Learn Hardcore Malay: Menurut bos, kita perlu hantar laporan segera. - According to the boss, we need to send the report immediately.

Examples: Menurut bos, ... (According to the boss, ...); Menurut undang-undang, ... (According to the law, ...); Menurut laporan itu, ... (According to that report, ...).
It’s followed directly by a noun phrase (no extra preposition needed).

Can I say menurut kepada bos?

No. Menurut already means “according to,” so you do not add kepada. Say Menurut bos. If you want a different phrasing, you can use mengikut bos (see next question).

What’s the difference between menurut, mengikut, and ikut here?

Menurut = “according to” (standard, common in writing and speech).
Mengikut = also “according to,” slightly more formal or “in line with.” Example: Mengikut garis panduan, ...
Ikut = casual/colloquial “according to” or “to follow.” Example: Ikut bos, kita kena hantar cepat. All three can mean “according to,” but menurut is the safest all-round choice.

What’s the difference between kita and kami? Which one fits here?

kita = “we” including the listener (inclusive).
kami = “we” excluding the listener (exclusive). In the sentence, kita assumes the listener is part of the group that needs to send the report. If you’re talking to someone outside the group (e.g., informing a client), use kami: Menurut bos, kami perlu hantar laporan segera.

Can I drop the pronoun and say Perlu hantar laporan segera?

Yes, but it becomes impersonal (“[Someone/We] need to send the report immediately”) and is common in notices or instructions. If you want to be clear about who needs to act, keep kita/kami.

Is perlu closer to “need to” or “must”? How does it compare to mesti/harus/kena?

perlu = need to; requirement/necessity but not as forceful as “must.”
mesti = must; strong obligation. Example: Kita mesti hantar...
harus = should/must (formal/literary in Malaysia; in Indonesia it’s “must”).
kena (colloquial) = must/obliged to. Example: Kita kena hantar... Choose based on strength and register. Your sentence with perlu is neutral and polite.

Do I need untuk after perlu? Is perlu untuk hantar correct?

With a verb, Malay normally uses perlu + verb without untuk: kita perlu hantar/menghantar. Perlu untuk + verb is often wordy or unnatural. Perlu untuk is fine before a noun phrase: perlu untuk penghantaran laporan (“needed for the submission of the report”).

When do I use perlukan or memerlukan instead of perlu?

perlu + noun/verb: Saya perlu bantuan (I need help); Saya perlu pergi (I need to go).
perlukan + noun: Common and natural in speech: Saya perlukan bantuan (I need help).
memerlukan + noun: More formal “to require”: Projek ini memerlukan laporan. Avoid memerlukan + verb; use memerlukan + noun or perlu + verb.

Should the verb be hantar or menghantar?

Both are acceptable:

hantar (root) is common and fine in everyday speech and neutral writing.
menghantar (meN- form) sounds more formal.
So your sentence could also be: Menurut bos, kita perlu menghantar laporan segera.

How do I say “send the report to someone/somewhere” with hantar?

To a person/recipient: hantar ... kepada [person]. Example: hantar laporan kepada bos.
To a place/destination: hantar ... ke [place]. Example: hantar laporan ke pejabat.
By a method: melalui (via). Example: hantar laporan melalui e-mel.

What does laporan cover? How do I say “the report” vs “a report”?

Laporan = “report” (the document). Malay doesn’t mark definite/indefinite by default:

“the report” can be laporan itu/laporan tersebut for clarity.
“a report” can be sebuah laporan; plural is by context or a number: dua laporan.

Is lapor a verb? How do lapor, melaporkan, and related forms work?

Yes:

lapor (verb): to report (intransitive or with preposition). Example: Saya perlu lapor kepada bos.
melaporkan (transitive): to report something. Saya melaporkan kehilangan itu.
Nouns: laporan (a report); pelaporan (reporting, the activity). In Malaysian Malay, melaporkan is preferred over Indonesian-style melapor.

What does segera mean here, and what are everyday alternatives?

segera = immediately/promptly. It’s common and a bit formal.

Everyday alternatives: cepat, dengan segera, secepat mungkin (“as soon as possible”), serta-merta (immediately, often literary), dengan kadar segera (very formal/official).

Where can I place segera? Does position change meaning?

Meaning stays “immediately,” but placement affects emphasis/formality:

kita perlu hantar laporan segera (neutral).
kita perlu segera menghantar laporan (puts urgency right after “need”).
segera hantar laporan itu (imperative tone: “Send the report immediately”).
laporan itu perlu dihantar segera (passive; formal tone).

Can I rewrite this in the passive voice?

Yes, common in formal contexts:

Menurut bos, laporan itu perlu dihantar segera.
Stronger: Menurut bos, laporan itu mesti dihantar segera.

Is bos appropriate in all situations? What are more formal options?

Bos is common and fine in speech and casual writing. More formal or specific:

ketua (chief/head), pengurus (manager), penyelia (supervisor), majikan (employer). Choose based on your workplace culture and formality.

How do I express past or future time with this sentence?

Malay uses particles/adverbs:

Past/completed: sudah/telah. Example: Menurut bos, kita telah menghantar laporan.
Future: akan. Example: Menurut bos, kita akan menghantar laporan.
Recent: baru (sahaja). Example: Menurut bos, kita baru hantar laporan.

Can I use kata instead of menurut? Do I need quotation marks?

Indirect attribution: Kata bos, kita perlu hantar laporan segera. (colloquial) or Bos kata...
Direct quote: Bos berkata, “Hantar laporan segera.” Use quotation marks only for direct speech; menurut and kata often introduce indirect speech without quotes.

Why is there a comma after Menurut bos? Is it required?

It sets off the fronted phrase (“According to the boss”) for clarity. While short sentences may omit it in informal writing, the comma is recommended: Menurut bos, ...

Does Menurut bos kita, ... mean something different from Menurut bos, kita ...?

Yes:

Menurut bos kita, ... = “According to our boss, ...” (bos kita is “our boss”).
Menurut bos, kita ... = “According to the boss, we ...” (no possessive). If the listener isn’t part of the team, use bos kami (“our [exclusive] boss”).

Are there differences if I say this in Indonesian?

Small differences:

Indonesian would more likely use kirim/mengirim than hantar. Example: Menurut bos, kita perlu mengirim laporan segera.
mesti exists but Indonesian often uses harus for “must.”
kita/kami inclusivity works the same in both languages.
segera is fine in both.

How could I phrase this as a polite office request?

Menurut bos, mohon hantar laporan dengan segera.
Menurut bos, sila hantar laporan dengan kadar segera.
Passive/request tone: Menurut bos, diminta agar laporan dihantar dengan segera.

What are common learner pitfalls with this sentence?

Saying menurut kepada (wrong) instead of menurut.
Adding untuk before a verb after perlu: prefer perlu hantar/menghantar, not perlu untuk hantar.
Mixing kita and kami; remember inclusive vs exclusive.
Using Indonesian mengantar in Malaysian Malay; prefer (meng)hantar for “send/submit.”