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Questions & Answers about Saya ada tujuh kucing.
What does the word ada mean in this sentence?
In Saya ada tujuh kucing, ada functions as a stative verb that indicates possession. It can be understood as have in the English translation, meaning that the subject possesses something.
What is the meaning of Saya?
Saya is the first-person singular pronoun in Malay, translating directly to I in English. It identifies the speaker as the subject of the sentence.
How is the number tujuh used in this sentence?
Tujuh means seven. In Malay, numbers are placed right before the noun they modify. Here, tujuh kucing clearly conveys that there are seven cats. Unlike English, Malay does not modify the noun to denote plurality when a numeral is present.
Does the noun kucing change form whether it’s singular or plural?
No, in Malay nouns remain the same regardless of number. Kucing can mean either cat or cats. The numeral tujuh provides the necessary information about quantity, so there is no need for a plural form.
Are there alternative ways to express possession, other than using ada?
Yes, another common method is to use punya. For example, one could say Saya punya tujuh kucing to mean I have seven cats. Both ada and punya serve to indicate possession, though ada is often preferred in everyday, colloquial usage.
How does the sentence structure compare to English?
Malay typically follows a subject-verb-object structure similar to English. In this sentence, Saya (subject) is followed by ada (verb showing possession), and then tujuh kucing (object). Despite the similar order, note that Malay uses a stative verb for possession and does not inflect the noun for plurality.