This is a list of Indonesian and Standard Malay spelling differences, that is, word pairs same in meaning but different in appearance (spelling). Diacritics are shown for pronunciation clarity in this table (while they are not usually written). Translations may be approximated; see linked entries for details.
English
Topics
Indonesian
Standard Malay
Notes
active avoidance
hindar aktif hindaran aktif
activity
aktivitas aktiviti
advocating the lower lip forward
cêbik jebik
always
sênantiasa sentiasa
articulated
gandèng ganding
as if
kayak kaya
August
Agustus Ogos
aware
sadar sedar
ballon
engineering
balon bélon
banner
engineering
spanduk sepanduk
basket straps
jangki jangkih
beat , blow , stroke
hantam hentam
beautiful and glowing stone
kêmala gemala
because
karêna kerana
bell
engineering
loncèng loceng
bellows
ubub hubub
benefit
faèdah faédah
blanch
cêlup celur
blond (colour )
optics
pirang pérang
box (from thick paper )
engineering
dus dos
broken , damaged
rusak rosak
brown
optics
cokêlat coklat
bus
bus bas
caged
jêrukup jerungkup
call , cry , or shout
imbau himbau
camp on elephant's back
haudah hodah
capacity
kapasitas kapasiti
card
engineering
kartu kad
ceramic
chemical engineering
kêramik séramik
chair
engineering
kursi kerusi
characteristic
kêlikat kulikat
chelate
sêlêntik jelentik
clamp
penjêpit penyepit
clapping , colliding
dêmpok dempuk
cluster
klastêr kluster
cohort
kohor kohort kohort
collection
kolèksi koléksi
collective
kolèktif koléktif
collectivity
kolèktivitas koléktiviti
come on (interjection )
ayo ayuh
commemoration of someone's death annually
haul hol
compartment
kompartêmèn kompartmen [kompatmen]
competition , race
lomba lumba
complete
komplèt komplit
complexity
komplèksitas kompléksiti
component
komponèn komponen
concentric
konsèntris konséntrik
concept
konsèp konsép
concerning
pasal fasal
contemporary
kontèmporèr kontémporari
continuity
kontinuitas kontinuiti
crawling approach
indik hindik
cream (colour )
optics
krèm krim
creative
krèatif kréatif
creativity
krèativitas kréativiti
credibility
krédibilitas krédibiliti
critical
kritis kritikal
crooked -bent
kêrèkot kerétot
crowded
ingar hingar
crush (verb )
gilas gilis
cupboard
engineering
lêmari almari
curettage
medicine
kurétasê kurétaj
curtain
engineering
gordèn kordén
cuteness
kêcandan kucandan
cybernetics
information technology
sibernetika sibernétik
cycle rickshaw
bècak béca
dainty (delicately small and pretty)
mungil mongél
dandruff
medicine
kêlêmur kelemumur
dead end
kintil intil
decade
dékadê dékad
December
Désèmbêr Disémber
degree
grad gréd
deliver (verb )
antar hantar
dentist
medicine
doktêr gigi doktor gigi
dirty muddy
gêlèpot gelépok Also Malay gelépot
disc , discus
cakra , cakram cakera , cakeram
discrete
diskrèt diskrit
dismal
gobar ghobar
distortion
érot hérot
difference
farak faraq
different
bèda béza
different
farik fariq
dilemmatic
dilèmatis dilématik
distance between right and left foot
kangkang kéngkang
diversity
divèrsitas diversiti
divide
bagi bahagi
document
information technology
dokumèn dokumen
documentary
film
dokumèntèr dokumentari
dogmatic
dogmatis dogmatik
drag (verb )
èrèt , sèrèt hérét
drastic
drastis drastik
dreg
ampas hampas
drop
tètès titis
dry
kêrontang kontang
dues money
hujin hunjin
dust
dêbu habuk
dust cleaner
kêmocèng kemucing
dynamic
dinamis dinamik
dynamics
dinamika dinamik
efficient
èfisièn éfisien The form of efisyen
eight
dêlapan lapan
end
ujung hujung
episodic
èpisodik épisodik
eradicate
bêrantas banteras
erotic
èrotis érotik
error
galat ralat The Indonesian ralat
excitement
gairah ghairah
fantastic
fantastis fantastik
faint
pingsan péngsan
fall behind , dropping
cècèr cicir
firecracker
chemical engineering
mêrcon mercun
fishy
anyir hanyir
firm , strong , solid
kukuh kokoh kukuh
flattened and wide noodles
kwétiau kuétiau
flexible
flèksibêl fléksibel
floor tile
civil engineering
ubin jubin
fog
geology
kabut kabus
folded at the end or edge so that the folded part depends
kêlèbèk kelébét
forest betel
zoology
kadok kaduk
foul smell
kohong kahang
Friday
Jumat Jumaat
front row
damah dammah
fume
asap wasap
gallon
galon gélén
generic
gêrênik gerénék
gift
karunia kurnia
gimmick
hèlat élat
ginger family
botany
lêmpuyang lampoyang
grapefruit
botany
gadang gedang
grasp (verb)
cêngkêram cengkam
gravity
gravitasi graviti
gray , grey (colour )
abu-abu kêlabu kelabu
gum
gom gam
handle
handêl héndal
hangar
hanggar hangar
harmonic , harmonious (adjective )
harmonis harmonik The mathematics and physics senses is harmonik harmony is harmoni
go away
incit hincit
hiking
êmbara kembara
honor
izah izzah
hub
hub hab
hello
halo hélo
helmet
engineering
hèlm hélmét
hemisphere
hémisfèr hémisféra
hornblende
geology
hornblènda hornblénd
humble
khuduk khudu
hunchback
bungkuk bongkok
hurricane
geology
topan taufan
hybrid
hibrida hibrid
hydraulic
physics
hidraulis hidraulik
ice
ès ais
imitation of the sound of water
kêcimpung ketimbung
incessant
gêncar gencer
incident
insidèn insiden
inference
infèrènsi inferens
infusion
infus infusi
ink
dawat dakwat
ins and outs
sêluk-bêluk sélok-bélok
inspector
inspèktur inspéktor
integrity
intêgritas intégriti
intensity
intènsitas inténsiti
internal
intèrn interen
international
antarbangsa antarabangsa
intolerance
intolèransi intolerans
inverted
sungsang songsang
ionosphere
ionosfèr ionosfera
jagged , four-hole iron bracelets , the size of a finger , are worn for punching
kêrakêling kelakkeling
jamboree
jamboré jambori
July
Juli Julai
June
Juni Jun
kermak leaves
kêrmak keremak
kinematics
kinématika kinématik
kinesics
kinésika kinésik
kuweni (Mangifera odorata
kêbêmbêm kebambam
lacquer
lak lakuer
lak stone
lakêri lakri
landscape
lanskap landskap
lantern
tanglung tanglong
large needle
coban cuban
launch
luncur lancar
lavender
lavèndêl lavénder
leaning
èrèng héréng
length size
élo éla
light visible
optics
kêntara ketara
long pipe
engineering
hokah hukah
lotion
pharmacy
losion losén
magazine
magasin magazin
magic
magis magik
magnitude
magnitudo magnitud
man (male person)
pria peria
marble
marmêr marmar
March
Marêt Mac
marine
marinê marin
massage
masasê masaj
masochism
masokhismê masokisme
masochist
masokhis masokis
metal finger gloves
bidal jidal
mind
hèlat hélah
mist
kabut kabus
mix
adon adun
Monday
Sênin Isnin
mule
bagal baghal
musty
apak apêk hapak
namely (that is)
yaitu iaitu
nature
kodrat kudrat
nature
kodrati kudrati
negligent
gaflah ghaflah
neutral
nètral néutral
new
baru baharu
notice (announcement, notification )
nota notis
nude (without clothing or other covering )
bugil bogél
number
nomor nombor
objectivity
philosophy
objèktivitas objéktiviti
obstacle
kêndala gendala
ocean
geology
samudra samudera
orange (colour )
oranyê orén
ounce
ons auns
package
engineering
pakèt pakéj
packet
engineering
pakèt pakét
panel
panèl panel
parachute
engineering
parasut paracut
parse
urai hurai
part
sêbagian sebahagian
passion
gairah ghairah
peck
kêcup kucup
pedigree
silsilah salasilah
peel
kubak kobak
pen (writing tool )
pèna pén Both forms are attested in both dictionaries.
pencil
pènsil pénsél
pension
pènsiun péncén
people who are proficient about yoga
yogi jogi
peripheral , periphery
périfèr periferal , periferi
persimmon
kêsêmêk kesmak
pesticide
péstisida péstisid
petition
pêtisi pétisyen
phase
fasê fasa
physical
fisik fizikal
picnic
tamasya temasya
pipe (rigid tube )
pipa paip
plan (set of intended actions )
plan pelan
plate
pêlat plat
plural
majêmuk majmuk
pocket , sack
kantong kantung
popular
populèr popular
popularity
popularitas populariti
porcelain
porsêlèn porselin
practical
praktis praktikal
prank
kêcandan kecindan
praying mantis
sêntadu centadu
premise (piece of real estate )
prêmis prémis
prestige
prèstisê préstij
previously
dulu dahulu
prick
cocok cucuk
private
privat privet
prototype
prototipê prototaip
puberty
balig baligh
pull in
isap hisap
pump (fluid moving or compressing device )
mechanical engineering
pompa pam
pyramid
piramida piramid
quality
kualitas kualiti
quartz
kuarsa kuarza
quantity
kuantitas kuantiti
quarantine
karantina kuarantin
razor
kêrampagi kerempagi
recipe (plan or procedure )
rêsèp resipi
record (information put into a medium )
rêkam rakam
record (most extreme known value, achievement in competitive events )
rèkor rékod
recording
rêkaman rakaman
relativity
rélativitas rélativiti
reliable , dependable
andal handal
representation in painting or engraving
pigura figura
reserve
rêsérvê rizab
resonance
résonansi resonans
respect
jura jurah
respondent
rèspondèn résponden
responsibility
tanggung jawab tanggungjawab
rhythm
ritmê ritma
rhythmic
ritmis ritmik
rice sprawled and mixed with side dishes
kêbuli kabuli
riot
onar honar
road
arung harung
rooster
jago jaguh
round
ronda ronda raun
rumour
kabar angin khabar angin
sabotage
sabotasê sabotaj
sack (bag )
goni guni
sad
iba hiba
salty (taste )
asin masin
sarcastic
sarkastis sarkastik
sardine (fish )
sardèn sardin
schedule
jadwal jadual
scheme
skéma skim
scold
hardik herdik
scoop (verb )
ciduk cédok
secret
rahasia rahsia
sect
séktê sékta
section
bagian bahagian
section
sèksi séksyen
sediment , precipitate
êndap hendap
sensitivity
sènsitivitas sénsitiviti
sentiment
sentimen séntimen
separate (verb )
urai hurai
sergeant
sèrsan sarjan
series
séri siri
sewer
lungkang longkang
sexuality
sèksualitas séksualiti
sexy
sèksi séksi
shake
guncang goncang
shampoo
sampo syampu
simpleleaf chastetree
lênggundi legundi
sin
karyah kiryah
sink
kêlêlap kelalap
siren (loud sound device )
sirénê siren
sky
cakrawala cakerawala
slander
jujah jujat
sled
èrèt hérét
slip
gêlimang gelumang
sloth
kungkang kongkang
silk
fashion
sutra sutera
small cut
iris hiris
small job
gêrupis geropes
snapping
antuk hantuk
snot
ingus hingus
snow
salju salji
sob
têrisak-isak terésak-ésak
sounds smooth and loud
gêlêting keleting
souvenir
cêndêra mata cenderamata
specimen
spèsimên spésimen
spectacles
kacamata kaca mata
spider
laba-laba labah-labah
spoils of war
ganimah ghanimah
sponge
spons span
sponge (a type of light cake )
cuisine
bolu baulu
sparrow
gêlatik jelatik
stadium (sporting venue )
stadion stadium
standard
standar standard
station
stasiun stésén
steam
uap wap
stereotype
stéréotipê stéréotaip
stomp hard
ênyak henyak
stone of wisdom
guliga geliga
strange
garib gharib
strategic
stratègis stratégik
stretching
gêlinggang gelénggang
suck , draw
sêdot sedut
sun
surya suria
superiority
supêrioritas supérioriti
surprised
hèran hairan
symbiotic
simbiotis simbiotik
syndicate
sindikat sindikét
synthetic
sintètis sintétik
tactical
taktis taktikal
tempo
témpo témpoh
thematic
tèmatis tematik
the Honourable
Yang Terhormat (Yth. )Yang Berhormat (YB )
thin
tipis nipis
thin-layer chromatography
analytical chemistry
kromatografi lapis tipis kromatografi lapisan nipis
think (action ); thinking
pikir fikir
thud
gêdêbuk gedebak
Thursday
Kamis Khamis
tickle
gêlitik geléték The Indonesian nonstandard spellings include gêlètèk gêliting
tight-lipped
bungkas bongkas
tool for unplugging bottle plugs
kotrèk koterék
toothless
ompong rompong
tragic
tragis tragik
trample
êntak hentak
traumatic
traumatis traumatik
treacherous
durhaka derhaka
trend
trèn trénd [trén]
try
coba cuba
twitching
komat-kamit kumat-kamit
type
tipê tipa
ugly
jêlèk jelik
ugly
odoh hodoh
understand
paham faham
unseen
gaib ghaib
use
faèdah faédah
utility
utilitas utiliti
vase (flowers container )
vas pasu
version
vèrsi versi
victory
galib ghalib
voluntary
voluntér voluntari
wade
arung harung
want
mau mahu
water storage (stone )
kulah kolah
wheezing
cicip icip
whereas
bahwa bahawa
worried
khawatir khuatir
wrinkle -wrinkled
kêrèmot keremut
wrinkle
kêriput kerépot
yesterday
kêmarin kelmarin