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Questions & Answers about Saya sedia belajar sejarah.
What part of speech is sedia in Saya sedia belajar sejarah and how does it function?
sedia is an adjective meaning “ready” or “prepared.” Here it describes the subject (Saya), so the structure is Subject + Adjective + Verb Phrase. In English you’d say “I am ready …,” but Malay often puts the adjective directly before the verb without a linking verb.
How is sedia different from siap?
Both can mean “ready,” but:
- sedia emphasizes being mentally or physically prepared (I’m set to go).
- siap often stresses completion (it’s finished/packed/ready right now).
You’d say sedia belajar (prepared to study) but siap untuk pergi (all packed/finished and ready to leave).
Why isn’t there a word for “to” before belajar? In English we say “ready to learn.”
Malay uses the bare infinitive after certain adjectives, including sedia. So you simply follow sedia with the verb: sedia belajar. You may optionally insert untuk for emphasis or formality (see next Q&A), but it’s not required.
Can I say Saya sedia untuk belajar sejarah?
Yes. Adding untuk (“for/to”) makes the phrase more explicit:
• Saya sedia belajar sejarah. (I’m ready to learn history.)
• Saya sedia untuk belajar sejarah. (I’m ready to learn history—perhaps slightly more formal or emphatic.)
Must I include Saya? Can I drop the subject pronoun?
You can omit Saya if context is clear, because Malay often drops pronouns. So Sedia belajar sejarah is fine in casual conversation, though including Saya is clearer in writing or new learners.
Can I reorder the words? For example, Saya belajar sejarah sedia?
No. The normal order is Subject + sedia + Verb Phrase. Putting sedia at the end would confuse the structure—you’d lose the meaning “I am ready.”
How would I say “I am in the process of studying history” instead of “ready to study”?
Use the progressive marker sedang before the verb:
• Saya sedang belajar sejarah. (I am studying history right now.)
Here sedang indicates ongoing action, whereas sedia indicates readiness.
Does belajar take a direct object here? Why no preposition before sejarah?
Yes, belajar is a transitive verb and takes a direct object without a preposition. So belajar sejarah means “learn/study history” just like “eat rice” is makan nasi, no preposition needed.