nenek
/ˈnenek/
The Malay word for grandma is nenek.
nenek means grandmother or grandma. When you use it as a proper noun to address or refer to a specific person, such as in the phrase 'Grandma said…', it is often capitalized in Malay writing.
Meaning: grandmother (informal) (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
nenek is a noun that does not change its form for pluralization. To express the plural 'grandmothers', you would typically use a quantifier or repeat the word.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈnenek/
Did you know?
- In certain Malay folklore stories, the nenek kebayan is a legendary old witch or forest spirit often depicted as a grandmother figure.
- In many Malay families, the term nenek is not just for biological relatives but is used as a respectful title for any elderly woman in the community.
- In formal Malay, the word nenek can be replaced by the more honorific nenda when writing poetry or royal addresses.
Examples in context
- Biarkan Nenek menjaga anak itu.Let Grandma take care of the kid.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use nenek when referring to a specific person.Tatoeba #9419712 by LeeSooHa, translation #9419708 by BobbyLee
- Selamat pagi, nenek! Apa khabar?Good morning, grandma! How are you?
- Terima kasih, nenek, kerana membantu saya.Thank you, grandma, for helping me.
- Nenek sedang memasak di dapur.Grandma is cooking in the kitchen.
- Saya membeli hadiah untuk nenek.I am buying a gift for grandma.
Example conversation
Farah and Amir are talking about their weekend plans.
- FarahAmir, adakah awak mahu melawat nenek?Amir, do you want to visit grandma?
- AmirYa, saya sudah lama tidak berjumpa nenek.Yes, I haven't seen grandma in a long time.
- FarahMari kita pergi hari Sabtu ini.Let's go this Saturday.
- AmirBagus, nenek pasti akan gembira.Great, grandma will surely be happy.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry nenek, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
