Learn To Ask "How Are You?" In Brunei Language

The official language of Brunei is Malay, with English widely spoken as a second language. The local dialect, Brunei Malay, is the most widely spoken language in the country, with around 266,000 speakers. Malay is also the national language of Brunei, as outlined in the country's 1959 Constitution. The specific dialect of Malay spoken in Brunei, Melayu Brunei, is spoken by over a quarter of a million people and is about 84% understandable to speakers of Standard Malay. The language is socially dominant and is currently replacing the minority languages of Brunei, including Dusun and Tutong.

Greeting someone in Brunei

Greeting Someone in Malay

When greeting someone in Malay, it is customary to say "Selamat pagi" (good morning), "selamat tengah hari" (good afternoon), or "selamat malam" (good evening), followed by "apa khabar?" (how are you?). A common response to this question is "Khabar baik, terima kasih" (I'm fine, thank you). If you are greeting a group of people, you can say "Selamat pagi, semua" (good morning, everyone).

Greeting Someone in English

If you choose to greet someone in English, the phrases are a little different. "Good morning," "good afternoon," or "good evening" are common greetings, followed by "how are you?" or "how are you doing?" A typical response would be "I'm good, thank you," or "I'm fine, thanks." Greeting a group of people in English would be similar to Malay, where you would say "good morning, everyone."

Other Languages in Brunei

It is worth noting that, in addition to Malay and English, there are several other languages spoken in Brunei, including Chinese, Arabic, and various indigenous languages such as Dusun, Bisaya, and Belait. The local dialect, Brunei Malay, is also widely spoken and used in informal settings.

Greeting a Muslim

Greeting Etiquette

The common greeting in Brunei will depend on the ethnic origin and age of the person. As a general rule, many men have adopted the Western custom of shaking hands. However, this is not always the case with older individuals or women. Ethnic Malay men typically shake hands with each other, but men and women do not traditionally shake hands. Instead, men and women may greet each other with a slight bow or a nod of the head. It is considered respectful to bow your head when greeting someone who is senior to you in age or position. Maintaining eye contact, especially with a person who is your senior, is generally avoided.

Dress Modestly

When attending a mosque in Brunei, it is important to dress modestly. Women should wear long sleeves and a hijab, while men should wear long or short sleeves.

Gifts

If you are invited to a Muslim home in Brunei, it is customary to bring gifts such as good quality chocolates or fruit. It is important to ensure that any food items are halal and do not contain gelatin or any non-halal ingredients. The packaging should also be considered, as white wrapping paper symbolizes death and mourning, and offensive images should be avoided. Gifts should be offered with the right hand only or both hands if the item is large.

Behaviour

It is important to maintain a respectful and polite demeanour when greeting a Muslim in Brunei. Emotions such as anger or irritation are generally avoided, as they can be considered embarrassing and cause a loss of "face". Maintaining harmony and avoiding embarrassment are crucial aspects of Bruneian culture.

Religious Considerations

As Islam is the official religion of Brunei, it is important to be mindful of religious considerations when greeting a Muslim. Friday is the Muslim holy day, and many businesses and government offices are closed. During the month of Ramadan, it is customary to refrain from eating, drinking, and smoking in public during daylight hours.

Greeting someone at different times of the day

Greeting someone in Brunei varies depending on the time of day and the context of the interaction. Here are some guidelines for greeting someone at different times of the day in Brunei:

Morning Greetings

In the mornings, it is common to greet people with 'selamat pagi', which translates to "good morning" in Bahasa Melayu, the Malay language. This greeting is suitable for initiating a conversation and showing respect, especially among Muslims. Alternatively, a simple "hello" or "hi" is also widely accepted.

Afternoon Greetings

As the day progresses into the afternoon, the greeting changes to 'selamat petang', which means "good afternoon". This greeting is also used to initiate conversations and is considered a polite way to address people during this time of day.

Evening Greetings

In the evenings, the appropriate greeting is 'selamat malam', which translates to "good evening". This greeting is typically used to close a conversation and is less commonly used by the younger generation. However, it is still important to be mindful of the context and the age of the person you are greeting.

Formal Greetings

When greeting someone in a formal setting, such as a business meeting or when addressing a senior or royal family member, it is customary to use titles and honourifics. For example, "Pengiran", "Awangku", and "Dayangku" indicate a relation to the royal family. The honourifics "Awang" for men and "Dayang" for women are also used. Greetings should be formal and demonstrate respect, with a light handshake or a nod of the head.

Informal Greetings

In informal settings, such as between friends or in local shops, the local dialect, Brunei Malay, is commonly used. Greeting someone with "apa khabar" is a formal way of saying "how are you?", while "apa abarnya" is the informal version. "Makan sudah?" which translates to "have you eaten?" is also a common greeting, equivalent to asking about someone's well-being.

Religious Greetings

As Brunei is an Islamic country, religious greetings are also commonly used. Greeting someone with 'assalamualaikum', which means "peace be upon you" in Arabic, is considered respectful and meaningful. The response to this greeting would be 'mualaikumsalam', which translates to "peace also be with you".

It is important to note that Brunei is a hierarchical and polite culture, where age and position are highly regarded. Greeting the eldest person first and showing respect to those who are senior in age or status are important aspects of Bruneian etiquette. Additionally, direct eye contact and staring are generally considered disrespectful, especially when interacting with elders or people of higher status.

Greeting someone formally

When greeting someone formally in Brunei, it is customary to use respectful language and demonstrate deference. It is important to introduce the most senior person first, and hierarchy is revered, so older people should be greeted before younger ones. Greetings should be formal, and it is respectful to bow your head when greeting someone senior to you in age or position. It is considered disrespectful to stare into the eyes of someone senior to you.

A handshake is a common form of greeting between men, but it is not always practised by older men or women. When shaking hands, Bruneian men often raise their hands to their hearts after shaking hands. Most Bruneians do not shake hands with members of the opposite sex. A foreign businesswoman should nod her head in greeting, and a foreign businessman should wait for a Bruneian woman to extend her hand first.

When greeting formally, it is customary to use the word 'Selamat', which means 'peace' in Malay. This can be accompanied by a greeting that is appropriate for the time of day: 'Selamat pagi' (good morning), 'Selamat petang' (good afternoon), or 'Selamat malam' (good evening).

In a formal setting, you can ask 'Apa khabar?' to mean 'How are you?'.

Greeting someone informally

When greeting someone informally and asking how they are, you can say, "Kamu baik-baik saja?" which translates to "How are you?" in English. You can also say, "Apa khabar?" which is another way to ask "How are you?"

If you want to respond to these questions, you can say, "Baik" or "Saya baik-baik saja," both of which mean "I am good." You can also say, "Khabar baik," which means "I am fine."

It is important to note that the pronunciation and usage of certain words may vary depending on the region and local dialects. Additionally, the mixing of English and Malay is common in informal discourse in Brunei, so you may hear a mix of both languages in conversations.

Frequently asked questions