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Learn Hardcore Malay: Jangan bercakap dengan kasar. - Do not speak rudely.

Hardcore Malay
/Bowling with friends
/Jangan bercakap dengan kasar.

Jangan bercakap dengan kasar.

Word

Jangan bercakap dengan kasar.

Meaning

Do not speak rudely.

Part of speech

sentence

Pronunciation

Course

Lesson

Bowling with friends

Breakdown of Jangan bercakap dengan kasar.

Questions & Answers about Jangan bercakap dengan kasar.

What does jangan do in this sentence?

Jangan is used to make a negative command, meaning don’t ....

So when you want to tell someone not to do something, jangan usually comes before the verb:

Jangan pergi. = Don’t go.
Jangan makan itu. = Don’t eat that.
Jangan bercakap dengan kasar. = Don’t speak rudely / Don’t speak harshly.

It is one of the most common ways to give a prohibition in Malay.

Why is it bercakap and not just cakap?

Cakap is the base word related to speaking or talking.
Bercakap is the verb form meaning to speak / to talk.

The prefix ber- often makes a word function clearly as an intransitive verb, especially for actions someone does.

So:

cakap = speech / talk / speak (base form, sometimes also used informally as a verb)
bercakap = to speak, to talk

In everyday speech, many speakers may say jangan cakap kasar, which is shorter and very natural.
But jangan bercakap dengan kasar sounds a bit more complete or standard.

What does the prefix ber- mean here?

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In bercakap, the prefix ber- marks the word as a verb meaning something like to engage in the action of...

With cakap, it gives:

bercakap = to speak / to talk

The prefix ber- has several uses in Malay, but here the easiest way to understand it is simply: it helps form the verb to speak.

A learner does not need to force a one-word English equivalent for ber- every time. In this sentence, it is best learned as part of bercakap.

Why is dengan used here?

Dengan often means with, but in Malay it can also introduce the manner of an action — in other words, how something is done.

So in this sentence:

bercakap dengan kasar = speak in a harsh/rude way

This is similar to English expressions like:

speak with kindness
speak with anger
speak in a rude manner

So dengan kasar describes the way the speaking happens.

What does kasar mean exactly?

Kasar literally has the basic idea of rough, harsh, or coarse.

Depending on context, it can describe:

rough texture
crude behavior
rude or harsh speech

In this sentence, it refers to the way of speaking, so it means something like:

harshly
rudely
in a rough manner

So kasar is an adjective, but in this structure it helps describe the manner of the action.

Why doesn’t Malay use an adverb ending like English -ly?

Malay does not work like English in this area. English often changes adjectives into adverbs with -ly:

rude → rudely
harsh → harshly

Malay usually does not add a special ending like that. Instead, it often uses:

dengan + adjective

So:

dengan kasar = harshly / rudely
dengan baik = well / kindly
dengan perlahan = slowly
dengan sopan = politely

This is a very common pattern in Malay.

Is the word order similar to English?

Yes, it is fairly easy for English speakers to follow.

The structure is:

Jangan
- verb
  - dengan
    - adjective

So:

Jangan = don’t
bercakap = speak
dengan kasar = rudely / harshly

This is quite close to English Don’t speak rudely, even though Malay uses dengan + adjective instead of a single adverb.

Could I also say Jangan cakap kasar?

Yes. Jangan cakap kasar is very natural and common in everyday Malay.

Compared with Jangan bercakap dengan kasar:

Jangan cakap kasar = shorter, more conversational
Jangan bercakap dengan kasar = a bit more formal or explicit

Both are correct, but they are slightly different in style. A learner will hear the shorter version often in real life.

Is this sentence polite, neutral, or harsh?

It is usually firm but not necessarily rude.

Jangan can sound strong because it is a direct prohibition, but whether it sounds harsh depends on tone, relationship, and situation.

For example:

A parent to a child: normal
A teacher to a student: normal
A stranger to another adult: could sound a bit direct

If you want to sound softer, Malay often adds softening words or uses a gentler structure, such as:

Tolong jangan bercakap dengan kasar. = Please don’t speak harshly.
Janganlah bercakap dengan kasar. = Please don’t speak so harshly / Don’t speak harshly, okay?

So the basic sentence is correct, but it is fairly direct.

Can dengan kasar be used with other verbs too?

Yes. Because dengan kasar describes a rough/harsh manner, it can be used with many actions, not only speaking.

For example:

Dia menjawab dengan kasar. = He/She answered rudely.
Jangan layan orang dengan kasar. = Don’t treat people harshly.
Dia menolak pintu itu dengan kasar. = He/She pushed the door roughly.

So once you learn dengan + adjective as a way to express manner, you can reuse it in many sentences.

How is bercakap pronounced?

A simple learner-friendly pronunciation is:

bercakap ≈ ber-cha-kap
dengan ≈ de-ngan
kasar ≈ ka-sar

A few helpful notes:

c in Malay is pronounced like English ch
ng in dengan is like the ng in sing
Malay words are usually pronounced quite clearly, with fewer reduced vowels than in English

So bercakap does not sound like English k in the middle; the c is ch.

Do I need to include a subject like you in this sentence?

No. Malay often leaves out the subject when it is understood from context.

In an English command, you also usually omit you:

Don’t speak rudely.

Malay works similarly:

Jangan bercakap dengan kasar.

The listener is understood automatically. If you add a subject, it can sound more specific or sometimes more forceful, depending on context. The subject is usually unnecessary in commands like this.

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