Saya buat bayaran di kaunter.

I make the payment at the counter.

Breakdown of Saya buat bayaran di kaunter.

• saya: I
• di: at
• buat: to make
• bayaran: the payment
• kaunter: the counter

Questions & Answers about Saya buat bayaran di kaunter.

Why does the sentence use buat bayaran instead of simply bayar or membayar?

– bayar is the root verb “to pay.”
– membayar is the standard active form (meN- prefix) “to pay.”
– buat bayaran literally “make payment” is an idiomatic, slightly more formal or service-style phrase often seen in signage or polite contexts (e.g. at banks, airports).
– All three are correct:
• Saya bayar di kaunter (colloquial)
• Saya membayar di kaunter (neutral)
• Saya buat bayaran di kaunter (polite/official tone)

What exactly does buat mean in buat bayaran?

– buat normally means “do” or “make.”
– Here it functions as a “light verb” combining with the noun bayaran (“payment”) to form a compound meaning “make a payment.”
– This pattern (light-verb + noun) appears in other phrases, e.g. buat tempahan (“make a reservation”), buat aduan (“make a complaint”).

What’s the difference between bayaran and pembayaran?

– bayaran is a noun meaning “payment” or “fee.”
– pembayaran is also a noun “payment,” formed with the nominaliser prefix peN- and suffix -an.
– Nuance:
• bayaran often refers to the amount or fee itself (“Yuran bayaran”)
• pembayaran often refers to the act or process (“Prosedur pembayaran”)
– In “buat bayaran” you use bayaran because it’s the established collocation.

Can I say Saya membayar di kaunter instead?

Yes. Changing to membayar is perfectly correct:
– Saya membayar di kaunter.
This is a more direct verb form; it sounds neutral and is very common in everyday speech.

Is it OK to omit Saya and just say Buat bayaran di kaunter?

Yes. Malay is pro-drop (subject can be omitted when clear from context).
– Buat bayaran di kaunter. (e.g. on a sign or instruction sheet)
– Bayar di kaunter. (even shorter, colloquial)

What is the role of di in di kaunter? Why not ke or pada?

– di + location = “at” or “in.” It marks a static place.
– ke + location = “to” (movement toward), not suitable here.
– pada is a general preposition “on/at,” but less common for counters.
So di kaunter precisely means “at the counter.”

Why are there no articles like “the” or “a” before kaunter?

Malay does not use indefinite or definite articles.
– Saya buat bayaran di kaunter. = “I make a/the payment at the counter.”
Context decides whether it’s a specific counter or any counter.

How would you make this sentence passive?

Flip the focus onto bayaran (the payment) and use a passive construction:
– Bayaran dibuat di kaunter. (“Payment is made at the counter.”)
Optionally more formal:
– Pembayaran boleh dibuat di kaunter. (“Payment can be made at the counter.”)