kau orang

Malay

Alternative forms

Etymology

Calque of Hokkien 汝儂 / 汝侬 (lú-lâng, you (plural), literally you people). Compare kita orang and dia orang.

Pronunciation

  • (short form):
    • IPA(key): [ko.raŋ]
      • Audio (Malaysia):(file)
      • Rhymes: -oraŋ, -raŋ, -aŋ
  • (full form, uncommon):
    • IPA(key): [kau̯ ʔo.raŋ]

Pronoun

kau orang

  1. (informal) Second person plural pronoun; you guys, you all, you.
    Synonym: kalian
    Kau orang tengah buat apa?
    What are you guys doing?

See also

Malay personal pronouns
Singular Plural
1st person

saya1
aku3

kita4
kami2 & 5
kita orang3 & 5

2nd person

awak1
anda2
awda8
(eng)kau3
kamu3

(2nd person) + semua6
kalian2
(eng)kau orang3

3rd person

dia
ia
beliau7
-nya2

mereka2
dia orang3

1 Polite.
2 Formal.
3 Informal.
4 Includes the listener (inclusive).
5 Excludes the listener (exclusive).
6 Formality depends on the second person pronoun used.
7 Honorific.
8 Formal (Brunei).

Notes:
  • This table mostly only shows personal pronouns that are commonly used in the standard language and within the Klang Valley area.
  • The second person pronouns are often replaced by kinship terms, titles, or the like.
  • The enclitic -nya is only used obliquely (as an object or possessor).
  • The second person pronoun kamu is usually only used when speaking with younger speakers.
See each entry for more information.

Further reading