Saya berjalan perlahan di laluan tepi sungai.

I walk slowly on the riverside path.

Breakdown of Saya berjalan perlahan di laluan tepi sungai.

• saya: I
• di: at
• perlahan: slow
• berjalan: to walk
• sungai: the river
• laluan: the path
• tepi: by

Questions & Answers about Saya berjalan perlahan di laluan tepi sungai.

What does the prefix ber- in berjalan indicate?

The prefix ber- on a root word often turns a noun into an intransitive verb or indicates possession of that noun. Here, jalan means “road” or “way,” and berjalan becomes “to walk” (literally “to have a way” or “to be on the way”).

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Why is there no explicit tense marker (like “was” or “am”) in Saya berjalan?

Malay does not inflect verbs for tense. Time is shown by context or by adding aspect/time words:

• saya berjalan can be present or past.
• To emphasize ongoing action, you can insert sedang: Saya sedang berjalan (“I am walking”).
• For future, you can use akan: Saya akan berjalan (“I will walk”).

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What is perlahan and why is it placed after berjalan?

perlahan is an adverb (identical in form to the adjective) meaning “slowly.” In Malay, adverbs of manner normally follow the verb they modify:
 • Saya berjalan perlahan = “I walk slowly.”

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What’s the difference between perlahan and perlahan-perlahan?

Both mean “slowly,” but perlahan-perlahan (reduplication) emphasizes a gradual or step-by-step process. It often suggests taking extra time or doing something deliberately:
 • Saya berjalan perlahan = “I walk slowly.”
 • Saya berjalan perlahan-perlahan = “I walk very slowly / bit by bit.”

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How do we parse di laluan tepi sungai?

Breakdown of the phrase:
 • di = preposition “on/at/in.”
 • laluan = “path” or “walkway.”
 • tepi sungai = “side of the river” (literally “river side”).
Put together: di laluan tepi sungai = “on the riverside path.”

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Why isn’t there an article like “the” before laluan or sungai?

Malay has no grammatical articles. Definiteness comes from context or demonstratives (e.g., itu, “that”):
 • laluan = “a/the path,” depending on context.

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Why don’t we say di laluan yang di tepi sungai (using yang)?

Malay often omits yang when simply linking nouns or locations. A more formal version could be di laluan yang terletak di tepi sungai, but it’s wordy. Direct juxtaposition—laluan tepi sungai—is preferred.

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Why is laluan used instead of jalan?

• jalan = “road/street/way,” typically for vehicles or general “route.”
• laluan = “path,” “lane,” or “walkway,” often narrower or pedestrian-oriented.
  Here, laluan tepi sungai implies a dedicated riverside walking path.

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Can I say Saya jalan perlahan di laluan tepi sungai without ber-?

No. jalan on its own is usually a noun. To form the verb “to walk,” you need ber-: berjalan. Omitting ber- makes the sentence ungrammatical.

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Could I use dengan perlahan instead of just perlahan?

Yes. dengan perlahan (“with slowness”) is grammatically correct:
 • Saya berjalan dengan perlahan di laluan tepi sungai.
It’s slightly more formal or emphatic; the simpler berjalan perlahan is more common in everyday speech.