Singapura
/ˌsiŋəˈpurə/
The English name for the island and city-state in Southeast Asia, Singapore, is Singapura in Malay. Wiktionary also lists Temasik and سيڠاڤورا.
Meaning: an island and city-state in Southeast Asia (name)
Ways to say it
| Malay | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Singapura | /ˌsiŋəˈpurə/ /ˌsiŋaˈpura/ |
|
| Temasik | colloquial | |
| سيڠاڤورا | Jawi |
The word refers to the island and city-state of Singapore.
Which one should you use?
Singapura is the standard name, while Temasik is a colloquial or historical way to refer to the island. سيڠاڤورا is the version of the name written using the Jawi script.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Singapura is the formal way to refer to the country. Temasik is considered colloquial.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌsiŋəˈpurə/
Did you know?
- Despite its name meaning 'Lion City', there are no lions native to the island of Singapura.
- In ancient folklore, the name Singapura was allegedly chosen after a prince spotted a creature he mistook for a lion on the island.
- The word Singapura is a compound of two Sanskrit roots: singa meaning 'lion' and pura meaning 'city'.
Examples in context
- Singapura dipanggil Singapura di dalam bahasa MelayuSingapore is called "Singapura" in Malay.This sentence is useful for confirming the Malay name for the country.Tatoeba #5687113 by ibrahimovic, translation #1815473 by Amastan
- Saya ingin pergi ke Singapura untuk percutian.I want to go to Singapore for a vacation.
- Jiran saya berasal dari Singapura.My neighbor is from Singapore.
- Boleh tak ajak aku pergi SG? Nak makan di sana!Can you invite me to go to SG? I want to eat there!
- Cuti ni plan nak shopping kat SG, best lah!This holiday, I'm planning to go shopping in SG, it's going to be great!
- Aku ingin berkunjung ke Singapura dan menikmati suasana di sana.I want to visit Singapore and enjoy the atmosphere there.
- Saya mahu pergi ke Singapura.I want to go to Singapore.
- Singapura adalah sebuah negara yang sangat cantik.Singapore is a very beautiful country.
Example conversation
Farah and Muhammad are talking about their upcoming travel plans.
- FarahAdakah awak akan melawat Singapura bulan depan?Will you visit Singapore next month?
- MuhammadYa, saya akan ke Singapura dengan kawan.Yes, I will go to Singapore with a friend.
- FarahSeronoknya! Saya juga mahu ke sana suatu hari nanti.That sounds fun! I also want to go there someday.
- MuhammadMari kita pergi bersama-sama nanti.Let's go together sometime later.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “singapore” translations and entries Singapura, سيڠاڤورا, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Singapura, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
