Learn Hardcore Malay: Tolong matikan lampu itu supaya cahaya tidak mengganggu saya. - Please turn off that lamp so the light does not disturb me.

Tolong is a polite imperative marker equivalent to “please.” It softens the command “Matikan lampu itu” into a request. Note that Tolong can also mean “help me” (e.g. Tolong saya = “Help me”), so when you see Tolong followed by another verb, it’s usually “please do…”

Why is matikan used instead of just mati?

The root mati means “to die” or “to go off” (intransitive). To make it transitive (“to turn something off”), Malay adds the causative suffix -kan, forming matikan. Hence Tolong matikan lampu = “Please turn off the light.”

How does the demonstrative itu work in lampu itu?

In Malay, demonstratives like itu (“that”) come after the noun: lampu itu = “that light.” If you leave out itu, you’d say lampu (“the/a light”), which is more general.

Can I omit itu and what difference does it make?

Yes. Tolong matikan lampu without itu is perfectly fine if context makes clear which light you mean. Adding itu specifically points to “that particular light,” perhaps one in your immediate view.

What does supaya mean, and how is it different from agar or untuk?

Supaya means “so that” or “in order that,” introducing a full clause with its own subject and verb. Agar is almost interchangeable but slightly more formal or literary. Untuk also expresses purpose (“for”/“to”), but it’s followed directly by a verb or noun (e.g. untuk menghindari), not by a full subject-predicate clause.

Why is tidak placed before mengganggu, and could I use jangan instead?

Tidak negates verbs or adjectives, so tidak mengganggu means “does not disturb.” You can’t use jangan here because jangan gives a negative command (“do not disturb me!”), not a negative purpose. A negative purpose clause still needs tidak plus the verb.

How is mengganggu formed with meng-, and why does it double the ‘g’?

The root is ganggu (“disturb”). To form an active verb you add the prefix meng-, which assimilates to mengganggu (the prefix + root’s initial consonant merge). That yields “to disturb.”

Could I say supaya saya tidak terganggu oleh cahaya instead, and what changes?

Yes. Supaya saya tidak terganggu oleh cahaya is the passive form: “so that I am not disturbed by the light.” It shifts focus to saya (me) rather than cahaya (the light). It sounds more formal or stylistically different.

Are there other pronouns I can use instead of saya, and how do they affect tone?

Saya is neutral and polite. Aku is informal and common among friends but can sound rude in formal contexts. In very polite or formal writing you might see beta (royal) or kami/kita for “we,” but for “I,” saya is safest.

How formal is the whole sentence, and where can I appropriately use it?

It’s politely neutral—suitable for home, school, office, or public settings. In very formal writing you might replace Tolong with Mohon (“I request”) and supaya with agar, but for everyday speech this sentence is perfectly natural.