Breakdown of Marilah kita menyanyi sambil mengemas supaya kerja lebih ceria.
kita
we
kerja
the work
supaya
so that
lebih
more
sambil
while
ceria
cheerful
menyanyi
to sing
mari
let’s
mengemas
to tidy up
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Questions & Answers about Marilah kita menyanyi sambil mengemas supaya kerja lebih ceria.
What does marilah kita mean and why is marilah used instead of mari?
- Marilah is a polite or slightly more formal imperative meaning “let’s.”
- Mari also means “let’s” but can sound more casual or less emphatic.
- Kita is the inclusive pronoun “we/us,” so marilah kita literally means “Let us (all)…”
Why are the verbs menyanyi and mengemas prefixed with meN-, and why do they look different?
- meN- is the Malay verbal prefix that turns roots into active transitive verbs.
- The form of meN- changes (assimilation) depending on the first consonant of the root:
• Root nyanyi → prefix meN-- nyanyi = menyanyi (sing)
• Root kemas → prefix meN- replaces initial k- emas = mengemas (tidy up)
- nyanyi = menyanyi (sing)
- These changes follow regular phonological rules to make pronunciation smoother.
What role does sambil play in this sentence?
- Sambil means “while,” indicating simultaneous actions.
- Menyanyi sambil mengemas = “singing while tidying up,” showing you do both at the same time.
How is supaya used here, and how does it differ from agar or untuk?
- Supaya introduces a purpose or goal, similar to “so that.”
- Agar is a near synonym of supaya, often interchangeable, though agar can sound slightly more formal.
- Untuk
- verb is more like “in order to do something,” whereas supaya/agar connect two clauses:
“We sing while cleaning so that work is more cheerful.”
- verb is more like “in order to do something,” whereas supaya/agar connect two clauses:
Why isn’t there an article like “the” or “a” before kerja?
- Malay does not use definite or indefinite articles (the/a) like English.
- Kerja here means “work” in general. No article is needed for general or uncountable nouns.
How does lebih function in kerja lebih ceria?
- Lebih means “more.”
- Ceria means “cheerful.”
- So lebih ceria = “more cheerful.”
- Kerja lebih ceria literally “work [is] more cheerful.”
Could we expand kerja lebih ceria to kerja menjadi lebih ceria, and would the meaning change?
- Yes. Menjadi means “become.”
- Kerja menjadi lebih ceria = “(so) the work becomes more cheerful.”
- This adds a slight nuance of change/process, but the overall goal (more cheerful work) stays the same.
What exactly does kita refer to in marilah kita?
- Kita is the first-person inclusive pronoun, meaning you and I and possibly others.
- It invites everyone present to join in: “Let’s us (all) sing while cleaning…”