Breakdown of Dia bekerja lewat malam demi keluarganya.
dia
he/she
malam
the night
keluarga
the family
bekerja
to work
lewat
late
nya
his/her
demi
for the sake of
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Questions & Answers about Dia bekerja lewat malam demi keluarganya.
What does lewat malam mean in this sentence, and how is it constructed?
Lewat means “late,” and malam means “night.” Together, lewat malam functions as an adverbial phrase meaning “late at night.” Here, lewat modifies malam (night) to focus on the lateness of the hour. A common synonym is larut malam, which is slightly more formal.
What is the role of demi in this context?
Demi is a preposition meaning “for the sake of” or “on behalf of.” In this sentence, it marks keluarganya (“his/her family”) as the purpose or motivation:
- bekerja lewat malam (works late at night)
- demi keluarganya (for the sake of his/her family)
What does the suffix -nya in keluarganya signify?
The suffix -nya is a third-person possessive marker. It attaches to a noun (here, keluarga, “family”) to mean “his family” or “her family.” Malay does not change form for gender, so keluarganya could be “his family” or “her family” depending on context.
Could we replace demi with untuk here? Are there any differences?
Yes, you can say bekerja lewat malam untuk keluarganya, and it will be understood.
Difference in nuance:
- demi carries a slightly more formal or emphatic sense of sacrifice (“for the sake of”).
- untuk is more neutral, simply marking purpose (“to/for”).
What’s the difference between bekerja malam and bekerja lewat malam?
- bekerja malam often implies working a night shift (the job normally takes place at night).
- bekerja lewat malam emphasizes that someone stays at work until late at night, possibly beyond regular hours.
Why is the order bekerja lewat malam instead of lewat malam bekerja?
Malay follows a verb–adverb order: the verb (bekerja) comes first, then the adverbial phrase (lewat malam). Reversing them would sound unnatural because adverbs generally follow the verb they modify.
Does Dia specify male or female?
Dia is a gender-neutral third-person pronoun in Malay, meaning it can refer to he or she. To clarify gender, speakers usually mention the person’s name or role (e.g., Ali bekerja… or Siti bekerja…) or add context elsewhere in the conversation.
Can you break down the sentence word by word?
Yes. Here’s a gloss:
- Dia = he/she (third-person pronoun)
- bekerja = works (root: kerja = work; be- = verbal prefix)
- lewat = late
- malam = night
- demi = for the sake of
- keluarganya = his/her family (keluarga + ‑nya possessive)
So literally: “He/she works late night for the sake of his/her family.”