Breakdown of Saya cari kunci itu di tangga, dan akhirnya saya jumpa di bawah sehelai selimut.
saya
I
itu
that
di bawah
under
dan
and
di
on
cari
to search for
kunci
the key
akhirnya
finally
sehelai
a
selimut
the blanket
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Questions & Answers about Saya cari kunci itu di tangga, dan akhirnya saya jumpa di bawah sehelai selimut.
What do the verbs cari and jumpa mean in this sentence, and why are they presented in their base form?
Cari means “to search for” (or “look for”), and jumpa means “to find.” In Malay, verbs typically remain in their base form regardless of tense or subject. This non-inflected usage is common in both formal and informal contexts, so even though English might require different forms (like “searched” and “found”), Malay simply uses the root verbs.
How does the classifier sehelai function in the phrase sehelai selimut?
Sehelai is a counter word used for items that are flat or thin. It literally means “one piece” and tells us that the blanket is being considered as a single, flat item. Thus, sehelai selimut translates to “a single blanket” or “one blanket.”
What role does the demonstrative itu play in kunci itu?
The word itu functions similarly to the demonstrative “that” or the definite article “the” in English. It specifies a particular key that is known or has been mentioned in context, so kunci itu means “that key” or “the key.”
What does the preposition di indicate in the phrases di tangga and di bawah sehelai selimut?
In both locations, di is a simple preposition used to indicate where an action occurs. In di tangga, it tells us that the action of searching happened on or around the stairs, while in di bawah sehelai selimut, it locates the key under the blanket. Essentially, di serves the purpose of marking a spatial relationship.
What purpose does the word akhirnya serve in the sentence?
Akhirnya translates to “finally” in English. It functions as a temporal connector, indicating that after a period of searching, the key was eventually found. It marks the conclusion of the sequence of events described in the sentence.
Why is the subject saya repeated in both parts of the sentence?
Repeating saya (meaning “I”) in both clauses reinforces that the same person performed both actions—searching and finding the key. While Malay sometimes allows the subject to be dropped when it’s understood, including it in each clause adds emphasis and clarity to the narrative sequence.