Saya mengutip sampah di taman setiap petang.

Mengutip is an active verb meaning “to pick up” or “to collect” items from the ground. In this sentence it specifically means “to pick up trash.” Note the nuance:

• Mengumpul also means “to gather,” but often implies accumulating over time or amassing.
• Mengambil means “to take” in a broader sense (not necessarily from the ground).

The meN- prefix marks an active verb in Malay. With the root kutip, the initial consonant “k” undergoes nasal assimilation (k → ng), so meN- + kutip → mengutip. Similar processes happen with other roots:

• mem- before b, p (e.g., “potong” → “memotong”)
• men- before d, t (e.g., “tarik” → “menarik”)
• meny- before s (e.g., “sapu” → “menyapu”)
• meng- before g, h, vowel (e.g., “isi” → “mengisi”)

Malay does not use articles like “a,” “an,” or “the.” Sampah is treated as a mass noun (“garbage/trash”) and can be definite or indefinite based on context. To specify quantity, you add a classifier or measure word, for example:

• sebekas sampah (a container of trash)
• sepotong sampah (a piece of trash)

Both are first-person pronouns meaning “I.”

• Saya is formal or neutral and appropriate in almost all situations (work, strangers, media).
• Aku is informal or intimate, used among close friends or family. Using aku in formal contexts can seem rude or overly familiar.