……
Breakdown of Tunjukkan cara memasak nasi kepada saya.
saya
I
nasi
the rice
kepada
to
memasak
to cook
cara
the way
tunjukkan
to show
Questions & Answers about Tunjukkan cara memasak nasi kepada saya.
What is the function of Tunjukkan in this sentence?
Tunjukkan is the imperative (command) form of the verb tunjuk (“to show”). It tells the listener to perform the action of showing.
What does cara memasak nasi literally mean?
cara means “way” or “method,” memasak (“to cook”) is the active verb form of masak, and nasi means “rice.” So cara memasak nasi = “the way (or method) of cooking rice.”
Why does memasak have the prefix meN-?
The prefix meN- in Malay marks an active verb. Attaching meN- to the root masak (cook) creates memasak, meaning “to cook” (active voice).
What is the role of kepada in kepada saya?
kepada is a preposition meaning “to.” So kepada saya = “to me.” It indicates the direction of the action (show something to me).
Could we use untuk instead of kepada here?
No. untuk means “for.” If you said untuk saya, it would mean “for me” (e.g. cook rice for me). kepada saya means “to me” (show to me).
Can the position of kepada saya change in the sentence?
Yes. You can also say Tunjukkan kepada saya cara memasak nasi. Malay often allows prepositional phrases to move around after the verb.
How can I make this sentence more polite?
Add a politeness marker like tolong (“please”):
Tolong tunjukkan cara memasak nasi kepada saya.
Or use sila in more formal contexts:
Sila tunjukkan cara memasak nasi kepada saya.
What is a literal, word-for-word translation of Tunjukkan cara memasak nasi kepada saya?
Literally it’s:
Show way cook rice to me
which we’d normally render in English as “Show me how to cook rice.”
Can I shorten Tunjukkan to Tunjuk or drop the -kan ending?
In informal speech you might hear Tunjuk cara memasak nasi or Tunjuk cara masak nasi, but the full tunjukkan + -kan suffix is standard in formal Malay.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Malay grammar?”
Malay grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning MalayMaster Malay — from Tunjukkan cara memasak nasi kepada saya to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions