Learn Malay with Adlan

Kepada  can be used in the following ways: Preposition:  to {target, result} Kepada is used to indicate the target of actions or the result after an action is done. Examples : 1. Saya memberikan buah tangan ini kepada dia.  I gave this gift (for visiting someone) to him. 2. Ibu membahagikan kek kepada empat bahagian.   Mom divided the cake into four parts. 3. Gaji minimum meningkat kepada RM1500 mulai tahun depan.    The minimum salary will increase to RM1500 starting next year. 4. Dia melaporkan apa yang berlaku kepadanya kepada polis    He reported what had happened to him to the police.   Try writing your own sentences in the comment below...

Paling   can be used in the following ways: (Superlative) Intensifier:  most Paling  can come before an adjective or stative verb to create a superlative structure. There are more than one ways to create superlative in Malay but using paling  is the most basic. Do note that yang  often would come in between the noun and paling  as the structure involves comparison. However, it may be dropped in conversation. Examples : 1. Dia pelajar yang paling pandai di dalam kelas.  He's the smartest student in class. 2. Negara Malaysialah negara yang paling sesuai untuk ekspat.   Malaysia is the most suitable country for expats. 3. Bagi ibu bapa, anak-anaklah yang paling bernilai.  Children are the most valuable (thing) for parents. 4. Saya paling tak suka orang yang suka datang lambat. I don't like people who keep coming late the most. Try writing your own sentences in the comment below...

Mula  can be used in the following ways: (Transitive) Verb:  to start, to begin Mula  is used to describe the action of starting something. As a primary verb,  (meN)mulakan--> memulakan is followed by a direct object which is something the subject intends to start. Examples :  1. Cikgu (meN)mulakan pelajaran dengan kuiz.     The teacher started the lesson with a quiz.  2. Mulakan hari ini dengan semangat yang baru.   Start the day with a new spirit!  3. Jangan mulakan sesuatu tanpa berfikir dengan masak.   Don't start something without thinking carefully!  4. Sila periksa kenderaan sebelum memulakan perjalanan yang jauh.   Please examine your transportation before starting a long journey! (Aspect Auxiliary) Verb:  to start to Mula  can precede the primary verb to express that the verb has been started.  Examples : 1. Ke hadapan barisan, sedia, mula (berlari). On your mark, get set, start! 2. Saya mula belajar bahasa Jepun 3 tahun yang lalu. I started learning Japanese 3 years ag

Mungkin  can be used in the following ways: (Conjecture Modal Auxiliary) Verb:  may be, might be Mungkin  can be used to express the speaker's supposition that something has taken place or will take place. This supposition is based on guesses or uncertainty of the future. Examples : 1. Saya mungkin akan tinggal terus di Malaysia. I may continue living in Malaysia. 2. Dia mungkin terlupa ada mesyuarat hari ini. He might have forgotten that there's a meeting today. 3. Esok mungkin hujan, jadi kita kena tukar rancangan. It may rain tomorrow, so we have to change plans. 4. Mungkin dia berasa kesal sebab buat macam tu pada awak. Maybe he felt regret for doing that to you. Try writing your own sentences in the comment below...

-lah  can be used in the following ways: (Imperative Softener) Particle:  (can you) please..., I beg you... -lah  is a very flexible particle that can be attached to any clause of the sentence. In formal writing, it is always attached directly after a word, but in casual writing, it may be separated. -lah  has many functions. In this post, it might not cover all the uses but the main ones. The most basic function of -lah  is to soften an order or a request by attaching it to the imperative verb. With -lah , there is a nuance of inviting, pursuading even so far as begging/urging when the syllable is lengthened. Examples : 1. Jomlah keluar. Bosan di rumah.   Let's go out! {begging} It's boring at home.  2. Makanlah sikit, nanti lapar.  Eat a little bit or you might get hungry later! {pursuading}  3. Masuklah ke rumah dan buatlah macam rumah sendiri.   Please come in and make yourself like home. {inviting}  4. Tolonglah, saya dah penat ni. Ceraikanlah sa(ha)ja saya.   I beg you, I

Kerana  can be used in the following ways: Conjunction:  because, for Kerana can be used to state the reason of something including expressions of feelings. Kerana is only used in the middle of the sentence. Sebab is more colloquial and can be interchangeable with kerana . Examples : 1. Dia sedih sebab gagal mendapatkan lesen.  He's sad because he had failed to get the license.  2. Malaysia terkenal kerana terdapat bangunan yang tinggi-tinggi.  Malaysia is famouse because it has tall buildings. 3. Terima kasih sebab menemani saya.  Thanks for accompanying me. 4. Maaf kerana tidak dapat hadir ke majlis awak.   I'm sorry for not being able to attend your ceremony. Try writing your own sentences in the comment below...

Dari  can be used in the following ways: Preposition:  from {destination, location} Dari  is used to denote the location the subject is coming from. It is mostly used with motion verbs. Examples : 1. Dia berasal dari Sarawak.  He is (originates) from Sarawak. 2. Saya akan pergi ke tempat yang jauh dari sini.   I'm going to a place away from here.  3. Dari mana dia datang berbasikal begini?     Where did he come from cycling like this? 4. Buah-buahan ini diimport dari Thailand.   These fruits were imported from Thailand.   dari + __ (dalam / luar / atas / bawah / depan / belakang / tepi / kiri / kanan) Preposition:  from + inside / outside / above / below / in front / behind / side / left / right Dari  can be followed by other prepositions to further specify the exact location the subject is coming from. When used with certain verbs, it describes the directions the verb is moving from. Examples : 1.  Kedai itu tak jauh dari tepi jalan.   That store isn't far from the roadside. 2

Lebih   can be used in the following ways: (Comparative) Intensifier:  more (than) Lebih can come before an adjective to express that the subject is superior with respect to a certain quality. Be cautious as lebih cannot be used by itself. Daripada is used to denote the object of comparison. Lagi  can also be used to replace lebih . Lagi  can come before or after the adjective. Using lagi  asserts a strongger affirmation towards the differences. Examples : 1. Saya lebih tua lima tahun.  I'm 5 years older. 2. Harga tiket kereta api lebih mahal RM10 daripada harga tiket bas.   The train ticket costs RM10 more than the bus ticket. 3. Belilah beg ini, lagi cantik.  Buy this bag! It's definitely more beautiful. 4. Dalam kehidupan, ada banyak benda yang lebih bernilai daripada duit. In life, there are a lot of things that are more valuable than money. Try writing your own sentences in the comment below...

Payah   can be used in the following ways: Adjective:  dfficult, effortful, bothersome Payah can be used to describe that a certain action is rather difficult to be done due to it requiring a lot of effort. It is used when the speaker is annoyed or frustrated. Examples : 1. Belajar bahasa Melayu tak payah. It's not tough to learn Malay.    2. Payah sangatkah nak dengar cakap?  Is it so hard to listen to my words? 3. Kena pecat tiba-tiba mesti payah, kan. It must be hard to be fired suddenly, right? 4. Hidup ini tak sepayah yang kita sangka. This life isn't as tough as we thought. Tak payah  (Imperative/Auxiliary) Verb: no need, don't have to Tak payah can come before a verb to express that there is no need to do the action. Use with a soft tone, it is comparable with tak perlu , in which the speaker's intention is merely to state that something is not needed as opposed to what the listener expects. When used in a harsh tone, it is rather sarcastic, as if telling the lis

Baru  can be used in the following ways: Adjective:  new Baru  is the shorter form of baharu , which is used to describe that something is new, fresh or recent. Examples :  1. Saya dapat kerja baru.     I got a new job.  2. Kami sudah pergi kedai baru itu.   We've already been to that new shop.  3. Pelajar baru, sila berkumpul di depan dewan.   Fresh students, please gather in front of the hall!  4. Dia berpindah ke luar negara untuk mendapatkan pengalaman baru.   She moved overseas to get new experience. (Aspect Auxiliary) Verb:  just  Baru  can precede the primary verb to express that the verb has just taken place. To further emphasise, saja  can come together with baru . Examples :  1. Dia baru saja sampai.    He just arrived.  2. Saya baru saja cakap tadi.   I just said it just now.  3. Baru hari pertama datang sini, tapi dah tunjuk pandai.   It's just his first day coming here, but he's already flaunting his intelligence.  4. Kami baru makan sekarang sebab sibuk bermes

Kena  can be used in the following ways: (transitive) Verb:  to hit, to get {diesease} Kena as a primary verb expresses that something has come into contact with the subject physically including diseases. Examples : 1. Bola itu terkena kepala dia   The ball hit his head.  2. Dia basah kuyup sebab kena hujan.   He's soaking wet because he got rained upon.  3. Saya pernah kena Covid dua kali.   I've gotten Covid two times.  4. Kuah tumpah dari pinggan dan kena kaki dia.   The gravy spilled from the plate and hit his foot.   (Stative) Verb: to be apropriate, to be right Often used in a negative state, tak kena  describes that a certain action is not appropriate due to a certain feeling felt by the speaker. It is kind of a gut feeling due to some external circumstances. Examples : 1. Ada sesuatu tak kena.   There's something not right.  2. Pakai baju macam itu tak kena dengan majlis.   Wearing that kind of clothing is not appropriate with the event.  3. Tak kena kalau tak pergi

(bu)kan  can be used in the following ways: (Confirming) Particle:  right? (bu)kan  is a very flexible particle that can be attached to any clause of the sentence similar to -kah . The function of kan  is to get confirmation from the listener. It is used when the speaker believes, according to his knowledge, in something and hoping for the listener to agree. If the speaker is rather unsure about something, then kan is used to seek confirmation of truth.  Examples : 1. Ini kan kereta awak?   This is your car, right?  2. Sedap kan kek ini? This cake is delicious, no?  3. Hari (i)tu kan, saya nampak ada orang pelik datang.   It was that day, right, I saw someone weird coming.  4. Kalau dapat kerja (i)tu, maksudnya saya kena pindah kan?   If I get that job, it means I have to move, right?   Try writing your own sentences in the comment below...

Ke  can be used in the following ways: Preposition:  to {destination, location} Ke  is used to denote the location the subject is moving towards. It is mostly used with motion verbs. Examples : 1. Dia berjalan ke sekolah.  He walks to school. 2. Saya nak pindah ke luar negara.   I'm moving (to) overseas.  3. Mereka tak tahu dia lari ke mana.     They don't know where he ran to.  4. Saya harus pergi ke mana untuk mendapatkan tiket?   Where do I have to go to get a ticket?   ke + __ (dalam / luar / atas / bawah / depan / belakang / tepi / kiri / kanan) Preposition:  into / out / above / below / in front / behind / side / left / right Ke  can be followed by other prepositions to further specify the exact location the subject is moving towards. When used with certain verbs, it describes the directions the verb is moving to. Examples : 1. Dia berlari ke luar (dari) kelas  He ran out of the class. 2. Jangan pandang ke atas.   Don't look above!  3. Gerak ke tepi, saya nak duduk.  

Kalau can be used in the following ways: Conjunction:  if Kalau is the most basic conjunction to form conditional structure in Malay. It can be used in front of the sentence or in the middle. The clause with kalau , would be the condition, and the other clause is the result given that the conditional clause is fulfilled. Adding -lah in this case would be used in a rather hypothetical scenario in which the speaker does not believe will happen, at least not soon. Examples : 1. Kalau hujan, kita tak jadi keluar.  If it rains, we're not gonna go out as planned. 2. Saya tak nak pergi kalau dia ikut.  I'm not going if he's following. 3. Kalaulah ada musim sejuk di Malaysia, bolehlah kita rasa salji.  If only there were snow in Malaysia, we could then experience snow. 4. Kalaulah dia ulang kaji dari awal, tak adalah gagal sekarang. If only he had revised since the beginning, he wouldn't have fialed now.   Kalau tak... Conjunction:  Otherwise, Or This pattern is used to introdu

Begitu   can be used in the following ways: Demonstrative: (like) that Begitu is made up of bagai itu . Compared to itu , begitu  is used to refer to certain ways of doing something while itu focuses more on the object mentioned.  In English, more often using 'that' would suffice for both situation.  When used after a noun, begitu  refers to the kind or manner of the noun.  A more colloquial version is ( ma)cam itu . Examples : 1. Jangan cakap begitu.     Don't say that! 2. Begitulah cara melakukan senaman ini.   That is how you do this exercise. 3. Orang begitu tak patut dikasihani.  Those kind of people should not be sympathised. 4. Dia menangis macam itu sebab tak mahu orang tahu. He cried like that because he doesn't want others to know.   Intensifier:  so, not that, not so Begitu  can also be used before adjectives/stative verbs. It is used to express that the adjective/stative verbs reached a certain level most of the time higher than expected. Sekali can be paire

Jemput  can be used in the following ways: (Transitive) Verb:  to invite, to pick (somebody) up, to welcome Jemput  is used to describe the action of inviting somebody to a certain programme or event. As a primary verb,  (meN)jemput --> menjemput receives the invited person as a direct object. In some cases, jemput can also mean to pick somebody up though this is only used in special occasions like picking somebody up from the airport as if inviting them into the country. Examples :  1. Saya menjemput rakan sekerja ke rumah.   I invited my coworker to my house.  2. Dia menjemput ramai orang ke kenduri perkahwinannya.   He invited a lot of people to his wedding reception.  3. Sila jemput tetamu bila sampai rumah.   Please welcome the guests when they arrive at home.  4. Bos menyuruh mereka menjemput pelabur yang datang dari luar negara di lapangan terbang. Boss ordered them to pick up the investor who's coming from overseas at the airport. (Imperative) Verb:  please {inviting, we

Masih  can be used in the following ways: (Aspect Auxiliary) Verb:  still  Masih  can precede the primary verb or stative verb to express that the state of verb has not changed. It means that the speaker is still performing the action or if followed by tak , the state of not performing the action has not changed. Thus, in positive sentence, only process verbs (verbs that occurs over a period of time) or stative verbs can be used.  Lagi  can be added at the end of the sentence to further emphasise the unchanging state of the action. Examples :  1. Saya masih makan lagi.      I'm still eating.  2. Dia masih tak mahu berubah.   He still doesn't want to change.  3. Kami masih lapar walaupun sudah makan banyak.   We are still hungry even though we have eaten a lot.  4. Mereka masih tak jumpa-jumpa kedai itu.   They still haven't found that store.   Try writing your own sentences in the comment below...

Harus  can be used in the following ways: (Obligation Modal Auxiliary) Verb:  should {advisably} Harus  can be used before the primary verb to express that the action is advisable to be done. Compared to the previous obligation modal auxiliary verbs, harus  carries the softest tone and thus, is usually used in formal situations. This sense of obligation stems from Islamic regulations where things that are harus  are optional for followers to do or not to do.  Examples : 1. Dia harus bertanggungjawab atas kesalahannya.     He should be responsible for his mistakes.  2. Kita harus menghormati orang di sekeliling.   We should respect people around us.  3. Encik harus mengamalkan pemakanan yang seimbang.   You should practice a balanced diet.  4. Mereka harus bekerjasama untuk menyiapkan tugas itu.   They should work together to settle that task.   Try writing your own sentences in the comment below...

Ya  can be used in the following ways: (Softening) Particle Besides the function of ya  as an affirmation word, much like the English 'yes', ya  can also be placed at the end of the sentence to soften a question or a request. The shorter the sentence is the more likely ya  would be used. Examples : 1. RM10 ya.   RM10 please! 2. Kita jumpa esok ya. Let's meet tomorrow, OK?  3. Bila saya boleh jumpa doktor ya?   When can I see the doctor?  4. Menara ini berapa tingkat ya?  How many floors do this tower have?  Try writing your own sentences in the comment below...

Sampai   can be used in the following ways: Verb:  to arrive Sampai as a verb is the colloquial counterpart for the word tiba . It is used to express that the subject has arrived at their destination. The preposition ke or di  often follows sampai to denote the location/destination. Examples : 1. Dia sampai pada pukul 10.     He arrived at 10 o'clock. 2. Sudah sampai masa.   The time has come .  3. Saya belum sampai ke pejabat.  I have not arrived at the office. 4. Bagitahu saya bila awak sudah sampai (di) rumah.  Let me know when you have arrived home !   Preposition:  to, until Sampai as a preposition is followed by nouns that denote the level, limit or the end of time or location. It is interchangeable with the more formal word hingga .  Examples : 1. Dia belajar sampai peringkat universiti.   He studied until university level. 2. Lelaki itu mengejar pencuri itu sampai hujung lorong itu.   That man chased the thief till the end of the alley. 3. Sampai bila awak nak macam ini?  U

Langsung   can be used in the following ways: Adverb:  direct(ly), straight, live {broadcasting/streaming},  Langsung describes the idea that something goes directly to somewhere without disruptions. Although it can be used by itself when modifying movements, more often it is preceded with secara  to form an adverb of manner. Examples : 1. Durian-durian ini datang langsung dari dusunnya.     These durians came straight from the farm. 2. Rancangan ini bersiar secara langsung.   This programme is streaming live. 3. Sila berurusan dengan pihak polis secara langsung.  Please deal with the police force directly. 4. Secara tidak langsung, Covid telah menyedarkan kita apa yang betul-betul penting dalam hidup. Covid has indirectly made us realise what is really important in our life.   Langsung tak ... // Tak ... langsung Intensifier: (do) not ... at all Paired with tidak , langsung  indicates that something is not considered the mentioned adjective. When used with verbs, it means that the ver

Harap  can be used in the following ways: (Intransitive) Verb:  to hope that, to expect Harap  is used to describe the action of hoping something to happen. As a primary verb,  (ber)harap --> berharap is often followed with agar which further assert that the event following it is not within the speaker's control. In speech, agar can be dropped and usually replaced with a short pause before continuing the sentence. When the English word 'expect' is used to mean something similar as hoping someone to do something, harap is used. Examples :  1. Saya (ber)harap agar esok tak hujan.     I hope that tomorrow doesn't rain.     2. Dia (ber)harap peperiksaan kali ini tidak berapa susah.   He hopes that the exam this time won't be that difficult.  3. Daripada hanya berahap, ambillah tindakan.   Rather than just wishing, take some actions!  4. Orang Asia berharap agar anak-anak berkahwin dan berkeluarga.   Asians expect children to marry and build a family. (Imperative) Ver

Belum  can be used in the following ways: (Aspect Auxiliary) Verb:  have not, yet to {imperfected state} Belum  can precede the primary verb to express that the verb has not been performed. It means that the speaker will perform the action in the future. If the speaker didn't do something in the past, using tak  would suffice. Lagi  can be added at the end of the sentence to further emphasise the imperfected state of the action. Examples :  1. Saya belum beritahu dia.      I have not tell him.  2. Dia belum sembuh lagi.     He has not recovered yet.   3. Kami belum memohon visa untuk ke negara itu.   We have not applied for visa to that country..  4. Alia belum makan kerana tak lapar.  Alia hasn't eaten because she's not hungry . Sudah ... belum? (Tag Question) Particle:  haven't you ...? Sudah ... is accompanied with  belum  at the end of the sentence to create a yes/no question. These kind of questions are to confirm whether the listener has done certain actions. Exam

Patut  can be used in the following ways: (Obligation Modal Auxiliary) Verb:  should, supposed to {morally, ethically} Patut  can be used before the primary verb to express that the action is what's proper to be done. This sense of obligation stems from moral values as to what the speaker believes as proper or fit in the eyes of many. Tak patut can also be used as an exclamation to respond to something believed as inproper or should not be done. Examples : 1. Awak patut minta maaf dengan dia.   You should apologise to him.  2. Dia tak patut buat begitu terhadap orang tua.   He shouldn't have done that to elderlies.  3. Awak patut berehat di rumah kalau sakit.   You should rest at home if you're ill.  4. Kita tak patut buli orang yang berlainan.   We should not bully people who are different (than us).   (Evidential Modal Auxiliary) Verb: should be, should have be Patut  can also be used to express the speaker's certainty that something has taken place or will take place