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Barangkali  can be used in the following ways: (Conjecture Modal Auxiliary) Verb: (might) probably, perhaps Barangkali is closely similar to mungkin and boleh jadi which can be used to express the speaker's supposition that something has taken place or will take place. When used, the speaker acknowledges that there's a probability for it to either happen or not. With its roots from mathematics, it sounds more neutral and formal. Examples : 1. Barangkali ibu rasa tertekan selama ini. Mother may have probably been stressed all this time. 2. Barangkali ini adalah kali terakhir saya dapat bertanding. This might probably be the last time I can compete. 3. Barangkali ada dalam kalangan pengguna Internet lupa di sebalik skrin komputer wujud manusia lain. Perhaps there are some among the Internet users who forgot that there are other people on the other side of the screen. 4. Barangkali kamu tak suka sesuatu perkara tapi ia baik untuk kamu, barangkali kamu suka sesuatu perkara tapi ia ...

Jadi  can be used in the following ways: (Transitive/Intransitive) Verb:  to become, to materialise As a transitive verb, (meN)jadi --> menjadi is used to state what one has become after certain changes. As an intransitive verb, it means that something happens or materialises according to what is expected. Examples :  1. Pelakon itu menjadi watak jahat dalam cerita itu.  The actor becomes an evil character in that story.  2. Bila besar nanti, mahu jadi apa?   What do you want to be(come) after you've grown up?  3. Orang dulu percaya orang yang mati menjadi hantu.   People back then believed that dead people become ghosts.  4. Persetujuan menjadi langkah utama dalam menghadapi masalah itu.   Agreeing becomes the first step in facing that problem. 5. Walau apa pun yang saya lakukan, ia tetap tak menjadi. No matter what I did, it just doesn't materialise (work out). (Aspect Auxiliary) Verb:  to happen (according to plan) Jadi can pr...

Sentiasa  can be used in the following ways: Adverb of Frequency:  always While selalu  is used for countable events, sentiasa is used for lasting states. When sentiasa is used with stative verbs, it implies that the state continues for a long time. Examples : 1. Dia sentiasa bersama saya.  She is always with me. 2. Manusia makhluk yang sentiasa lalai.  Humans are beings who are constantly negligent. 3. Semoga bahagia sentiasa hingga ke anak cucu.  Wishing you lasting happiness for generations to come. 4. Rakyat perlu bersatu-padu agar negara sentiasa aman damai. The people have to be united so that the country is always in peace. Try writing your own sentences in the comment below...

Kot  can be used in the following ways: (Conjecture) Particle:  maybe, probably Kot or the correct spelling kut  is usually placed at the end of a sentence or clause to express uncertainty of one's claim. The longer the vowel is lengthened, the more uncertain the speaker sounds. Examples : 1. Dia ada di situ kot.   He might be there.  2. Entahlah, kad saya dah hilang kot. I don't know, my card might have already disappeared.  3. Aku syak (yang) dia inilah yang bersalah kot.   I suspect that he probably was the guilty one.  4. Agaknya dia saja nak buat cerita kot.   I guess he's only probably making stories.   (Asserting) Particle :  you know..., When pronounced fast and precisely, kot has an effect to assert one's claim. It is usually used to rebut or pursuade a previous opposing voice. Examples : 1. Cantik kot, baju ini!   These clothes are beautiful. (Contrary to what I've been told)  2. Jomlah ikut aku. Aku belanja kot....

Macam  can be used in the following ways: Adverb:  like At it's foundation, macam means like, which can be used the same way as seperti . Additionally, macam also implies manner as in the way to do something. In English, most of the time using 'this' or 'that' would suffice to direct someone to do something in a certain way. Bagai which is a more formal version can be used interchangeably.  Macam itu =   Begitu Macam ini  =  Begini Examples : 1. Buat macam ini.  Do it like this. 2. Jangan cakap macam itu.  Don't say (like) that! 3. Macam mana nak mohon status penduduk tetap?  How to apply for permanent resident? 4. Beginilah caranya kita mengatasi kelemahan diri tanpa mendatangkan keburukan. This is the way we overcome our weaknesses without causing harm. Semacam Adjective/Adverb:  weird(ly), suspicious(ly) Semacam is a rather unique way to express the speaker's suspicion over something often implying that something is wrong or out of th...

Seperti  can be used in the following ways: Conjunction:  like, as {resemblance}, such as {examples} Seperti can be used to liken something (a noun) with something else (another noun). Colloquially, it can most of the time interchanged with macam , though seperti is more suitable to be used with something more abstract while macam  something more ocncrete. When giving examples of a group of things, seperti is used. Examples : 1. Saya nak kemeja macam kemeja awak.  I want a shirt like your shirt. 2. Dia suka berkeliaran seperti binatang liar.  He likes to roam around like a wild animal. 3. Kalau ingin berjaya, buat seperti orang yang berjaya.  If you want to succeed, act as successful people (do). 4. Kami sedang mencari calon yang memenuhi kriteria seperti yang tersiar di akhbar.  We're looking for a candidate who fulfils the criteria as shown on the newspaper. 5. Malaysia ada menghasilkan buah-buahan tropikal seperti durian, mangga, dan manggis.  ...

Atas  can be used in the following ways: Conjunction:  for {reason} Atas as a conjunction is used to explain reason of something by connecting to a noun phrase. It is distinct to kerana/sebab  as the following is used to connect to another clause. Furthermore, restructuring the same sentence using atas would sound more formal. Examples : 1. Terima kasih atas pertolongan anda.  Thank you for your help. 2. Syabas atas kerja keras anda.  Malaysia is famouse because it has tall buildings. 3. Kami meminta maaf atas kesilapan itu.  Thanks for accompanying me. 4. Keputusan sebulat suara tidak tercapai atas beberapa sebab.  An unamious decision could not be achieved for some reasons. Try writing your own sentences in the comment below...

Sementara  can be used in the following ways: Adjective:  temporary Sementara expresses the idea of temporariness implying that things will change eventually. Examples : 1. Dia hanyalah pembantu sementara.  He is only a temporary asistant. 2. Hidup ini hanyalah sementara.  This life is merely temporary. 3. Kita akan (meN)pindahkan operasi ke sini buat sementara waktu.  We will move the operation here for a temporary time. 4. Penutupan sementara jalan itu menyebabkan kesesakan jalan raya. The temporary closure of that road has caused road traffic. Conjunction:  while When used as a conjunction, sementara introduces a temporary time period in which the main action is taken. The clause with sementara can be an action performed by another subject or a temporary state in which the primary subject is experiencing.  Examples : 1. Alia mengemas rumah sementara Hana memasak.  Alia cleans the house while Hana is cooking. 2. Ayah membaca surat khabar sementa...

Demi can be used in the following ways: Conjunction:  for (the sake of) Demi  can precede nouns to indicate the purpose of an action.  In most cases  untuk  can be used inerchangeably though demi reflects a deeper resolution especially when used before person or God. Examples : 1. Saya buat semua ini demi awak.     I've done all of these for you (for your sake). 2. Fikirlah masak-masak demi masa depan.  Think hard for your future. 3. Demi Tuhan, aku bersumpah hanya akan berkata yang benar.   In God's name, I swear to speak only of the truth. 4. Rakyat Malaysia bersatu padu membangunkan negara demi kemakmuran negara.   The people of Malaysia are united to develop the country for the country's prosperity. Try writing your own sentences in the comment below...

Kurang  can be used in the following ways: Adjective/Adverb: less, lack, in shortage of Kurang  expresses the idea of less than normal. As an adverb, kurang is used to describe the lack or shortage of something. Examples : 1. Dia tak terbayar kerana duitnya kurang.   He wasn't able to pay because he has not enough money (his money is in shortage). 2. Tahun ini gejala sosial semakin kurang.  This year, sosial problems become lesser. 3. Dia asyik kena denda sebab kurang ajar dengan cikgu.    He always got punished because of being rude (lack education) to the teachers.  4. Kebanyakan negara menghadapi masalah kurang tenaga buruh akibat kadar kelahiran yang menurun.  A big number of countries are facing shortage of labour force problem due to the decreasing of birth rate. Intensifier:  less, lack, not so Kurang  can also be used before adjectives/stative verbs. It is used to express that the topic in question does not adhere to an expe...

Cuma  can be used in the following ways: Pula  might be the most or among the most difficult word to master in Malay. For some usages, it has a corresponding phrase in English, but for most other usages, they would get lost in translation. Even in Malay,  pula  is mostly optional but knowning when to use it precisely is what will distinguish between a beginner and an intermediate learner. Since  pula  is used for emphasis, in many sistuations a glottal stop,  pula(k) --> pulak,  may be added to further stresses it. Conjunction:  as for, what about The first usage is rather simple. When talking about a topic, it is used to introduce or bring the conversation to another aspect/thing relating to the topic. When talking about more than one thing about a topic, anything after the first will also be followed by pula . It can also be used to return the same question or inciting a response from the person you're talking to relating to a topic. For...

Entah-entah  can be used in the following ways: (Conjecture Modal Auxiliary) Verb: Chances are..., for all I know... Entah-entah  can be used to conjecture a possibility without any evidence. It is merely used to entertain a possibility which in turn may justify or support the speaker's intention. Examples : 1. Entah-entah dialah yang bagi surat itu. Chances are he was the one who gave that letter. 2. Kalau anak tak mahu pergi (ke) sekolah, cakap dengan dia baik-baik, entah-entah kena buli. If a child doesn't want to go to school, talk to him kidnly, chances are he got bullied. 3. Jangan angkat nombor telefon tak kenal. Entah-entah scammer .  Don't answer unknown phone number. Chances are they're a scammer. 4. Entah-entah (apa) yang kita marah pada anak adalah teguran buat diri sendiri. For all we know the things we get angry at our child are (actually) a reminder for ourselves. Try writing your own sentences in the comment below...

Terus  can be used in the following ways: (Transitive) Verb:  to continue, to proceed Terus  is used to describe engaging an action along it's course. It's usually used to express continuing a process to the next step. As a primary verb,  (meN)teruskan--> meneruskan  is followed by a direct object which is something that is continued after a pause or momentarily stop. Examples :  1. Saya akan teruskan pelajaran tak lama lagi.  I'll be continuing my study soon.  2. Pelajar digalakkan untuk meneruskan prestasi yang cemerlang.   Students are encouraged to continue their excellent performance.  3. Teruskan langkah walaupun menghadapi kesukaran.   Continue to step (ahead) even when experiencing hardships.  4. Kerajaan meneruskan pembangunan keretapi laju setelah tergendala.   The government will continue the development of high speed train after it has been interrupted. (Aspect Auxiliary) Verb: straight, immediately (after),...

Selalu can be used in the following ways: Adverb of Frequency:  always, often  Selalu describes an action being done at a high frequency. It is used with action verbs in which the occurence can be counted. Selalunya can be used at the beginning of a sentence as an adverbial expression meaning 'what is always (done/the case)'. Examples : 1. Dia selalu bangun awal pagi.  He always gets up early (in the morning). 2. Jangan selalu marah.   Don't always get angry! 3. Ibu bapa harus selalu menemani anak-anak semasa kecil.  Parents should always accompany children when they're young. 4. Antara petua gaya hidup yang sihat adalah selalu beriadah. One of (some) the tips of healthy lifestyle is doing exercise often. 5. Selalunya kalau Malaysia menang dalam apa-apa acara, esoknya akan cuti.  Usually, if Malaysia were to win in any matches, the next day will (be declared as) a holiday. Try writing your own sentences in the comment below...

Entah  can be used in the following ways: Exclamation:   I don't know, I wonder Entah  implies that the speaker has no knowledge of something and is also wondering about the answer. When used impulsively in casual settings, it is used to quickly brush off someone's inquirement either because of pure ignorance or disinterest. Be careful as it may sound dismissive in this way. On the contrary, when it is not directed to anyone (self-talk), it may reflect a sense of the speaker's despair due to not knowing something. Examples : 1. Entah.    I don't know (and I don't care). {responding to someone's question}  2. Entah, saya pun tak tahu. (I don't know), I also don't know.  3. Entahlah, cuba tanya orang lain.   I'm not sure, try asking the others. Entah {Adjective} entah tidak   Conjunction:  Who knows whether it's {Adjective} or isn't. This pattern is used to express that the truth about something is unsure of. Examples : 1. Restoran itu ent...

Agak-agak  can be used in the following ways: *refer to past entry on ' Agak ' Adverb:  roughly (estimate) When duplicated, agak-agak implies the process of roughly making an estimation or consideration according to a certain standard while carrying out an action. Examples : 1. Saya agak-agak saja.  I'm just guessing. 2. Agak-agak saja nak masukkan berapa banyak.  Just (roughly estimate and) insert however much. 3. Agak-agak bilalah kita boleh kaya?  When can we ever get rich? {pondering} 4. Agak-agaklah kalau nak berbohong.   Think first before making up a lie. {Don't be too obvious or inconsiderate.} Try writing your own sentences in the comment below...

Supaya   can be used in the following ways: Conjunction:  so that, in hope to Supaya is used to connect a clause to another clause describing the most ideal result that the speaker had hoped for. Dapat often follows supaya  denoting the state to be achieved. Agar which is more formal may be used interchangeably.  Examples : 1. Saya tidur awal supaya dapat bangun awal.  I sleep early so that I'll be able to get up early. 2. Gunalah kemudahan awam dengan elok supaya orang lain pun dapat menggunakannya.   Use public facilities properly so that others could use them too. 3. Mereka bertungkus lumus memerah otak supaya dapat jumpa jalan penyelesaian yang terbaik.  They are struggling hard racking their brains in hope to find the best solution. 4. Dalam negara yang berbilang kaum, kita harus bersatu padu agar negara aman dan tenteram. In a multicultural country, we have to be united so that our country will be in peace.   Conjunction: (hoping) for Supaya...

Pada  can be used in the following ways: Preposition:  at, on, in {time} Pada  is used to denote the exact time something takes place. It precedes any time phrase such as days, months, year and so on. It is optional when the time phrase is relative to the speaker's current time such as 'yesterday', 'next week', and 'last month'. Examples : 1. Saya tidur pada pukul 11 malam.  I sleep at 11 p.m.. 2. Majlis itu akan berlangsung (pada) malam ini.   The event will take place tonight. 3. Pada zaman dahulu, orang suka tinggal di pinggiran sungai.   In the olden days, people like to stay in the river banks. 4. Pada waktu itu, keadaan sangat huru-hara sehinggakan ramai orang tercedera.   At that time, the situation was so chaotic that a lot got injured.   Preposition:  at, with {location} When used with ada , pada  implies the current (tentative/temporary) location of the object that has been transferred.  Examples : 1.  Duit itu a...

Sambil  can be used in the following ways: Conjunction:  while Sambil  is used when the subject is performing two actions simultaneously. The clause with  sambil is usually an action that does not take up a lot of mental capacity. Examples : 1. Dia suka belajar sambil mendengar muzik.  He likes to listen to music while studying. 2. Jangan bermain telefon sambil memandu.  Don't use your phone while driving. 3. Sekolah akan mengadakan lawatan sambil belajar ke kilang itu.  The school will organize a field visit to the factory. 4. Setibanya di hospital, kami cepat-cepat telefon yang lain sambil mengusung dia ke bilik pembedahan. As we arrived at the hospital, we quickly called the others while taking him (on a stretcher) to the surgery room. Try writing your own sentences in the comment below...

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.   si...