Arus elektrik boleh menyebabkan renjatan elektrik.

The word order is quite straightforward and is similar to English:

• Arus elektrik = the subject
• boleh = a modal verb like can
• menyebabkan = the main verb, cause
• renjatan elektrik = the object

So the structure is basically:

subject + modal + verb + object

That is why the sentence feels fairly familiar to an English speaker.

Arus means current or flow.

In this sentence, arus elektrik means electric current or electrical current.

You may also see arus in other contexts involving flow, such as water currents or trends, but in science-related Malay, arus elektrik is the standard term for electric current.

Because it is describing two different nouns:

• arus elektrik = electric current
• renjatan elektrik = electric shock

So elektrik is not being repeated unnecessarily. It is attached to both noun phrases because both are specifically electrical.

Malay often uses this pattern:

• noun + modifier

So:

• arus elektrik literally looks like current electric
• renjatan elektrik literally looks like shock electric

This is normal Malay word order for noun phrases.

Boleh is a very common Malay modal verb. It can mean:

• can
• may
• be able to

In this sentence, it means can, expressing possibility or capability:

• boleh menyebabkan = can cause

A useful point for learners: boleh does not change form for person or number. Malay verbs do not conjugate the way English verbs do.

So you get:

• Saya boleh... = I can...
• Dia boleh... = he/she can...
• Mereka boleh... = they can...

The form boleh stays the same.

Menyebabkan means to cause.

It is built from the root sebab, which means cause or reason. Malay often adds affixes to roots to create verbs.

Here:

• sebab = cause, reason
• menyebabkan = to cause

The ending -kan often makes a verb transitive, meaning it acts on an object. In this sentence, the object is renjatan elektrik.

So:

• menyebabkan renjatan elektrik = cause electric shock

This kind of affixation is very common in Malay, so getting used to roots plus prefixes/suffixes is very helpful.

This happens because of how the meN- prefix works in Malay.

The active verb prefix is often written as meN-, but the final form changes depending on the first sound of the root. With sebab, the s changes under this pattern, giving:

• sebab → menyebabkan

So this is not irregular in a random way; it follows a common sound pattern in Malay morphology.

As a learner, it is often best to memorize the full verb form together with the root:

• sebab → menyebabkan

Over time, the patterns become more familiar.

Yes, renjatan elektrik is a correct and standard way to say electric shock, especially in formal, technical, medical, or safety contexts.

However, learners may also encounter kejutan elektrik. That can also be understood as electric shock, and in some contexts it may sound more familiar to ordinary speakers.

A useful distinction is:

• renjatan elektrik = often more technical/formal
• kejutan elektrik = also used, sometimes feels more general or everyday

So if you see either one, do not be surprised.

Not especially for many learners. It is most commonly encountered in set expressions such as:

• renjatan elektrik = electric shock

Compared with very common everyday vocabulary, renjatan may feel more formal, technical, or specialized. So even if a learner does not often hear renjatan alone in casual conversation, the phrase renjatan elektrik is still worth learning as a standard expression.

Malay does not use articles like English the, a, or an in the same way.

So a sentence like this can be understood generally without any article:

• Arus elektrik = electric current / the electric current
• renjatan elektrik = electric shock / an electric shock

The exact interpretation depends on context.

In this sentence, it is a general statement, so English naturally uses something like electric current can cause electric shock, while Malay simply says the nouns without articles.

It is most naturally understood as a general statement.

Malay often uses bare nouns for general truths, facts, and definitions. So:

• Arus elektrik here means electric current in general
• renjatan elektrik means electric shock in general

This is very common in instructional, scientific, and safety language.

No, that would sound wrong.

In Malay, modifiers like elektrik usually come after the noun they describe. So the correct form is:

• arus elektrik
• renjatan elektrik

This is one of the key differences from English, where adjectives often come before the noun.

So think of it as:

• noun + modifier

not

• modifier + noun

In this sentence, elektrik is functioning like a modifier after the noun, similar to how English uses electric or electrical.

So:

• arus elektrik = electrical current
• renjatan elektrik = electrical shock

Malay does not always separate parts of speech in exactly the same way English does, and many words can function flexibly depending on context. For a learner, the important thing is that elektrik comes after the noun and specifies the type of noun.

A rough guide for an English speaker is:

• Arus ≈ ah-roos
• elektrik ≈ eh-lek-trik
• boleh ≈ boh-leh
• menyebabkan ≈ mun-yuh-bab-kan
• renjatan ≈ run-jah-tan
• elektrik ≈ eh-lek-trik

A few pronunciation notes:

• r in Malay is usually trilled or tapped more than in most English accents.
• e in Malay can vary, and learners will hear slightly different real-life pronunciations.
• Stress is usually not as strong or contrastive as in English.

You do not need a perfect accent to be understood, but keeping the syllables clear helps.

Yes. Depending on style and meaning, you might also see:

• boleh mengakibatkan = can result in / can cause
• boleh menimbulkan = can give rise to / can cause

But boleh menyebabkan is very natural and direct.

It is a good basic pattern to learn:

• X boleh menyebabkan Y = X can cause Y

You can reuse it with many other words:

• Asap boleh menyebabkan masalah pernafasan = Smoke can cause breathing problems.
• Tekanan boleh menyebabkan sakit kepala = Stress can cause headaches.

Not in this sentence.

Malay nouns usually do not change form for singular vs. plural. The noun stays the same, and context tells you whether the meaning is singular, plural, or general.

So:

• arus elektrik can refer to electric current in general
• renjatan elektrik can refer to electric shock in general

Because this sentence states a general fact, no plural marking is needed.