Breakdown of Saya mengemas bilik stor dan menekan kotak berat ke sudut.
saya
I
ke
to
dan
and
berat
heavy
mengemas
to tidy
bilik stor
the storeroom
menekan
to press
kotak
the box
sudut
the corner
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Questions & Answers about Saya mengemas bilik stor dan menekan kotak berat ke sudut.
What does mengemas mean, and how is it different from membersihkan?
mengemas means “to tidy up” or “to organize” – arranging items so they’re in order. membersihkan means “to clean” – removing dirt or making something clean. So you mengemas a room by putting things away neatly, but you membersihkan it by wiping down surfaces and dusting.
What is the root word of mengemas, and how does the meN- prefix work here?
The root word is kemas (tidy). The meN- prefix is a verb-forming prefix. With roots starting in k, the prefix becomes meng- and the initial k is dropped:
• k + emas → meng-emas → mengemas
This pattern also applies to tekan (press): tekan → menekan (the t is dropped).
Why is there no word for “the” before bilik stor or kotak berat?
Malay does not use articles like “a” or “the.” Nouns stand alone, and context tells you whether something is definite or indefinite. So bilik stor can mean “a storeroom” or “the storeroom” depending on context.
Why is the adjective berat placed after kotak rather than before, like in English?
In Malay, adjectives come after the noun they modify. So you say kotak berat (“box heavy” = “heavy box”), not berat kotak.
Why is it bilik stor instead of a single Malay word for “storeroom”?
bilik stor is a compound noun: bilik means “room” and stor is a loanword from English store. Malay often combines a Malay noun with a loanword to form terms, e.g., bilik mesyuarat (“meeting room”).
What exactly does menekan kotak berat ke sudut imply? Could I use mendorong instead of menekan?
menekan means “to press” or “to push down.” Here it suggests physically pushing the heavy box into the corner (perhaps forcing it firmly). mendorong means simply “to push” (move something by applying force). If you just want to push the box sideways into the corner, mendorong kotak berat ke sudut is acceptable. But if you emphasize pressing it down or snugly fitting it, menekan is better.
What role does ke play in ke sudut, and how do you translate ke sudut?
ke is the preposition “to” or “towards.” sudut means “corner.” So ke sudut translates as “to (the) corner” or “into the corner.”
Is it necessary to include Saya at the start? Can it be dropped?
In Malay, subject pronouns like saya (I) are often dropped if the meaning is clear from context. You could say Mengemas bilik stor dan menekan kotak berat ke sudut and still be perfectly understood.