kita orang

Malay

Alternative forms

kitorang, torang

Etymology

Calque of Hokkien 我儂 / 我侬 (góa-lâng, “we; us; our”, literally “me people”), in which kita is likely meant to be a first-person singular pronoun. Compare dia orang and kau orang, and also the development of French on (“we, person”).

Pronunciation

(short form):
- IPA^(key): [ki.to.raŋ]
  - Audio (Malaysia): (file)
- IPA^(key): [to.raŋ]
(full form, uncommon):
- (schwa-variety) IPA^(key): [ki.tə ʔo.raŋ]
  - Audio (Malaysia): (file)
- (Baku) IPA^(key): [ki.ta ʔo.raŋ]
  - Audio (Malaysia): (file)
Hyphenation: kita orang

Pronoun

kita orang

(informal) Exclusive first person plural pronoun; we, us (excluding the person spoken to).
Synonym: kami

Kita orang nak keluar makan kejap. Kau nak ikut?
We are going out to eat for a bit. You wanna come too?

Descendants

Manado Malay: torang
North Moluccan Malay: torang
Papuan Malay: kitorang

Malay personal pronouns
		singular	plural
1^st person	standard	saya / ساي aku / اکو, ku- / كوـ (informal/towards God) -ku / ـكو (poetic possessive) hamba / همبا (dated) daku / داکو (poetic)	kami / کامي (exclusive) kita orang / كيت اورڠ (informal exclusive) kita / کيت (inclusive)
1^st person	royal	beta / بيتا
2^nd person	standard	kamu / کامو
	standard	engkau / اڠکاو, kau- / كاوـ (informal/poetic/towards God) kau / كاو (informal) awak / اوق (friendly/older towards younger) anda / اندا (formal) awda / اءودا (Brunei, formal) -mu / ـمو (poetic possessive) dikau / ديکاو (poetic)	anda semua / اندا سموا (formal) awak semua / اوق سموا kamu semua / كامو سموا kalian / کالين (archaic) kau orang / كاو اورڠ (informal)
	royal	tuanku / توانكو
3^rd person	standard	dia / دي ia / اي beliau / بلياو (honorific) -nya / ـڽ (possessive)	mereka / مريک dia orang / دي اورڠ (informal)
3^rd person	royal	baginda / بݢيندا	mereka / مريک dia orang / دي اورڠ (informal)