Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Malay grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Dia menggunakan robot.
Why does dia not tell me whether the person is he or she?
In Malay, dia is a third-person singular pronoun that usually means he, she, or sometimes they in a very general context. Malay does not normally mark gender in pronouns the way English does.
So Dia menggunakan robot could mean:
- He uses a robot
- She uses a robot
You need context to know which one is meant.
Can dia ever mean it?
Usually, dia is used for people, and sometimes for animals treated as animate. It is not the usual choice for it when talking about objects.
If you are talking about a thing, Malay often just omits the pronoun or uses a different wording. So in this sentence, dia is most naturally understood as a person.
Why is the verb menggunakan so long? What is the base word?