Breakdown of Kami pilih jalan ini bukannya jalan pintas kerana mahu mengelak sesak.
ini
this
mahu
to want
pilih
to choose
kerana
because
jalan
the road
kami
we
jalan pintas
the shortcut
mengelak
to avoid
bukannya
not
sesak
congested
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Questions & Answers about Kami pilih jalan ini bukannya jalan pintas kerana mahu mengelak sesak.
What does bukannya do here? How is it different from bukan?
- bukannya = emphatic/contrastive bukan, roughly “not (that), rather…”. It foregrounds the contrast with an alternative.
- In this sentence it highlights “not the shortcut”: Kami pilih jalan ini, bukannya jalan pintas.
- You can also say bukan here: Kami pilih jalan ini, bukan jalan pintas. It’s correct but a bit less pointed.
- The -nya in bukannya is not “his/its”; here it’s an emphasis particle.
Why is it pilih and not memilih?
- Colloquial Malaysian Malay often drops the meN- prefix in the verb after a clear subject: kami pilih.
- memilih is the fully affixed, more formal form. In writing or formal speech, prefer Kami memilih jalan ini.
- Meaning is the same; the difference is register/style.
Is it okay to say kerana mahu without repeating the subject (kami)?
- Yes. Malay often omits a repeated subject in subordinate clauses when it’s obvious from context.
- More explicit but slightly heavier: kerana kami mahu mengelak sesak.
- If the subject changes, you must state it: kerana dia mahu…, kerana mereka mahu…
What’s the difference between kami and kita?
- kami = we/us, excluding the listener.
- kita = we/us, including the listener.
- Choose based on whether you’re including your addressee.
What exactly is jalan pintas? What does pintas mean by itself?
- jalan pintas = a shortcut (literally “shortcut road/way”).
- pintas (root) = cut across/intercept/shorten a route.
- Related verb: memintas = to intercept/overtake/cut off. Example: memintas kereta (to overtake a car).
Is mengelak sesak correct, or should it be mengelakkan kesesakan?
- Both are fine; they differ in formality and explicitness.
- Informal and compact: mengelak sesak (“avoid congestion” with sesak used loosely as a noun).
- More formal/explicit: mengelakkan kesesakan (“avoid congestion” with the nominalized kesesakan).
- In careful writing: kerana hendak/memilih untuk mengelakkan kesesakan is very natural.
What’s the difference between mengelak and mengelakkan?
- mengelak: “to avoid/dodge,” often intransitive, but can take a simple object in casual speech (e.g., mengelak sesak).
- mengelakkan: transitive/causative flavor; usually takes a clear object or daripada phrase (e.g., mengelakkan kesesakan, mengelakkan diri daripada...).
- In formal style when an object follows, mengelakkan is preferred.
Why kerana? Could I use sebab or pasal?
- kerana = because (neutral–formal).
- sebab = because/cause (very common, slightly more casual). Example: sebab mahu mengelak sesak.
- pasal = because/about (colloquial). Example: pasal nak elak jem (very informal).
- All three can work; choose based on register.
Could I use untuk or supaya/agar instead of kerana mahu?
- kerana (mahu) = because (we) want to… (reason).
- untuk = to/in order to… (purpose). Example: Kami pilih jalan ini untuk mengelak kesesakan.
- supaya/agar = so that… (desired outcome). Example: …supaya dapat mengelak kesesakan.
- All are possible; they shift nuance from reason to purpose/outcome.
What about mahu, nak, hendak, ingin, mau?
- mahu = want (standard in Malaysia/Brunei).
- nak = colloquial of hendak; very common in speech (Malaysia): nak elak.
- hendak = want/intend (slightly formal/traditional).
- ingin = wish/desire (more formal/polite).
- mau = Indonesian (and some Malaysian dialects). In Indonesian you’d say mau.
Can I change the position of bukannya jalan pintas?
- Natural positions:
- Kami pilih jalan ini, bukannya jalan pintas, kerana…
- Kami bukannya pilih jalan pintas; kami pilih jalan ini kerana… (two clauses; strong contrast)
- Don’t split the noun phrase awkwardly (e.g., putting bukannya jalan pintas far from what it contrasts with).
Should there be commas around bukannya jalan pintas?
- Optional but helpful: Kami pilih jalan ini, bukannya jalan pintas, kerana…
- Without commas is still common in informal writing. Commas improve clarity by marking the contrastive aside.
Pronunciation tips for mengelak, sesak, bukannya?
- mengelak: the e is usually a schwa; roughly mə-ngə-lak; ng is one sound /ŋ/.
- sesak: first e is a schwa: sə-sak.
- bukannya: stress is light and fairly even; double n across the morpheme boundary is just [n], not a geminate in practice.
How would I say this in Indonesian?
- Kami memilih jalan ini, bukannya jalan pintas, karena mau/memilih untuk menghindari kemacetan.
- Notes: karena (not kerana), mau (not mahu), kemacetan (traffic jam), menghindari (avoid).
How would I say “We didn’t choose the shortcut,” without the “instead” contrast?
- Kami tidak memilih jalan pintas.
- That’s a plain negation. With contrast: Kami pilih jalan ini, bukannya jalan pintas.
Can I front the object: Jalan ini kami pilih?
- Yes. Jalan ini kami pilih, bukannya jalan pintas, kerana… is grammatical and adds topical emphasis to jalan ini.
- Another emphatic option: Jalan inilah yang kami pilih… (focus with -lah and yang).