Breakdown of Saya memohon kerja di pejabat itu semalam.
saya
I
itu
that
di
at
pejabat
the office
semalam
yesterday
memohon
to apply for
kerja
the job
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Malay grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Saya memohon kerja di pejabat itu semalam.
What is the function of the prefix me- in memohon?
The prefix me- (here realized as mem- before the root mohon) turns the root mohon (“to request”) into an active transitive verb (memohon = “to apply for”). Malay verbs often use such prefixes to mark voice and transitivity.
How do we know this sentence refers to the past?
Malay verbs do not change form for tense. Instead, time is shown by adding a time adverb like semalam (“yesterday”) or using aspect words like sudah (“already”). Here, semalam signals past time.
Why is kerja used instead of pekerjaan?
Both mean “job,” but kerja is more colloquial and commonly used with memohon. Pekerjaan is a nominal form (with the pe-…-an construction) and can sound slightly more formal or abstract.
What does di pejabat itu mean and why is itu used?
di is the preposition “at,” pejabat means “office,” and itu is the demonstrative “that.” Together, di pejabat itu means “at that office,” specifying which office.
Can semalam appear in a different position?
Yes. Malay is flexible with adverb placement. You could say Semalam saya memohon kerja di pejabat itu or Saya semalam memohon kerja di pejabat itu without changing the meaning.
Is Saya memohon pekerjaan di pejabat itu semalam also correct?
Yes. Replacing kerja with pekerjaan makes the sentence a bit more formal but keeps the same overall meaning.
Why do we use di before pejabat instead of ke?
di marks a static location (“at the office”), whereas ke indicates movement toward something (“to the office”). Since the focus is on applying at the office (not going there), di is appropriate.
Do we need the word untuk between memohon and kerja?
No. Memohon is a transitive verb that takes its object directly, so you don’t insert untuk (“for”). Saying memohon untuk kerja would be ungrammatical in this context.