Breakdown of Saya bertemu posmen di simpang setelah saya belok ke rumah jiran.
saya
I
ke
to
di
at
rumah
the house
jiran
the neighbor
bertemu
to meet
posmen
the postman
simpang
the junction
setelah
after
belok
to turn
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Questions & Answers about Saya bertemu posmen di simpang setelah saya belok ke rumah jiran.
What is the function of bertemu in this sentence, and how does it differ from berjumpa?
Both bertemu and berjumpa mean “to meet.” In most contexts they’re interchangeable.
- bertemu is slightly more formal or literary, often used in written or formal speech.
- berjumpa is more colloquial and common in everyday conversation.
What does simpang mean here?
simpang means “intersection” or “crossroads.” It refers to the point where two or more roads meet.
Why is it di simpang rather than ke simpang?
- di indicates location: “at the intersection.”
- ke indicates movement toward a place (“to the intersection”).
Since the speaker wants to say “I met the postman at the intersection,” di simpang is correct.
Why is setelah used instead of lepas or selepas?
- setelah is a formal conjunctive adverb meaning “after” (used in written/formal contexts).
- selepas is also correct and slightly more formal than lepas, but less formal than setelah.
- lepas is very colloquial: “Saya jumpa posmen di simpang lepas saya belok…”
All three can work, but setelah gives a more polished style.
How does belok ke rumah jiran translate, and why is ke needed?
- belok means “to turn.”
- ke marks the direction or destination: “to.”
- rumah jiran means “neighbor’s house.”
So belok ke rumah jiran = “turned (to) the neighbor’s house.”
Why is saya repeated in “setelah saya belok”?
Malay often repeats the subject for clarity when the sentence has two separate clauses. Here:
- First clause subject: Saya bertemu posmen…
- Second clause subject: setelah saya belok…
Repeating saya ensures the listener knows both actions are by the same person.
Should there be an article like seorang before posmen for “I met a postman”?
No article is strictly necessary. Malay typically omits indefinite articles.
- Saya bertemu posmen can mean “I met a postman” or “I met the postman,” depending on context.
If you want to emphasize “a postman,” you could say saya bertemu seorang posmen.
Could I say lepas saya belok ke rumah jiran instead of setelah saya belok ke rumah jiran?
Yes. lepas is more informal:
- Saya bertemu posmen di simpang lepas saya belok ke rumah jiran.
It means the same but sounds more conversational.