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Questions & Answers about Saya minum teh, bukannya kopi.
What nuance does bukannya add compared to just bukan?
Both negate a noun, but bukannya adds an emphatic, corrective feel: “rather than / instead of.”
- Saya minum teh, bukan kopi. = I drink tea, not coffee. (plain contrast)
- Saya minum teh, bukannya kopi. = I drink tea—rather than coffee. (stronger correction/contrast)
Why is it bukan and not tidak here?
Use:
- bukan to negate nouns/pronouns/noun phrases and for contrastive correction
- tidak to negate verbs and adjectives in simple statements
Here the negation targets the noun kopi, so bukan (or emphatic bukannya) is correct: ... bukan(‑nya) kopi.
For general verb negation: Saya tidak minum kopi (I don’t drink coffee).
Can I drop the -nya and simply say bukan?
Yes. Saya minum teh, bukan kopi. is fully correct. Adding -nya just heightens the “instead of” emphasis.
Is bukannya one word? Is -nya possessive here?
- It’s one word: bukannya (not “bukan nya”).
- The -nya here is not possessive. It’s an emphatic/tonal particle attached to bukan. (Elsewhere, -nya can be possessive “his/her/its,” a definiteness marker, or part of set phrases.)
What’s the difference between this sentence and Saya tidak minum kopi?
- Saya minum teh, (bukan/bukannya) kopi. = Chooses tea over coffee in this context; contrastive, often in answers/corrections.
- Saya tidak minum kopi. = I don’t drink coffee (at all/usually/in general), with no explicit alternative mentioned.
Is Saya bukan minum kopi; saya minum teh acceptable?
Yes, as a correction/contrast, it’s acceptable: bukan is negating the whole idea being corrected. But for plain verb negation (no contrast), prefer tidak: Saya tidak minum kopi.
Can I front the contrastive part?
Yes:
- Bukan kopi, saya minum teh.
- Bukannya kopi, saya minum teh. This puts stronger focus on “not coffee.”
Do I need the comma before bukannya?
It’s optional but helpful for clarity. You can write:
- Saya minum teh, bukannya kopi. (clear contrast)
- Saya minum teh bukannya kopi. (also fine in short sentences)
Does this mean “I’m drinking tea now” or “I drink tea (in general)”?
Malay doesn’t mark tense by verb forms. It’s context-dependent. Add markers if needed:
- Ongoing now: Saya sedang minum teh, bukannya kopi.
- Habitual: Saya biasanya minum teh, bukannya kopi.
- Past: Tadi saya minum teh, bukannya kopi.
- Future: Nanti/Akan saya minum teh, bukannya kopi.
How do I pronounce the words?
Approximate guide:
- saya = sah-yah
- minum = mee-noom
- teh = “teh” (short clear e)
- bukannya = boo-KAN-nyah (ny like Spanish ñ)
- kopi = KOH-pee Malay is syllable-timed; keep syllables even without heavy stress.
Is it okay to say dan bukannya?
You don’t need dan here. Say Saya minum teh, bukannya kopi. Use dan bukannya when contrasting whole ideas in a larger sentence, e.g., Kita perlukan tindakan, dan bukannya janji kosong.
How do I say “I’d rather drink tea than coffee”?
- Saya lebih suka minum teh daripada kopi.
- Saya lebih gemar teh daripada kopi.
- Or keep the original style: Saya minum teh, bukannya kopi. (context will imply preference)
Any difference between Malay (Malaysia) and Indonesian here?
Both understand both forms. In practice:
- Malaysia: bukan and bukannya both common for noun contrast.
- Indonesia: bukan is more common in this slot; bukannya is very common in the pattern “It’s not that … but …” (e.g., Bukannya saya tidak mau, tetapi…), though your sentence with bukannya is still acceptable and clear.
Can I use lah for tone, like bukanlah?
Yes, lah adds a softening/emphatic tone: Saya minum teh, bukanlah kopi. This can sound more rhetorical/formal. In casual speech, plain bukan/bukannya is more common.
How do I say “a cup of tea” here?
Use classifiers:
- secawan teh (a cup of tea)
- segelas teh (a glass of tea) Example: Saya minum secawan teh, bukannya kopi.
Can I use melainkan or tetapi for “but rather”?
Yes:
- Saya bukan minum kopi, melainkan (minum) teh. (more formal)
- Saya bukan minum kopi, tetapi minum teh.
Your original sentence is the most compact for simple correction.
Is there any article like “the/a” in Malay in this sentence?
No articles. teh and kopi are bare nouns. Specificity comes from context or modifiers (e.g., teh itu = that/the tea; secawan teh = a cup of tea).
How would I say “I only drink tea, not coffee”?
- Saya hanya minum teh, bukan kopi.
- Saya minum teh sahaja, bukan kopi.
Both add the “only” nuance clearly.