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Questions & Answers about Jalan sesak sekarang.
What does jalan mean in this sentence? I’ve seen it mean “to walk” before.
Here jalan means “road” or “street.” Malay words can have multiple senses, but in “Jalan sesak sekarang” it refers to the physical road, not the verb “to walk.”
Why is there no word for “is” in Jalan sesak sekarang? Shouldn’t it be “Jalan adalah sesak sekarang”?
Malay often omits the copula “to be” in simple adjective or noun sentences. You link the noun and adjective directly. So “Jalan sesak sekarang” literally reads “Road congested now,” which naturally means “The road is congested now.”
What part of speech is sesak here?
In this context, sesak is an adjective meaning “congested,” “crowded,” or “gridlocked” (for traffic). It describes the state of the road.
Why is sekarang placed at the end? Can I move it somewhere else?
Adverbs of time like sekarang (now) typically go at the end in Malay, but you can front it for emphasis:
- “Sekarang jalan sesak.” (Now the road is congested.)
Both orders are grammatically correct, though the standard order is to end with the time adverb.
How would I turn this into a question meaning “Is the road congested now?”
There are a few ways:
1) Informal with tak: “Jalan sesak sekarang tak?”
2) Formal with adakah: “Adakah jalan sesak sekarang?”
3) Simply use rising intonation in speech: “Jalan sesak sekarang?”
Can I say Jalannya sesak sekarang instead?
Yes. Adding -nya makes “the road” explicit:
“Jalannya sesak sekarang” = “The road (it) is congested now.”
It’s slightly more formal or emphatic.
What’s the difference between jalan sesak and jalan sibuk?
- Jalan sesak implies traffic congestion—cars are slow or stuck.
- Jalan sibuk means busy street—lots of activity or vehicles, but not necessarily slow-moving.
Can I use macet (from Indonesian) instead of sesak?
Macet is an Indonesian term. In Malay (Malaysia/Bahasa Melayu), use sesak for traffic congestion. Using macet in Malaysia will sound like you’re mixing languages.