Ways to say it
| Malay | IPA |
|---|---|
| cinta | /ˈt͡ʃintə/ /ˈt͡ʃinta/ |
| sayang | /ˈsajaŋ/ |
In Malay, there are several ways to express affection depending on the intensity and the object of your feelings. cinta refers specifically to romantic or passionate love between partners. To express a broader range of affection, such as fondness for family, friends or even objects, you should use sayang. If you wish to express longing or yearning for someone, use the word rindu. For early-stage affection, such as saying "I like you", you can use the phrase Suka Padamu. To express that your heart belongs to someone, use Hati Ini Milikmu.
Which one should you use?
The primary difference lies in the type of affection being expressed: cinta is reserved for romantic or passionate love, while sayang is more general and covers affection, fondness or care for a wide variety of people and things.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brunei, the term syg is a popular informal abbreviation for sayang.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To use these words as verbs in formal or grammatically complete sentences, they undergo changes: cinta becomes mencintai to mean "to love someone or something" and sayang becomes menyayangi to mean "to love or care for someone or something".
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʃintə/
Did you know?
- The word cinta actually stems from the Sanskrit word cintā, which originally related to 'worry' or 'anxiety' rather than affection.
- While sayang means love, it is also frequently used as a term of endearment similar to 'honey' or 'dear' when addressing a partner or child.
- In Malay culture, using the word cinta is considered very intense and is often avoided in early dating in favor of suka.
Examples in context
- Ia bukan cinta sejati.That's not true love.This sentence is useful for demonstrating the use of cinta in the context of true love.Tatoeba #5002145 by Adou_Fr, translation #7594641 by feudalism
- Ini sejenis surat cinta.This is a kind of love letter.This sentence shows how cinta is used in the phrase "love letter".Tatoeba #3276542 by Adou_Fr, translation #55811 by sundown
- Dia pasti yang dia telah menemui cinta hatinya.She was sure that she had found the love of her life.This sentence illustrates how cinta is used to describe the love of one's life.Tatoeba #9714150 by imperiex, translation #3069900 by Hybrid
- Terima kasih kerana menyayangi saya.Thank you for loving me.
- Aku amat menghargai kasihmu.I truly appreciate your love.
- Saya suka padamu sejak pertama kali bertemu.I've liked you since the first time we met.
- Aku merindui kehangatan cintamu.I miss the warmth of your love.
- Engkau adalah segalanya bagiku, hati ini milikmu selamanya.You are everything to me, my heart belongs to you forever.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Farah and Hafiz are talking about their relationship.
- FarahHafiz, saya rasa cinta saya pada awak sangat kuat.Hafiz, I feel my love for you is very strong.
- HafizSaya pun rasa perkara yang sama, Farah.I feel the same way, Farah.
- FarahAdakah cinta itu sentiasa rasa begini?Does love always feel like this?
- HafizYa, jika ia adalah cinta yang ikhlas.Yes, if it is a sincere love.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “love” translations and entries cinta, sayang, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cinta, sayang, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
