Saya dapat tempat kedua dalam perlumbaan basikal.

I got second place in the bicycle race.

Breakdown of Saya dapat tempat kedua dalam perlumbaan basikal.

• saya: I
• tempat: the place
• dalam: in
• basikal: the bicycle
• perlumbaan: the race
• kedua: second
• dapat: to get

Questions & Answers about Saya dapat tempat kedua dalam perlumbaan basikal.

What does dapat mean in this sentence?

In this context, dapat means “to get” or “to obtain.” So Saya dapat tempat kedua… literally means “I got second place.” Note that in other contexts dapat can also mean “can” or “be able to,” but here it refers to achieving a rank.

Why is dapat used instead of mendapat? Can I use both?

Yes, you can use both.

• dapat is the base form and is very common in everyday spoken Malay.
• mendapat includes the prefix me- and sounds slightly more formal or is typical in writing.
  Both mean “to obtain,” so Saya mendapat tempat kedua… is perfectly correct in a more formal register.

What does tempat refer to in tempat kedua, and how is it used?

Here, tempat doesn’t mean a physical location but “place” as in ranking or position.

• tempat pertama = first place
• tempat kedua = second place
• tempat ketiga = third place
  You simply pair tempat with an ordinal to express competition results.

How are ordinal numbers like kedua formed in Malay?

Malay has a couple of patterns for ordinals:
1) Irregular forms for 1–5:

• pertama (1st)
• kedua (2nd)
• ketiga (3rd)
• keempat (4th)
• kelima (5th)
  2) For 6th and above, you normally prefix ke- to the cardinal number (sometimes contracting vowels):
• keenam (6th)
• ketujuh (7th)
• kelapan (8th)
• kesembilan (9th)
• kesepuluh (10th)
  In very formal or written styles you might see ke-…-an (e.g. ke-enam-an), but everyday speech almost always drops the suffix.

Why is the race called perlumbaan basikal and not basikal perlumbaan?

Malay noun phrases usually put the head noun first, then its modifier.

• perlumbaan (race) is the head noun.
• basikal (bicycle) modifies it.
  So perlumbaan basikal = “bicycle race.” Reversing them would sound ungrammatical to a native speaker.

What is the structure of the word perlumbaan?

perlumbaan is formed from the verb lumba (“to race”) with:

• the prefix per- (marks the formation of a noun)
• the suffix -an (also a nominalizer)
  Together they turn “to race” into “the act or event of racing.”

Why is the preposition dalam used before perlumbaan basikal, and can I use di instead?

• dalam = “in” (inside, within), so dalam perlumbaan basikal = “in the bicycle race.”
• di is a locative marker like “at” or “on” (e.g. di sekolah, di rumah), and wouldn’t sound natural here.
  You might occasionally hear pada perlumbaan basikal (“at the bicycle race”), but to express participation “in” an event, dalam is the most idiomatic choice.

Why is there no word for “the” before perlumbaan basikal? How does Malay handle articles?

Malay does not use definite or indefinite articles (“the,” “a/an”). Nouns stand alone. Definiteness is inferred from context. If you need to be extra specific you can add itu (“that”) or ini (“this”) after the noun, but it isn’t required.

Why is saya used for “I” in Saya dapat tempat kedua…? Could I use aku?

• saya is the polite or neutral first-person pronoun, suitable for formal, professional, or unfamiliar contexts.
• aku is informal and used among close friends or people of the same age.
  So in a casual chat you could say Aku dapat tempat kedua dalam perlumbaan basikal, but saya is safer in most situations.