Learn Hardcore Malay: Selepas saya log masuk, saya menukar tetapan keselamatan. - After I log in, I change the security settings.

Malay doesn’t mark tense on verbs. The time relation comes from Selepas (after). Most naturally this reads as past in a narrative, but it can be any time depending on context. To be explicit:

Past: Selepas saya log masuk, saya sudah/telah menukar tetapan keselamatan.
Future: Selepas saya log masuk, saya akan menukar tetapan keselamatan.
Habitual: Setiap kali saya log masuk, saya akan/tukar tetapan keselamatan.

Can I replace Selepas with something like Setelah, Sesudah, or Lepas?

Yes:

Selepas: neutral, standard.
Setelah/Sesudah: slightly more formal/literary.
Lepas: colloquial. Avoid confusing apabila/bila (when) with selepas (after). Apabila/Bila saya log masuk = when I log in, not after I log in.

Is log masuk written as one or two words? Is melog masuk correct?

Write log masuk as two words. One-word (logmasuk) or hyphenated forms aren’t standard. Melog masuk is generally avoided; the established verb phrase is log masuk. For “log out,” say log keluar. Note: daftar masuk means “check in” (e.g., hotel), not “log in.”

Can I put the “after” clause at the end?

Yes: Saya menukar tetapan keselamatan selepas saya log masuk. Same meaning. When the Selepas… clause comes first, it’s normal to use a comma after it.

Do I need to repeat saya in both clauses?

It’s fine to repeat it: Selepas saya log masuk, saya … If the subject is obvious, you can drop it in the first clause: Selepas log masuk, saya menukar … Don’t drop the subject in the main clause; Selepas saya log masuk, menukar … is ungrammatical.

Why use menukar instead of tukar or mengubah?

menukar: standard/written active “to change/replace”; perfect here.
tukar: bare stem, very common in speech: … saya tukar tetapan …
mengubah: “to alter/modify”; also fine for settings: … saya mengubah tetapan …
menukarkan is often used with a target using kepada (e.g., menukarkan dolar kepada ringgit). For settings, menukar/mengubah sounds more natural.

What does the prefix in menukar do?

menukar = meN- + root tukar. With a root starting in t, meN- surfaces as men- and the t is dropped. Examples: tulis → menulis; tarik → menarik; tolak → menolak. The prefix marks an active transitive verb.

Why is it tetapan keselamatan and not keselamatan tetapan?

In Malay noun compounds, the head comes first, then the modifier. tetapan (settings) + keselamatan (security) = tetapan keselamatan (“security settings”). Compare: bahasa Melayu (Malay language), akaun bank (bank account).

Do I need to mark “my” for possession?

Not necessarily; Malay often leaves possession implicit. If needed:

tetapan keselamatan saya = my security settings
tetapan keselamatan akaun saya = my account’s security settings

Is tetapan the only way to say “settings”?

No:

tetapan: fully Malay, common in interfaces.
seting: Malay-adapted loan, also acceptable. Avoid Indonesian setelan/setingan in Malay. In casual speech, people sometimes say setting, but standard Malay prefers tetapan or seting.

Is keselamatan the right word for IT “security”?

Yes. keselamatan covers safety/security in general and in IT (e.g., keselamatan siber = cybersecurity). sekuriti in Malay usually refers to financial securities, not protection.

How would I say it in the passive voice?

Formal passive: Tetapan keselamatan telah ditukar selepas saya log masuk.
Also fine: Selepas saya log masuk, tetapan keselamatan ditukar. Colloquial Malaysian passive-like: Selepas saya log masuk, tetapan keselamatan saya tukar.

How do I say “as soon as I log in”?

Use:

Sebaik sahaja saya log masuk, saya menukar tetapan keselamatan.
Sejurus selepas saya log masuk, saya menukar tetapan keselamatan.

How do I say “before” instead of “after”?

Use sebelum:

Sebelum saya log masuk, saya menyemak tetapan keselamatan.

Do I need ke after log masuk if I name the destination?

Yes, when you specify where:

log masuk ke akaun bank saya
log masuk ke dalam sistem (ke dalam = into the system)

Do I need to mark plural for “settings”?

No. Number is usually unmarked. tetapan can mean one or many settings. Reduplication (tetapan-tetapan) is possible for emphasis or formality, but rarely needed here.

What’s a natural colloquial Malaysian version?

Lepas saya log masuk, saya tukar tetapan/seting keselamatan. You might also hear: Lepas log masuk, saya terus tukar tetapan keselamatan.

Pronunciation tips?

Syllables:

Selepas: se-le-pas
log masuk: log ma-suk (g as in “go”)
menukar: me-nu-kar
tetapan: te-ta-pan
keselamatan: ke-se-la-ma-tan Stress is light, usually near the end; vowels are short and clear.

Can I use daftar masuk here?

No. daftar masuk means “check in” (hotel/flight). For websites or apps, use log masuk.