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Questions & Answers about Dia di sana sekarang.
Is dia used for both "he" and "she"? How do I know which one it refers to?
Yes, dia can mean either "he" or "she." Malay pronouns do not usually distinguish gender in the third person. You rely on context or other clarifications in the conversation to figure out whether dia means "he" or "she."
What does di sana mean exactly, and could I say it differently?
Di sana literally means "at there" or just “there” in English. It indicates a specific location but not right next to the speaker. An alternative to express location could be di situ, which means "there," often implying a location somewhat closer than di sana. However, the difference can depend on context and regional usage.
Why is the word sekarang at the end of the sentence?
In Malay, adverbs of time (like sekarang which means "now") can often appear at the end of a sentence or at the beginning. Placing sekarang at the end is quite common and doesn’t change the meaning. You could also say Sekarang dia di sana, and the sentence would still mean "He/She is there now."
Could I shorten the sentence by omitting sekarang?
Yes, you could. Dia di sana would mean "He/She is there," but it would not explicitly indicate the present time. Including sekarang simply emphasizes that the action or situation is happening at this very moment.
In what situations would I say this sentence: Dia di sana sekarang?
You would say it when someone asks you about the whereabouts of a person right now, and you want to point out that the person is currently in another location. For example, if someone asks, "Where is your friend?" and you see them across the room or in another place, you could say Dia di sana sekarang to mean "He or she is over there right now."
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