Essential Malay phrases

Thank you, in Penang Hokkien. Malay 'terima kasih' works everywhere, but 'kam siah' at a hawker stall in George Town gets you a smile that 'thank you' does not.

'Have you eaten yet?' — the standard Penang Hokkien greeting. It is not really a question about food; it is 'how are you'. Answer 'chiah pa liao' (already eaten).

Flat rice noodles fried over ferocious heat with prawns, cockles, chives and lard. Penang's signature dish and the thing locals will argue about most fiercely.

The traditional coffee shop — usually a tiled shophouse with several independent hawker stalls under one roof. You order drinks from the owner and food from whichever stall you like.

Black coffee, no sugar. 'O' means black, 'kosong' means empty. Without saying kosong you will get a great deal of condensed milk and sugar.

Let's go eat. In a city that treats hawker food as civic identity, this is the most-used invitation you will hear.

Anything / whatever / up to you. 'Chin chai lah' is the most useful phrase in Penang for letting someone else pick the restaurant.

'The other side' (mainland Seberang Perai) and 'the island'. Penang state is both, and locals define themselves by which one they live on. Rent, traffic and schools all differ.

How much? Useful at markets in Chowrasta and Air Itam; most hawker stalls have prices posted, so haggling is for goods, not food.

To take away / pack it to go. 'Tapau satu' — pack one for me. Universal across Malaysian English and the fastest way to order for the office.

Help! Call an ambulance! The single emergency number is 999.