A1 - Simple sentence construction In Malay

In Bahasa Melayu, the basic sentence construction for beginners (approximately CEFR A1 level) typically follows the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) structure.

Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) Structure

Subject (Kata Ganti Diri) + Verb (Kata Kerja) + Object (Kata Nama). Here are some simple examples to illustrate this:

1. Saya makan nasi. (I eat rice.)
   • Saya (Subject)
   • makan (Verb)
   • nasi (Object)
2. Kamu minum air. (You drink water.)
   • Kamu (Subject)
   • minum (Verb)
   • air (Object)
3. Dia baca buku. (He/She reads a book.)
   • Dia (Subject)
   • baca (Verb)
   • buku (Object)
4. Kami tonton filem. (We watch a movie.)
   • Kami (Subject)
   • tonton (Verb)
   • filem (Object)
5. Mereka main bola. (They play ball.)
   • Mereka (Subject)
   • main (Verb)
   • bola (Object)

Active and Passive Voice

In active sentences, verbs often start with prefixes like me-, mem-, or men-. These prefixes are often dropped in colloquial Malay (Bahasa Pasar) for simplicity. Active voice is used when the subject performs the action.

1. Saya membeli buku. (I buy a book.)
   • Saya (Subject)
   • membeli (Verb with prefix)
   • buku (Object)
2. Kamu menulis surat. (You write a letter.)
   • Kamu (Subject)
   • menulis (Verb with prefix)
   • surat (Object)
3. Dia memakai baju baru. (He/She wears new clothes.)
   • Dia (Subject)
   • memakai (Verb with prefix)
   • baju baru (Object)

Passive sentences use the prefix di- and often include oleh (by). Passive voice is used when the subject receives the action.

1. Buku itu dibeli oleh saya. (The book is bought by me.)
   • Buku itu (Object)
   • dibeli (Verb with di- prefix)
   • oleh saya (by me)
2. Surat itu ditulis oleh kamu. (The letter is written by you.)
   • Surat itu (Object)
   • ditulis (Verb with di- prefix)
   • oleh kamu (by you)
3. Baju baru itu dipakai oleh dia. (The new clothes are worn by him/her.)
   • Baju baru itu (Object)
   • dipakai (Verb with di- prefix)
   • oleh dia (by him/her)

How Many Tenses Are There in Malay?

Malay doesn’t change the form of verbs to indicate tense. Instead, we use time markers to show when something happens. This makes it easier for learners to focus on vocabulary and sentence structure without worrying about verb conjugations.

• sudah (past; “already”)
• sedang (present; “in the process of”)
• akan (future; “going to”)

For instance, “Saya sudah makan” (Literal translation: I already eat) is something you can tell your loved ones to tell them you’ve already had a meal.

Examples:

1. Saya sudah makan. (I already eat.)
   • Saya (Subject)
   • sudah (Time marker for past)
   • makan (Verb)
2. Saya sedang makan. (I am eating.)
   • Saya (Subject)
   • sedang (Time marker for present)
   • makan (Verb)
3. Saya akan makan. (I will eat.)
   • Saya (Subject)
   • akan (Time marker for future)
   • makan (Verb)

What Does Ter- Mean in Malay?

The prefix “ter-” in Malay has two main uses:

1. Unintentional Action: It can indicate something done unintentionally. For example, terjatuh (accidentally fell) shows an unintended action.
   • Example: Saya terjatuh. (I accidentally fell.)
2. Superlative Form of an Adjective: It can express the superlative form of an adjective. For example, terbaik (the best) conveys something of the highest quality.
   • Example: Mak, ini masakan terbaik! (Mom, this is the best dish!)

That’s all for the A1 level! This guide is designed for adults interested in learning Malay using English and approximates the CEFR A1 level. If you find any mistakes or if this guide has been useful for your learning, please let me know. Your feedback is valuable and will help improve future content.

Selamat belajar! (Happy learning!)