Questions & Answers about Saya malu karena datang terlambat.
Why is there no “to be” verb before the adjective, as in Saya malu instead of “Saya adalah malu”?
Indonesian doesn’t use a copula (a “to be” verb) before adjectives used as predicates. Adjectives can directly function as the predicate: Saya malu = I am embarrassed/shy. You only use adalah before nouns, not adjectives (e.g., Dia adalah dokter).
Does malu mean “embarrassed” or “shy”?
Both, depending on context. In this sentence it’s “embarrassed/ashamed,” because a reason follows with karena. In other contexts, malu can mean “shy” or “too shy/embarrassed to do something (e.g., Saya malu bertanya = I’m shy/embarrassed to ask).
Do I need to repeat the subject in the because-clause? Is Saya malu karena saya datang terlambat okay?
Repeating saya is grammatically fine, but Indonesian typically drops the subject in the subordinate clause if it’s the same as the main clause: Saya malu karena datang terlambat. You must include a subject if it’s different: Saya malu karena dia datang terlambat.
Why is the subject omitted in karena datang terlambat? How do I know who it refers to?
Indonesian commonly drops the subject in the subordinate clause when it is understood to be the same as the main clause’s subject. Here, it defaults to saya. If you need a different subject, specify it.