamat petang Puan Nora. Adakah anda memerlukan sebarang bantuan?Good afternoon, Ms. Nora. Do you need any assistance?
- Terima kasih, Selamat petang Tuan William. Saya perlukan maklumat lanjut mengenai projek ini.Thank you, good afternoon, Mr. William. I need more information about this project.
- Selamat petang, semua.Good afternoon, everyone.
- Selamat petang, cikgu.Good afternoon, teacher.
- Selamat petang, apa khabar?Good afternoon, how are you?
Example conversation
Aishah meets Muhammad at a cafe in the late afternoon.
- AishahSelamat petang, Muhammad.Good afternoon, Muhammad.
- MuhammadSelamat petang, Aishah.Good afternoon, Aishah.
- AishahKamu sihat?Are you well?
- MuhammadYa, saya sihat.Yes, I am well.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good afternoon” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (selamat, petang) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries petang, selamat, CC BY-SA 4.0.
