Breakdown of Saya pergi ke pejabat melalui taman.
saya
I
pergi
to go
ke
to
pejabat
the office
taman
the park
melalui
through
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Questions & Answers about Saya pergi ke pejabat melalui taman.
What is the function of the word pergi in this sentence?
pergi is a verb meaning to go. Malay verbs do not change form for tense, so pergi can mean ‘go’, ‘went’, or ‘going’ depending on context. To specify time, you add markers like sudah (already) for past or akan (will) for future.
Why is ke used before pejabat, and how is it different from di?
ke indicates movement to a destination—here, the office. di indicates a static location at/in. So you say ke pejabat when you’re going there, and saya di pejabat once you’re at the office.
What does melalui mean, and why is it used instead of another word?
melalui means through or via, showing the route taken. It derives from the root lalu (‘pass’). You wouldn’t use di lewat because lewat means ‘late’ or ‘to pass by’ in a different sense; melalui is the standard preposition for ‘passing through’ something.
Can I drop saya and just say ‘Pergi ke pejabat melalui taman’?
Yes. Malay often omits pronouns when the subject is clear from context. Pergi ke pejabat melalui taman is understandable in casual speech or notes, though including saya makes it more complete.
Why aren’t there any articles like ‘the’ or ‘a’ before pejabat and taman?
Malay has no definite or indefinite articles. A bare noun can mean ‘a/an’ or ‘the’ depending on context. If needed, you can add quantifiers like sebuah (a) or demonstratives like itu (that), but usually it’s omitted.
How would you ask “Where are you going?” so that this sentence could be the answer?
You can say ‘Ke mana kamu pergi?’ or ‘Kamu pergi ke mana?’ Both literally mean ‘To where are you going?’
How do I change pergi to express “I walked” or “I ran” through the garden?
Replace pergi with the appropriate movement verb:
- berjalan for ‘to walk’:
Saya berjalan melalui taman ke pejabat. - berlari for ‘to run’:
Saya berlari melalui taman ke pejabat.
How would I make the tense explicit, e.g. “I went to the office through the garden yesterday”?
Add a time adverb and, if you like, sudah or telah for past emphasis. For example:
Saya sudah pergi ke pejabat melalui taman semalam.
or simply:
Saya pergi ke pejabat melalui taman semalam.