'Singapore' In Four Languages
Singapore’s four official languages—English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil—represent our main communities. All our banknotes spell ‘Singapore’ in these four languages to reflect our multiracial identity. The only exception was the 2019 Bicentennial note, possibly because it was designed with a different focus.
Malay—not English—is our national language. Malay is chosen because it reflects the region we come from. It is used in our National Anthem and military commands. It is also the top in the circle, or first in the list, of the four languages to appear on our banknotes.
Mandarin is the most commonly spoken mother tongue among Chinese Singaporeans. The government promoted it since the 1970s to replace the many dialects and strengthen unity within the Chinese community.
Tamil, one of the world’s oldest languages, is spoken by many Indian Singaporeans. Other Indian languages like Hindi, Punjabi, and Bengali are also used in the community.
English is our main working language. It came from our colonial past and is now the language used in schools, workplaces, and government. English helps Singaporeans of all races communicate easily and work together.