Make friends with Indonesian, you might hear “alay” spoken in a conversation. For example, “Jangan jadi alay deg!”. Have you ever hear people mention that?
What’s is Alay in Bahasa Indonesia and Malaysia?
In Malaysia, some Indonesian slang words are being used too. When browsing on the internet.
I found that some Malaysia knows the word “alay” of “lebay”, but netters there claimed that both “alay” and “lebay” are not their words. Not to mention “alay” is becoming a word in Bahasa Malaysia.
In Bahasa Indonesia, “lebay” means exaggerating, overreacting, overdoing, too much. This word is often used by teenagers to point behavior that is tacky or cheesy.
Here are for more:
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For example:
- “Jangan lebay!” ( Don’t exaggerate!)
- “Lebay banget deh!” (It’s too much!)
When someone is “lebay”, we call him ” alay”. “Alay” is the shorter version of “anak lebay” (lebay kid).
According to Indonesian Dictionary / Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (KBBI), “alay” means an exaggerated lifestyle, which used to seek attention.
Since both “alay” and “lebay” are slang words, it is not for formal use. During the formal conversation, you can say “berlebihan” to point on someone’s “lebay” style or attitude. I suggest you to not mention someone as “alay”, although it is correct.
However, you can freely use the word ” lebay” and call someone as “alay” in informal ways. When you hang out with some friends and make jokes, use it to make warmer conversation.
For example,
- “Ayo bergaya alay!” (Let’s have “alay” pose!)
- “Kita harus lebay kalau mau lucu.” (We must be “lebay” if we want to be funny.)
- “Dilihat dari tulisannya, dia pasti alay.” (Judging from his writing, he must be alay.)
Here are for more:
- Is Bahasa Malaysia The Same as Bahasa Indonesia
- Some Similarities between Malay and Indonesian to Know
The “alay” word is also to point on someone’s writing style, which combining alphabets and numbers in a word or sentence. For example:
N4m4ku 61d30n. (My name is Gideon).
“Alay” people use some numbers to replace some alphabets that have a similar form. As you can see from my example,
number 4 is to replace letter Aa,
number 6 is to replace letter Gg,
number 1 is to replace letter Ii,
number 3 is to replace letter Ee,
and number 0 is to replace letter Oo.
By understanding the similarity between alphabets and numbers, you can be “alay” in writing. Once again, it is for informal use and often used by teenagers.
Now you already know the difference between “alay” and “lebay” and how to use these words in daily conversation.
When you say these two words, remember to emphasis on the last syllable. Make it sounds louder and longer than the previous syllable. That will help you to pronounce it correctly.
Try to use “alay” and “lebay” in some informal conversations. I believe you will master it soon. Do not worry about making mistakes. Trust me, your Indonesian friends will be happy when you use slang words in casual conversation. They will gladly correct you if you mispronounced it. Have a nice try!