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Makanan diuji sebelum kita makan.

Makanan diuji sebelum kita makan.
The food is tested before we eat.
FromLesson 16inHardcore Malay
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Breakdown of Makanan diuji sebelum kita makan.

makan
to eat
kita
we
sebelum
before
makanan
the food
diuji
to be tested

Questions & Answers about Makanan diuji sebelum kita makan.

What does the prefix di- in diuji indicate?
In Malay, adding di- to the verb root uji forms the passive voice. diuji means “is tested”, focusing on the action happening to the subject rather than who does it.
Why is diuji used instead of menguji?
menguji is the active form (“to test something”), while diuji is the passive form (“something is tested”). Since the sentence emphasises the food being tested—and not emphasising who tests it—the passive diuji is appropriate.
Why isn’t the agent mentioned with oleh (by)?

Malay often omits the agent when it’s obvious, unimportant, or general. If you want to specify who does the testing, you can add oleh:
Makanan diuji oleh juruteknik.
(“The food is tested by a technician.”)

Why use makanan instead of makan?
makanan is a noun meaning “food”, formed by adding the suffix -an to the verb makan (“to eat”). You need the noun makanan to say “the food is tested.”
What role does the suffix -an play in makanan?

Suffix -an turns a verb into a noun that often denotes the result or object of the action. Here:
makan (“eat”) → makanan (“food,” literally “that which is eaten”).

What does sebelum mean, and why isn’t there an extra preposition?

sebelum is a conjunction meaning “before.” In Malay, you simply link clauses with sebelum without adding another preposition or infinitive marker:
sebelum kita makan = “before we eat.”

Why is it kita makan rather than makan kita?
kita makan is a verb clause meaning “we eat.” In contrast, makan kita (noun + pronoun) would mean “our meal.” Malay word order for clauses is typically subject + verb.
Can I swap the clauses to Sebelum kita makan, makanan diuji? Do I need a comma?
Yes, Sebelum kita makan, makanan diuji is perfectly correct. Commas around time-clauses like this are optional in Malay, though they can improve clarity.
How do I express that the food has already been tested before we eat?

Add a perfect-aspect marker like telah or sudah before diuji:
Makanan telah (or sudah) diuji sebelum kita makan.
= “The food has been tested before we eat.”

What’s the difference between diperiksa and diuji in this context?

Both are passive forms, but uji (“test”) suggests a scientific or formal test (e.g., quality, safety), while periksa (“inspect/check”) is more general.

  • diperiksa = “is inspected/checked”
  • diuji = “is tested”

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