Languages of Malaysia

113 languages of the index are spoken in Malaysia; 1 has official status (Malay). The country has about 34.2 m inhabitants (2025).

113 languages71 endangered or dormantAsiaISO MY / MYS

Official languages

msaMalayAustronesian · 77 m

All languages spoken in Malaysia

Language	ISO	Family	Countries	Speakers	Vitality
engEnglish	`eng`	Indo-European	+93	1.13 bn	0 · International
cmnMandarin Chinese普通话	`cmn`	Sino-Tibetan	+4	1.07 bn	1 · National
cmnStandard Chinese現代標準漢語	`cmn`	Sino-Tibetan	+4	897.1 m
araArabicاللُّغَة العَرَبِيّة	`ara`	Afroasiatic	+36	315.4 m	Safe
panPunjabiپنجابی	`pan`	—	+15	125 m	Safe
javJavaneseBasa Jawa	`jav`	Austronesian		84.3 m	4 · Educational
tamTamilதமிழ்	`tam`	Dravidian	+5	83 m	2 · Provincial
msaMalayBahasa Melayu	`msa`	Austronesian	+15	77 m
korKorean한국어	`kor`	Koreanic	+5	73.2 m	1 · National
yueYue Chinese粵語	`yue`	Sino-Tibetan		62.2 m	2 · Provincial
thaThaiภาษาไทย	`tha`	Kra–Dai	+1	60.7 m	1 · National
nanSouthern Min閩南語	`nan`	Sino-Tibetan	+5	48.3 m	6a · Vigorous
sunSundaneseBasa Sunda	`sun`	Austronesian		32.4 m	5 · Developing
madMadureseBhâsa Madhurâ	`mad`	Austronesian	+1	15 m	5 · Developing
sylSylhetiꠘꠣꠉꠞꠤ ꠜꠣꠡꠣ	`syl`	Indo-European	+13	14 m	3 · Wider Communication
cdoEastern MinMìng-dĕ̤ng-ngṳ̄	`cdo`	Sino-Tibetan	+2	10.3 m	5 · Developing
minMinangkabaubahaso Minangkabau	`min`	—		5.5 m	5 · Developing
ayhHadhrami Arabicاللهجة الحضرمية	`ayh`	Afroasiatic	+5	4.5 m	6a · Vigorous
msiSabah Malay	`msi`	Austronesian		3 m	3 · Wider Communication
ibaIbanjaku Iban	`iba`	Austronesian		2.3 m	3 · Wider Communication
mfaPattani Malayบา'ซอ 'นายู 'ตานิง	`mfa`	Austronesian		1.5 m	5 · Developing
tsgTausugbahasa Sūg	`tsg`	Austronesian		1.1 m	3 · Wider Communication
hnmHainanese	`hnm`	Sino-Tibetan	+1	1.1 m
zmiNegeri Sembilan Malay	`zmi`	—		1 m	6b · Threatened
bdrWest Coast Bajauling Sama	`bdr`	Austronesian		210,000	6b · Threatened
kzjCoastal Kadazan	`kzj`	Austronesian		200,000
dtpKadazandusunboros Kadazandusun	`dtp`	Austronesian		180,000	6b · Threatened
sneJagoi	`sne`	Austronesian		29,000	6b · Threatened
tmwTemuan	`tmw`	Austronesian		28,000	6b · Threatened
mbfBaba Malay	`mbf`	—		12,000	8a · Moribund
seaSemai	`sea`	Austroasiatic		10,000	3 · Wider Communication
mcmKristang	`mcm`	—		800	6b · Threatened
kvrKerinciBasê Kincai	`kvr`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
lndLun Bawangbahasa Lun Bawang	`lnd`	Austronesian			5 · Developing
dbjIda'an	`dbj`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
dupDuano’bahasa Duano	`dup`	Austronesian			6a · Vigorous
bnyBintulu	`bny`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
orsOrang Seletar	`ors`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
meoKedah Malay	`meo`	Austronesian			3 · Wider Communication
kziKelabitbahasa Kelabit	`kzi`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
cwgCheq Wong	`cwg`	Austroasiatic			6b · Threatened
bthBiatahbahasa Biatah	`bth`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
bdgBonggi	`bdg`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
tnzTen'edn	`tnz`	Austroasiatic			6a · Vigorous
bsbBrunei Bisaya	`bsb`	Austronesian			5 · Developing
teaTemiar	`tea`	Austroasiatic			3 · Wider Communication
knsKensiu	`kns`	Austroasiatic			6a · Vigorous
knqKintaq	`knq`	—			6b · Threatened
pwmMolbog	`pwm`	Austronesian			5 · Developing
jahJah Hut	`jah`	Austroasiatic			6a · Vigorous
szaSemelai	`sza`	Austroasiatic			6b · Threatened
jhiJehai	`jhi`	Austroasiatic			6b · Threatened
nrmNarom	`nrm`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
snvSa'ban	`snv`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
jakJakun	`jak`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
lnhLanoh	`lnh`	Austroasiatic			6b · Threatened
btqBatek	`btq`	Austroasiatic			6b · Threatened
sdoBukar Sadongbahasa Bidayuh Bukar-Sadong	`sdo`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
abfAbai Sungai	`abf`	—			7 · Shifting
dtrLotud	`dtr`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
kqvOkolod	`kqv`	—			6a · Vigorous
sboSabüm	`sbo`	Austroasiatic			9 · Dormant
mnqMinriq	`mnq`	Austroasiatic			6b · Threatened
mxrMurik Kayan	`mxr`	Austronesian			7 · Shifting
ornOrang Kanaq	`orn`	Austronesian			8b · Nearly Extinct
dtbEastern Kadazan	`dtb`	Austronesian			6a · Vigorous
xklMainstream Kenyahbahasa Kenyah	`xkl`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
drgRungus	`drg`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
sbrSembakung	`sbr`	—			6b · Threatened
ssmSemnam	`ssm`	Austroasiatic			6b · Threatened
tmoTemoq	`tmo`	Austroasiatic			8b · Nearly Extinct
mheMah Meri	`mhe`	Austroasiatic			6b · Threatened
kyiKiput	`kyi`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
xmlMalaysian Sign Language	`xml`	—			5 · Developing
lraLaraʼbahasa Bakati'Rara	`lra`	Austronesian			6a · Vigorous
droDaro-Matu	`dro`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
dppPapar	`dpp`	Austronesian			7 · Shifting
lkjRemun	`lkj`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
szcSemaq Beri	`szc`	Austroasiatic			6a · Vigorous
srkSerudung	`srk`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
llkLelak	`llk`	Austronesian			10 · Extinct
kxnKanowit	`kxn`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
mztMintil	`mzt`	Austroasiatic			8a · Moribund
spgSian	`spg`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
mvvTagal Murutbahasa Tagal Murut	`mvv`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
tihTimugon	`tih`	—			6b · Threatened
snbSebuyau	`snb`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
trxTringgus	`trx`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
ttwTutoh	`ttw`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
umiUkit	`umi`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
ccmMalaccan Creole Malay	`ccm`	—			8a · Moribund
pnmPunan Batu	`pnm`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
bsySabah Bisaya	`bsy`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
kqrKimaragang	`kqr`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
xkyUma’ Lasanbahasa Kenyah Barat	`xky`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
kysBaram Kayan	`kys`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
szdSeru	`szd`	—			Extinct
tgbTobilung	`tgb`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
pezEast Penan	`pez`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
zbcCentral Berawan	`zbc`	Austronesian			8a · Moribund
reeRajakng Kayan	`ree`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
zlmcolloquial Malay	`zlm`	Austronesian	+1		3 · Wider Communication
kzsSugut Dusun	`kzs`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
lowTampias Lobu	`low`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
ruuLanas Lobu	`ruu`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
pneWestern Penan	`pne`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
melCentral Melanau	`mel`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
mqqMinokok	`mqq`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
sdxSibu	`sdx`	Austronesian			7 · Shifting
zbeEast Berawan	`zbe`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
zbwWest Berawan	`zbw`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened
zsmStandard Malaybahasa Melayu Standard	`zsm`	Austronesian
ilmIranun	`ilm`	Austronesian			6b · Threatened

113 languages · click a column to sort · source: Wikidata