Learn Hardcore Malay: Saya minum cukup air setiap hari.

Saya means I; minum means drink; cukup translates to enough; air means water; and setiap hari means every day. This gives the full English translation: “I drink enough water every day.”

Why is cukup positioned before air in the sentence?

In Malay, adjectives or quantifiers like cukup (meaning enough) are often placed before the noun they modify. This differs from some descriptive adjectives in Malay that may follow the noun. Here, cukup air efficiently expresses “enough water” in a natural, native order.

How does the sentence express a habitual action without using verb conjugations?

Malay does not conjugate verbs to show tense. Instead, time phrases like setiap hari (“every day”) provide the necessary context. Thus, even though minum remains unchanged, the phrase setiap hari makes it clear that the action is habitual.

Why is the pronoun Saya used instead of Aku?

Saya is considered more formal or neutral, making it suitable for a wide range of contexts including educational materials. In contrast, aku is very informal and is typically used among close friends or in casual conversation.

Does the sentence follow a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order?

Yes, it does. Saya is the subject, minum is the verb, and cukup air functions as the object. The time phrase setiap hari is placed at the end, which is a common structure in Malay sentences.

Why are there no articles like “a” or “the” in the sentence?

Malay does not use articles such as “a,” “an,” or “the” in its grammar. The meaning is conveyed clearly through context and the use of other modifiers, so their absence is a standard feature of the language.