Breakdown of Dia berbisik rahsia kepada saya di kelas.
dia
he/she
di
at
kelas
the class
kepada
to
saya
me
berbisik
to whisper
rahsia
the secret
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Malay grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Dia berbisik rahsia kepada saya di kelas.
What does berbisik mean, and how is it formed?
Berbisik is a verb meaning “to whisper.” It consists of the root bisik (whisper) plus the prefix ber-, which often marks an intransitive or active verb. In practice berbisik takes both the thing whispered (the secret) and the recipient (me) with kepada.
Why is rahsia placed directly after berbisik without any preposition?
In Malay, the direct object of a verb typically follows the verb without a connector. So “berbisik rahsia” is like “whisper a secret” in English: no extra words are needed between the verb and its object.
What role does kepada play in “kepada saya,” and can I use pada instead?
Kepada functions as the preposition “to” for indicating the recipient of an action. You cannot use pada here, because pada usually means “on/at/about,” not “to someone.” To whisper something to someone, you always say berbisik kepada [person].
Could I say Dia berbisik rahsia pada saya?
No. That would be incorrect. Always use kepada (not pada) when indicating “to whom” you whisper.
Why is di kelas at the end of the sentence, and can I move it?
Adverbial phrases of place (like di kelas, “in class”) normally follow the verb and its objects. However, you can front it for emphasis or style:
• Di kelas, dia berbisik rahsia kepada saya.
Both orders are grammatically fine; the meaning stays the same.
Is dia gender-neutral in Malay?
Yes. Dia can mean “he,” “she,” or even “it” (for animals and objects). Context tells you which one. There’s no separate pronoun for he/she as in English.
Why use saya instead of aku for “me”?
Saya is the standard polite/formal first-person pronoun. Aku is more informal and intimate, used among close friends or in casual settings. In a neutral sentence like this, saya is the safer, more polite choice.
If I want to say “She whispered my secret,” how would I change the sentence?
You’d make rahsia possessive by adding your pronoun:
• Dia berbisik rahsia saya kepada dia/teman lain.
Here rahsia saya is “my secret,” and kepada dia (or another person) is “to her/that friend.”