Kereta itu bergerak laju di jalan gelap.

The car moves fast on the dark road.

Breakdown of Kereta itu bergerak laju di jalan gelap.

• itu: that
• kereta: the car
• di: on
• jalan: the road
• gelap: dark
• laju: fast
• bergerak: to move

Questions & Answers about Kereta itu bergerak laju di jalan gelap.

What does itu do in kereta itu?

itu is a demonstrative that follows a noun to specify it—kereta itu means that car or the car (definite). Without itu, kereta could be “a car,” “the car,” or “cars” depending on context.

What is the function of the prefix ber- in bergerak, and how does it differ from gerak?

Adding ber- to the root gerak creates an intransitive verb meaning “to move” or “to be in motion.” By contrast, gerak alone can be:
• a noun (“movement”)
• a transitive verb (“to move something”)

What role does laju play in the sentence, and why isn’t dengan laju necessary?

Here, laju is an adverb describing how the car moves (moves fast). Malay often uses adjectives directly as adverbs without a preposition. You could say bergerak dengan laju (“moves with speed”) for emphasis, but it isn’t required.

Why is gelap placed after jalan, and is yang needed between them?

Adjectives follow nouns in Malay, so jalan gelap = dark road. You don’t need yang for a simple adjective. If you wanted a relative clause—“the road that is dark”—you could say jalan yang gelap, but it’s more formal and wordy.

Does di always mean in/on/at, and why is it used before jalan gelap?

Yes, di is a locative preposition indicating location: di jalan gelap = on the dark road. Remember to write it separately (with a space) when it’s a preposition.

Could you move the phrase di jalan gelap to the front of the sentence?

Yes. For emphasis or style, you can front the locative phrase:
Di jalan gelap, kereta itu bergerak laju.
Just add a comma. The basic word order remains clear: [Place], [Subject] + [Verb] + [Adverb].

Can laju be replaced by cepat, and is there a nuance?

You can say kereta itu bergerak cepat; cepat means quick/fast. Laju often emphasizes the vehicle’s speed (velocity), whereas cepat can also refer to response time or how soon something happens. In everyday speech, they’re largely interchangeable.

Why are there no words for a/the before kereta or jalan?

Malay doesn’t have indefinite articles (a/an). Definiteness is shown by context or by adding itu/ini (that/this). So kereta alone can be “a car,” “the car,” or “cars,” depending on what you already know or have said.