Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
maaf is a way to apologize formally in Malay. For even more polite or formal situations, you can use Mohon maaf, which means "please forgive me" or "please accept my apologies" or use the phrase ampun maaf to offer a formal apology. In contrast, the phrase papehal, minta maaf eh is a colloquial way to say "whatever it is, I apologize."
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Indonesian Malay, people commonly say maaf ya to apologize.
How does it change in a sentence?
While maaf means "sorry", the verbal phrase minta maaf is used to express the act of apologizing (to apologize or to ask for forgiveness). You can also use saya minta maaf to mean "I apologize", and the phrase maafkan saya is a common way to say "forgive me" when seeking direct forgiveness from someone.
Did you know?
- Because of the high value placed on 'saving face', maaf is frequently used as a social lubricant to avoid any possible conflict, regardless of who is right.
- The word maaf is actually a linguistic traveler that journeyed from Arabic through Persian before arriving in the Malay language.
- While maaf is the standard for most apologies, the native Malay word ampun has been largely pushed aside and is now reserved for much more serious, grave, or religious offences.
Examples in context
- Maaf, boleh awak ulang?Sorry, could you repeat that, please?The sentence is useful for asking someone to repeat what they said using maaf.Tatoeba #1762784 by Adou_Fr, translation #3936241 by buddy6621
- Saya minta maaf kerana memukul awak.I'm sorry I hit you.The sentence is useful for expressing regret for an action using maaf.Tatoeba #9683047 by imperiex, translation #2548207 by CK
- Maaf kerana saya tidak sempat datang petang semalam.Sorry I couldn't make it last night.The sentence is useful for apologizing for a missed engagement using maaf.Tatoeba #5900199 by Adou_Fr, translation #7593130 by feudalism
- Maaf saya terlambat.Sorry, I'm late.
- Maaf, saya salah faham.Sorry, I misunderstood.
- Ampun maaf, saya telah melakukan kesilapan.I'm sorry, I made a mistake.
- Maaf yang sebesar-besarnya atas kesilapan ini. Saya akan berusaha agar perkara serupa tidak berulang lagi.I apologize sincerely for this mistake. I will make an effort to ensure that this won't happen again.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hafiz accidentally bumped into Siti in the hallway.
- SitiAduh! Awak buat apa tu?Ouch! What are you doing?
- HafizMaaf, Siti. Saya tidak sengaja.Sorry, Siti. I didn't do it on purpose.
- SitiLain kali, hati-hati sikit.Next time, be a bit careful.
- HafizBaik, saya akan lebih berhati-hati.Okay, I will be more careful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sorry” translations and entries maaf, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries maaf, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
