Word of the Day: How to use 'Sedikit'

Sedikit can be used in the following ways:

Quantifier: a little, a few

Sedikit can be placed before nouns to express small quantity. Sedikit can be shortened to sikit.

Examples:

1. Saya ada sedikit duit.  

 I have a little money.   

2. Hanya ada sedikit orang sahaja.

 There are only a few people.

3. Saya tahu sikit saja.  

 I only know a bit.

4. Tahu sikit tak bermaksud tak berguna.

 Knowing less (little) doesn't mean it's useless.

 

Intensifier: a little bit

When placed after an adjective, sikit is used to soften the adjective, bringing down the intensity of the adjective.

Examples:

1. Orang itu pelik sikit.   

That person is a little bit weird.

2. Bagi saya banyak sikit.

Give me a little bit more.

3. Saiz yang besar sikit, ada tak?

Is there a size a little bit bigger (than this)?

4. Susah sikit nak pujuk dia sertai kita.

It's a little bit difficult to persuade him to join us.

 

sikit-sikit

Adverb: a little

When duplicated, sikit-sikit works as an adverb to express that a verb is only done a little or it only takes a little (of something) for something to happen.

Examples:

1. Saya hanya boleh cakap sikit-sikit sahaja.  

I can only speak a little.

2. S(ed)ikit-s(ed)ikit, lama-lama jadi bukit.

Many a mickle makes a muckle. [Little by little, eventually it will turn into a hill]

3. Sikit-sikit nak marah.

It does not take a lot for you to get worked up. [It only takes a little for you to get angry.]

4. Buatlah sikit-sikit dulu.

Just do a little bit first.



Try writing your own sentences in the comment below...

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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