Selamat datang ke Level 2: Pelayar (Navigator)! You are about to learn one of the best features of Malay grammar: expressing tense is incredibly easy. Unlike English verbs that change (eat, ate, eaten), Malay simply adds a "marker" word before the verb.
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
These words are placed directly before the main verb in a sentence.
| Marker | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| sudah (soo-dah) | Already (Past tense) | Dia sudah makan. | He/She has already eaten. / He/She ate. |
| sedang (suh-dahng) | In the process of (Present continuous) | Dia sedang makan. | He/She is eating. |
| akan (ah-kahn) | Will (Future tense) | Dia akan makan. | He/She will eat. |
While these markers add clarity, in casual conversation, Malay often relies on context words (like "yesterday" or "tomorrow") to indicate tense. The markers can sometimes be omitted if the meaning is clear.
Example: As a beginner, it's good practice to use the tense markers `sudah`, `sedang`, and `akan` to be clear. You'll develop a feel for when to drop them as you listen to more native speakers.
Master these essential tense markers and context words.
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Choose the correct tense marker (`sudah`, `sedang`, `akan`) to complete the sentences.
Translate the following sentences into Malay using the correct tense markers.
As you learned in Chapter 9, the question `Sudah makan?` (Have you eaten yet?) is a very common greeting. This highlights how integral the word `sudah` is. It's used not just for the past tense, but to confirm the completion of any action. You'll hear it constantly: "Sudah siap?" (Are you ready/finished yet?), "Sudah sampai?" (Have you arrived yet?). Mastering `sudah` is a key step to sounding natural.
A simple story about planning an outing.
Bapa: Awak sudah buat kerja rumah? (ah-wahk soo-dah boo-at ker-jah roo-mah?)
Anak: Sudah, bapa. Saya sedang baca buku sekarang. (soo-dah, bah-pah. sah-yah suh-dahng bah-chah boo-koo suh-kah-rahng.)
Bapa: Bagus. Esok, kita akan pergi ke pantai. (bah-goos. ay-sohk, kee-tah ah-kahn pur-gee kuh pahn-tai.)
Anak: Wah! Saya suka pantai! (wah! sah-yah soo-kah pahn-tai!)
Father: Have you done your homework?
Child: Yes, father. I am reading a book now.
Father: Good. Tomorrow, we will go to the beach.
Child: Wow! I love the beach!
Bagus sekali! (Excellent!) You can now express actions in the past, present, and future. Now that you can make statements in different tenses, how do you say "no" or "not"? In the next chapter, we will learn about Penafian (Negation) using the crucial words `tidak` and `bukan`.