Saya mencuci baju di rumah setiap petang.

I wash my clothes at home every evening.

Breakdown of Saya mencuci baju di rumah setiap petang.

• saya: I
• di: at
• setiap: every
• rumah: the house
• mencuci: to wash
• petang: the evening
• baju: the clothes

Questions & Answers about Saya mencuci baju di rumah setiap petang.

What is the word order in this sentence, and what role does each part play?

It follows Malay’s usual SVO (subject–verb–object) order, followed by adverbials for place and time:

• Subject: Saya (I)
• Verb: mencuci (wash)
• Object: baju (clothes)
• Place adverbial: di rumah (at home)
• Time adverbial: setiap petang (every evening)

How do you form the verb mencuci from the root cuci?

Malay uses verb prefixes for active verbs. Here’s how it works:

• Root: cuci (wash)
• Active prefix: meN-
• Assimilation rule: meN- + c → menc-
  Result: mencuci (to wash). This marks an actor-focus verb.

Why isn’t there an article like the or a before baju?

Malay does not use articles. Nouns stand alone for both definite and indefinite references. To specify “that shirt,” you add itu: “baju itu.” Words like sebuah or satu can indicate “a” if you really need it, but they’re optional.

What does the di in di rumah mean? Could it be ke rumah instead?

• di is a preposition meaning “in/at” for a static location where the action happens.
• ke means “to” (movement toward).
  Use di rumah for washing at home; use ke rumah only when you’re going home.

What does setiap petang mean and how is setiap used with time expressions?

setiap means “every.” Pair it with a singular time noun to show repetition:

• setiap petang = every evening
• setiap hari = every day
• setiap minggu = every week

Can setiap petang be moved elsewhere in the sentence, and is pada required before it?

Yes. Time adverbials are flexible:

• At the end: Saya mencuci baju di rumah setiap petang.
• At the start: Setiap petang saya mencuci baju di rumah.
  You may add pada (“pada setiap petang”) for extra formality, but it’s not necessary.

Why is saya used, and can we replace or drop it?

• saya is the polite/formal 1st-person pronoun “I.”
• aku is informal or intimate; swapping changes the tone.
• You can omit the subject if context is clear: “Mencuci baju di rumah setiap petang” is acceptable in notes or casual speech.

Are there other colloquial ways to say “every evening”?

Yes. Malay often uses reduplication for habitual actions:

• petang-petang can mean “(on) evenings regularly” in a more casual style.
  But setiap petang remains the standard, neutral expression.