The ingin family divides chiefly by complement type. Modal-like ingin + verb presents a desired action: ingin pergi. Transitive menginginkan + noun phrase presents a desired thing or outcome: menginginkan perubahan. Passive diinginkan centers what is desired, while keinginan names the desire itself. English want does not reveal this Malay structural contrast.
This page focuses on lexical choice within the family. The meN- formation guide, passive di- guide, and other Word Formation pages explain the general affix rules.
No person or tense conjugation
| Frame | Present/general | Past context | Future context |
|---|---|---|---|
| desired action | Saya ingin pergi. | Semalam saya ingin pergi. | Esok saya mungkin ingin pergi. |
| desired object | Mereka menginginkan perubahan. | Mereka telah lama menginginkan perubahan. | Pada masa hadapan, mereka mungkin menginginkan perubahan yang lebih besar. |
| desired result, passive | Hasil itu diinginkan. | Hasil itu sudah lama diinginkan. | Hasil itu mungkin akan diinginkan oleh semua pihak. |
The lexical form never agrees with saya, mereka, or another subject. Time comes from semalam, telah lama, esok, pada masa hadapan, and akan, not a tense ending on ingin.
Ingin before an action
Ingin stands directly before the action desired. The understood actor of the second verb is normally the subject of ingin.
Saya ingin pergi ke Sabah pada musim cuti akan datang.
I want to go to Sabah during the coming holiday.
Nadia ingin memohon jawatan itu selepas tamat pengajian.
Nadia wants to apply for that position after graduating.
Kami ingin mengetahui sebab permohonan tersebut ditolak.
We would like to know why the application was rejected. (careful/formal)
There is no infinitive marker corresponding to English to: ingin pergi, not ingin untuk pergi as a mechanical translation. Untuk may introduce a different purpose or fuller complement in other constructions, but it is not required by ingin.
Ingin is neutral to somewhat careful and appears readily in writing, service language, and deliberate speech. Everyday Malaysian conversation often prefers nak or mahu. The mahu family gives that register contrast.
The complement contrast is a strong tendency, not an absolute ban. Ingin also occurs directly before a noun phrase, especially in compact expressions such as ingin sesuatu yang baharu. In careful prose, menginginkan often makes the transitive relation to a desired thing more explicit.
A different actor must be expressed
Bare Saya ingin pergi means that I am the one who wants and goes. When another person should perform the desired action, state that participant or use a desired-outcome clause.
Saya ingin dia hadir dalam perbincangan itu.
I want her to attend that discussion.
Pihak sekolah ingin supaya semua ibu bapa mengesahkan kehadiran sebelum hari Jumaat.
The school wants all parents to confirm attendance before Friday. (formal)
Dia and semua ibu bapa prevent the main subject from controlling the embedded action. The wider grammar is explained on shared subjects and control.
Menginginkan a thing or outcome
Menginginkan is a transitive actor-voice verb. Its direct object is the desired entity, quality, or result.
Penduduk menginginkan perubahan yang dapat mengurangkan kesesakan lalu lintas.
Residents want change that can reduce traffic congestion.
Majikan menginginkan calon yang mampu bekerja secara berdikari.
The employer wants a candidate who can work independently.
Setiap keluarga menginginkan kehidupan yang aman dan stabil.
Every family desires a peaceful and stable life.
The form often sounds more deliberate or (formal) than conversational mahu/nak + noun. It can also imply sustained aspiration rather than an immediate request. That is a register and lexical tendency, not a different tense.
Do not add akan as an object marker. Standard Malaysian menginginkan perubahan directly takes the noun phrase.
Diinginkan centers the desired result
Passive diinginkan makes the desired thing or state the subject.
Hasil yang diinginkan hanya dapat dicapai melalui latihan yang konsisten.
The desired result can only be achieved through consistent practice.
Kesan itu tidak diinginkan oleh mana-mana pihak.
That effect is not desired by any party. (formal)
Suhu bilik boleh dilaraskan kepada tahap yang diinginkan.
The room temperature can be adjusted to the desired level.
The required phrase hasil diinginkan normally appears as hasil yang diinginkan when it modifies a noun. Keep passive di- attached: diinginkan, unlike locative di dalam bilik.
Keinginan names a desire
Keinginan is a lexicalized noun for a wish, desire, or aspiration.
Keinginannya untuk melanjutkan pelajaran mendapat sokongan seluruh keluarga.
Her desire to continue her studies received the support of the whole family.
Dia menyatakan keinginan untuk meletakkan jawatan pada akhir tahun.
He expressed a desire to resign at the end of the year. (formal)
Keinginan sahaja tidak mencukupi tanpa rancangan yang jelas.
Desire alone is not enough without a clear plan.
Attached -nya in keinginannya marks “his/her desire” and remains solid. Common collocations include menyatakan keinginan, memenuhi keinginan, and keinginan untuk + verb.
Ingin, mahu, hendak, and nak
| Form | Typical Malaysian profile | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ingin | neutral/careful desire, common in writing | ingin mengetahui |
| mahu | broad neutral desire/intention | mahu pulang |
| hendak | careful/formal intention; also fixed question frames | hendak memohon |
| nak | very common informal speech | nak balik |
Saya nak balik dulu; esok kita sambung.
I want to head home now; we'll continue tomorrow. (informal)
Saya ingin pulang lebih awal untuk menghadiri janji temu.
I would like to leave early to attend an appointment. (careful)
These forms overlap. The table identifies strong register tendencies, not four mutually exclusive meanings.
Common Mistakes
1. Adding untuk as an infinitive marker
⚠️ Saya ingin untuk pergi sekarang.
Possible in some extended constructions, but awkward in this ordinary same-subject pattern; ingin normally directly precedes the verb.
✅ Saya ingin pergi sebelum hujan turun.
I want to leave before it rains.
2. Overusing a compressed noun complement in careful prose
⚠️ Pelanggan itu ingin penjelasan bertulis.
Grammatical, but compressed; an explicit transitive form may suit a careful written request better.
✅ Pelanggan itu menginginkan penjelasan bertulis.
The client wants a written explanation. (careful)
3. Separating passive di-
❌ Hasil itu memang di inginkan oleh semua peserta.
Incorrect spacing—the passive verb diinginkan is one word.
✅ Hasil itu memang diinginkan oleh semua peserta.
That result is indeed desired by all participants.
4. Treating ingin as an infinitive that takes tense endings
❌ Semalam dia ingined pulang awal.
Incorrect—ingin does not take an English past ending.
✅ Semalam dia ingin pulang awal kerana kurang sihat.
Yesterday she wanted to go home early because she felt unwell.
5. Confusing keinginan with the person who desires
❌ Keinginan itu memohon jawatan baharu.
Incorrect—the noun names a desire, not the person applying.
✅ Pemohon itu menyatakan keinginan untuk bertugas di Sarawak.
The applicant expressed a desire to work in Sarawak.
Key Takeaways
Use ingin + verb for a desired action and, especially in careful prose, menginginkan + noun phrase for a desired thing or outcome. Ingin can also take a compact noun complement, so complement type motivates rather than mechanically determines the choice. Passive diinginkan centers the outcome, and keinginan names the desire. The family never conjugates for person or tense.
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- mahu, hendak, and nak: Verb Family and UsageA2 — Choose among neutral mahu, careful hendak, and colloquial nak for desire, intention, requests, and imminent events in Malaysian Malay.
- ingin and menginginkan in Malaysian MalayA2 — Distinguish modal-like ingin before an action from transitive menginginkan before a desired outcome or object.
- mahu and nak: Desire, Intention, and ImminenceA1 — Choose standard mahu and colloquial nak for wanting, willingness, intended action, and events about to happen.
- Shared Subjects and Control in Malaysian MalayB2 — Understand how an unspoken subject is identified across Malay verb sequences even though Malay verbs have no infinitive form.
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