selamat jalan
/səˌlamat ˈd͡ʒalan/
The English phrase 'happy journey' is translated into Malay as selamat jalan.
selamat jalan is used to wish someone a safe and pleasant trip as they depart. You may also encounter selamat perjalanan, which literally translates to 'safe journey'. Additionally, selamat perjalanan perniagaan is used specifically to mean 'safe business journey'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase selamat jalan is composed of selamat meaning safe or secure and jalan meaning way, path or to walk.
Which one should you use?
While selamat jalan is used to wish someone a safe journey as they depart, it is specifically used when addressing the person who is leaving. In contrast, selamat tinggal is used by the person who is staying behind.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase selamat jalan is a fixed expression and does not change its form based on the number of people traveling.
How do you pronounce it?
/səˌlamat ˈdʒalan/
Did you know?
- While selamat jalan wishes a safe journey, the word selamat is also used in Malay to say 'congratulations'.
- The word jalan is incredibly ancient, appearing in the Kedukan Bukit inscription as far back as 683 AD.
- In Malay culture, the concept of selamat encompasses not just safety from harm but also a state of being blessed or secure.
Examples in context
- Selamat jalan, semoga sampai dengan selamat.Happy journey, may you arrive safely.
- Selamat jalan ke Kuala Lumpur.Have a safe trip to Kuala Lumpur.
- Kami ucapkan selamat jalan kepada awak.We wish you a happy journey.
Example conversation
Hafiz is seeing Siti off at the train station.
- HafizSelamat jalan, Siti.Happy journey, Siti.
- SitiTerima kasih, Hafiz.Thank you, Hafiz.
- HafizJangan lupa hubungi saya nanti.Don't forget to call me later.
- SitiBaiklah, saya akan buat begitu.Alright, I will do that.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry selamat jalan, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries jalan, selamat, CC BY-SA 4.0.
