Learn Hardcore Malay: Saya suka bermalam di sana kerana suasananya sejuk dan saya tidak perlukan kipas. - I like to stay overnight there because the atmosphere is cold and I do not need a fan.

Bermalam literally translates to “to spend the night” or “to stay overnight.” It is used here instead of a more general word like tidur (to sleep) to emphasize that the speaker enjoys staying overnight at a place, implying an overnight stay rather than merely sleeping for a few hours.

How does kerana function in this sentence?

Kerana is a conjunction meaning “because.” It connects the two parts of the sentence by providing the reason the speaker enjoys staying there—namely, that the atmosphere is cool.

What does the phrase suasananya sejuk indicate?

The phrase suasananya sejuk means “the atmosphere is cool.” Here, suasana translates to “atmosphere” or “ambiance,” and the suffix -nya indicates possession, so it conveys the idea that the location’s atmosphere is inherently cool.

How is the negative construction tidak perlukan structured, and what does it imply?

In this sentence, tidak means “not” or “don’t,” and perlukan means “need.” Together, tidak perlukan translates to “do not need.” It implies that, because the atmosphere is already cool, there is no necessity for using a fan (kipas).

What does di sana mean, and how is it used here?

Di sana means “there.” It is used to indicate the location where the speaker prefers to spend the night. The phrase helps situate the speaker’s experience in a particular, perhaps familiar, place.

Why is there no word equivalent to “is” before the adjective sejuk in the phrase suasananya sejuk?

In Malay, linking verbs like “is” are often omitted when describing states or conditions. The adjective sejuk directly follows the noun phrase suasananya, and the meaning “the atmosphere is cool” is understood without needing an explicit linking verb.

Could the sentence have been constructed differently, for example, using memerlukan instead of perlukan?

Yes, while memerlukan is a more formal or complete version of “to require” or “to need,” it is common in everyday Malay to drop the prefix when the meaning is clear from context. In this sentence, tidak perlukan is a succinct, colloquial way of saying “do not need.” Both forms are understood, but perlukan fits the casual tone of the statement.