Dia malu bertanya di kelas.

to be

Breakdown of Dia malu bertanya di kelas.

• dia: he/she
• di: in
• kelas: the class

Questions & Answers about Dia malu bertanya di kelas.

Does dia mean “he” or “she”?

It can mean either. Dia is a gender‑neutral third‑person singular pronoun (“he/she/they” singular). Context tells you the gender. Related forms:

• Ia: also “he/she,” common in formal writing as a subject.
• Beliau: respectful “he/she” for elders or people of higher status.
• -nya: possessive clitic (“his/her/their”), e.g., bukunya = “his/her/their book.”

How do we know the tense? Is this past, present, or future?

Indonesian doesn’t mark tense on the verb. Time is inferred from context or time words:

• Past: Dia tadi/kemarin malu bertanya di kelas. (earlier/yesterday)
• Habitual: Dia biasanya/sering malu bertanya di kelas.
• Future: Dia akan (terlalu) malu untuk bertanya di kelas nanti.
• Negative: Dia tidak malu bertanya di kelas.

Why is there no untuk? Can I say malu untuk bertanya?

Both are fine:

• Dia malu bertanya di kelas. (very natural)
• Dia malu untuk bertanya di kelas. (a bit more formal/emphatic) With degree words, untuk is common: Dia terlalu malu untuk bertanya.

Does malu mean “shy” or “ashamed”?