Jalan is a road, path, way, and—in informal speech—movement or functioning. The family extends from physical path to process: berjalan means walk, proceed, or function; menjalani means undergo or live through; menjalankan means carry out, operate, or administer; dijalankan centers the task performed; and perjalanan is a journey or course. The nearest English verb does not reliably select the Malay derivative.
This page focuses on lexical selection within the family. The ber- formation guide, meN- formation guide, and other Word Formation pages explain the general affix rules.
For destination-focused motion rather than path and process, compare the pergi family.
No person or tense conjugation
| Function | Present/general | Past context | Future context |
|---|---|---|---|
| walk/proceed | Kami berjalan kaki. | Semalam kami berjalan kaki. | Esok kami akan berjalan kaki. |
| undergo | Dia menjalani rawatan. | Dia telah menjalani rawatan. | Dia akan menjalani rawatan. |
| carry out | Mereka menjalankan tugas. | Mereka telah menjalankan tugas. | Mereka akan menjalankan tugas. |
| passive procedure | Ujian dijalankan. | Ujian sudah dijalankan. | Ujian akan dijalankan. |
The forms stay constant; aspect and time remain separate.
Jalan as a noun and informal verb
As a noun, jalan means a road, route, way, or solution.
Jalan ke kampung itu ditutup akibat tanah runtuh.
The road to the village was closed because of a landslide.
Kita perlu mencari jalan keluar yang tidak membebankan penduduk.
We need to find a solution that does not burden residents.
In (informal) speech, jalan can mean move, work, or run:
Mesin ini tak jalan sejak pagi tadi.
This machine hasn't been working since this morning. (informal)
Careful technical prose uses tidak berfungsi or identifies the fault. Bare jalan is not a universal infinitive after any subject; its verbal use is register- and collocation-sensitive.
Berjalan: walk, proceed, function
Physical berjalan is intransitive. Berjalan kaki explicitly means travel on foot.
Kami berjalan kaki dari stesen ke muzium kerana cuaca baik.
We walked from the station to the museum because the weather was good.
Kanak-kanak itu sudah boleh berjalan tanpa bantuan.
The child can already walk without assistance.
Processes and systems can also berjalan when they proceed or function.
Mesyuarat berjalan lancar walaupun pengerusi tiba lewat.
The meeting proceeded smoothly even though the chair arrived late.
Sistem sandaran sedang berjalan, jadi jangan matikan pelayan itu.
The backup system is running, so do not switch off that server. (technical)
The path metaphor is clear: an event or machine moves along its course. Berjalan does not take the task as a direct object.
Menjalani: undergo or live through
Menjalani takes an experience, period, treatment, sentence, or life course as its object. The subject is the participant moving through that path.
Pesakit itu sedang menjalani rawatan susulan di Hospital Serdang.
The patient is undergoing follow-up treatment at Serdang Hospital.
Dia menjalani hidup yang sederhana selepas bersara.
He leads a simple life after retirement.
Pelatih perlu menjalani ujian kesihatan sebelum memulakan kursus.
Trainees must undergo a medical examination before starting the course.
Pesalah itu dijatuhi hukuman dan sedang menjalani tempoh pemenjaraan.
The offender was sentenced and is serving a term of imprisonment. (legal)
The required menjalani hidup is lexical: English says lead/live a life, not “undergo a life.” This is precisely why translation alone cannot select the derivative.
Menjalankan: carry out or operate
Menjalankan is transitive and agentive. Its object is the task, duty, business, study, policy, or machinery put into operation.
Pegawai itu menjalankan tugasnya dengan teliti dan adil.
The officer carries out her duties carefully and fairly.
Pasukan penyelidik menjalankan kajian rintis di tiga buah sekolah.
The research team conducted a pilot study in three schools.
Keluarga tersebut menjalankan perniagaan makanan dari rumah.
The family runs a food business from home.
Juruteknik menjalankan mesin itu pada kelajuan rendah untuk menguji bunyinya.
The technician operated the machine at low speed to test its sound.
The required menjalankan tugas centers an actor implementing a duty. Compare Mesyuarat berjalan lancar “the meeting proceeds smoothly” with Setiausaha menjalankan mesyuarat; the latter is less idiomatic than mengendalikan mesyuarat because meeting management favors a more specific verb. Productive grammar does not erase lexical preference.
Dijalankan centers a task or process
Pemeriksaan keselamatan dijalankan setiap enam bulan.
Safety inspections are carried out every six months.
Kajian itu akan dijalankan oleh sebuah pasukan bebas.
The study will be conducted by an independent team.
Operasi mencari dan menyelamat sedang dijalankan di kawasan pergunungan.
A search-and-rescue operation is being carried out in the mountainous area.
Passive di- attaches in dijalankan. Locative di kawasan stays separate. The actor can be omitted when the procedure matters more than who performs it.
Perjalanan and other path nouns
Perjalanan names a physical journey or the course of a process, career, or life.
Perjalanan dari Kuantan ke Kuala Terengganu mengambil masa kira-kira tiga jam.
The journey from Kuantan to Kuala Terengganu takes approximately three hours.
Buku itu menceritakan perjalanan kerjayanya sebagai seorang doktor luar bandar.
The book recounts the course of her career as a rural doctor.
Sepanjang perjalanan, kami berhenti dua kali di kawasan rehat untuk minum kopi.
During the journey, we stopped twice at rest areas for coffee.
Pejalan kaki is a pedestrian, written as two words. Jalan-jalan can mean stroll or go out casually (informal), with a hyphen marking repetition.
Petang nanti kami hendak jalan-jalan di tepi pantai.
This afternoon we want to take a stroll by the beach. (informal)
Common Mistakes
1. Using berjalan with a direct duty object
❌ Pegawai itu berjalan tugas dengan baik.
Incorrect—berjalan is intransitive; carrying out a duty requires menjalankan.
✅ Pegawai itu menjalankan tugas dengan baik.
The officer carries out the duty well.
2. Confusing undergoer and operator
❌ Pesakit itu menjalankan rawatan kemoterapi di hospital.
Wrong derivative for the intended patient role—menjalankan presents its subject as carrying out the treatment.
✅ Pesakit itu menjalani rawatan kemoterapi di hospital.
The patient is undergoing chemotherapy at the hospital.
3. Using informal jalan in a formal fault report
⚠️ Sistem utama tak jalan sejak semalam.
Natural informal speech but unsuitable for a formal technical report.
✅ Sistem utama tidak berfungsi sejak petang semalam.
The main system has not been functioning since yesterday afternoon. (formal)
4. Separating passive di-
❌ Ujian itu akan di jalankan di makmal utama.
Incorrect spacing—the passive verb dijalankan is one word.
✅ Ujian itu akan dijalankan di makmal utama.
The test will be conducted in the main laboratory.
5. Adding tense endings
❌ Semalam kami berjalaned sejauh lima kilometer.
Incorrect—berjalan has no English past ending.
✅ Semalam kami berjalan kaki sejauh lima kilometer.
Yesterday we walked five kilometres.
Key Takeaways
Jalan is a path and an informal verb for functioning. Intransitive berjalan covers walking, proceeding, and running; menjalani takes an experience undergone; menjalankan takes a task or operation carried out; and passive dijalankan centers that process. Perjalanan names a physical or metaphorical journey, and none of these forms changes for tense or person.
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