Ways to say it
| Malay | IPA |
|---|---|
| tolong | /to.loŋ/ |
| bantu |
The primary way to express the act of providing assistance is through the verbs tolong or bantu. Tolong is highly versatile and is frequently used in spoken language to request a favor or to mean 'please' when asking for something. In contrast, bantu is typically used in the sense of 'to assist' and is common in formal or administrative contexts. As an interjection, tolong! is used to shout for help during an emergency.
Which one should you use?
While both words mean help, tolong is the more common choice for everyday spoken requests or to mean 'please' when asking for a favor. Bantu leans towards the meaning of 'assist' and is preferred in more formal settings, such as when discussing providing official aid or assistance.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verbs can be transformed into nouns to describe the assistance itself. The noun pertolongan is derived from the verb tolong and refers to the act of helping or the assistance provided. The noun bantuan is derived from the verb bantu and is frequently used to refer to formal aid, such as financial or humanitarian assistance.
How do you pronounce it?
/to.loŋ/
Did you know?
- The Malay word tolong is a cognate of the Tagalog word tulong, meaning they share a common ancestral root from the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian language.
- In spoken Malay, tolong functions as a 'please' only when requesting a specific action, rather than as a general polite marker for every request.
- In some contexts, using bantu instead of tolong can make a request sound like a professional collaboration rather than a personal favor.
Examples in context
- Abang, boleh tolong adik tak?Could you help me, brother?This sentence is useful for practicing a request for help using tolong.Tatoeba #1923859 by Adou_Fr, translation #7593081 by feudalism
- Tom berkata beliau terlalu sibuk untuk memberi bantuan.Tom said he was too busy to help.This sentence shows the use of bantu in a context regarding being too busy to assist.Tatoeba #10732645 by imperiex, translation #2540793 by CK
- Saya ingatkan saya boleh melakukannya tanpa bantuan sesiapa.I thought I could do that without anyone's help.This sentence demonstrates the noun bantuan meaning assistance.Tatoeba #9700688 by imperiex, translation #6337435 by CK
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Farah is struggling to carry a heavy box.
- FarahAmir, boleh tolong saya bawa kotak ini?Amir, can you help me carry this box?
- AmirBoleh, biar saya tolong awak.Yes, let me help you.
- FarahTerima kasih banyak, Amir.Thank you very much, Amir.
- AmirSama-sama, Farah.You're welcome, Farah.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “help” translations and entries tolong, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tolong, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
