Learn Hardcore Malay: Bonus itu akan diberikan kepada semua ahli yang berhati-hati ketika bekerja. - The bonus will be given to all members who are careful while working.

itu is a demonstrative that makes Bonus definite, similar to “the bonus” in English. It indicates that you’re talking about a specific bonus already known to both speaker and listener.

What does akan diberikan mean and why is it used?

akan is a future marker (“will”), and diberikan is the passive form of beri (“to give”). Together, akan diberikan means “will be given.” Malay often strings the future particle plus the passive verb in this order.

What role does kepada play in this sentence?

kepada marks the recipient of an action in passive constructions. Here, kepada semua ahli means “to all members.” Without kepada, the sentence would sound incomplete when describing who receives the bonus.

What does semua ahli translate to?

semua = “all”
ahli = “members” (or “experts,” depending on context)
So semua ahli means “all members.”

How does yang function in this context?

yang introduces a relative clause, linking ahli (“members”) to the descriptive phrase berhati-hati ketika bekerja. It’s equivalent to “who” in “members who are careful.”

What is berhati-hati, and is it a verb or an adjective?

berhati-hati literally combines the prefix ber- (to have/possess) with hati-hati (“cautious heart”). It functions as both an adjective (“careful”) and an intransitive verb (“to be careful”). In this sentence, it describes the quality of the members.

Why is ketika used instead of apabila or semasa?

All three can mean “when,” but:

ketika is slightly more formal and emphasizes a specific time.
semasa is colloquial for “during/while.”
apabila often introduces conditional or time clauses (“when/if”).
Here, ketika bekerja stresses “at the time of working.”

Can I say Bonus itu diberi kepada semua ahli yang berhati-hati ketika bekerja instead?

Yes. Dropping akan changes the nuance:

akan diberikan = “will be given” (future)
diberi = “is/are given” (present habitual or general truth)
Both passive forms are grammatically correct; choose based on whether you mean future or present/habitual.

Why is the verb phrase berhati-hati ketika bekerja placed after ahli?

Malay uses a head-final structure for relative clauses: the noun (ahli) comes first, followed by yang plus its modifier (berhati-hati ketika bekerja). This mirrors English “members who are careful when working.”