Learn Hardcore Malay: Dia belum balas emel saya. - He/She has not replied to my email yet.

Dia covers both he and she (Malay doesn’t mark gender). To specify, use context, the person’s name, or add a clarifier like dia lelaki (he, male) or dia perempuan (she, female). For a respectful third person (e.g., a VIP/teacher), use beliau.

What exactly does "belum" mean, and how is it different from "tidak/tak" and "tidak lagi"?

belum = not yet (implies you expect it might happen). Example: Dia belum balas emel saya.
tidak / tak = not (simple negation, no “yet” idea). Example: Dia tak balas emel saya.
tidak lagi = no longer. Example: Dia tidak lagi membalas emel saya.

Why is there no tense marker like “hasn’t”? How does Malay handle tense?

Malay doesn’t conjugate for tense. Time is shown by particles/adverbs and context. Belum gives the “not yet”/incomplete aspect, so Dia belum balas maps to “He/She hasn’t replied (yet).” Add time words if needed, e.g., semalam (yesterday), tadi (earlier), nanti (later).

Can I add “lagi” to say “yet,” like in “He hasn’t replied yet”?

Yes. Common options:

Dia belum balas emel saya. (already means “not yet”)
Dia belum balas emel saya lagi. (emphasizes “yet”)
Colloquial equivalent: Dia tak balas emel saya lagi.
Also acceptable: Dia belum lagi balas emel saya.

What’s the difference between "balas" and "membalas"?

Both mean “to reply.” Membalas is the more formal/standard active form with the meN- prefix (meN- + balas → membalas). In everyday speech you’ll hear the base verb balas a lot. Both are correct:

Dia belum balas/membalas emel saya.

Can I use "jawab" instead of "balas"?

You can, but there’s a nuance. Balas is specifically “reply (to a message/letter/email).” Jawab is “answer” (a question/phone). So:

Natural: balas emel, balas mesej
Natural: jawab soalan, jawab telefon
Dia belum menjawab emel saya is understandable, but balas emel is more idiomatic.

Why isn’t there a “to” after “reply”? How do I say “reply to me”?

Malay makes the email/message the direct object: balas emel saya (“reply my email”). To target a person, use kepada:

Sila balas kepada saya. (Please reply to me. — more formal)
In casual speech: Tolong balas mesej saya. Avoid balas saya (unnatural).

Does "emel saya" mean my email message or my email address?

With balas, it’s understood as the email message you sent. To mean your email address, say alamat emel saya. Examples:

Message: Dia belum balas emel saya.
Address: Ini alamat emel saya.

Is "emel" the standard spelling? What about "e‑mel" or "email"?

In Malaysian Malay, emel is the standard spelling (you’ll also see e-mel, especially older/official texts). email is common informally and in Indonesia (where standard Indonesian also accepts email). All are widely understood.

Can I drop the object and just say “Dia belum balas”?

Yes, if the context is clear. Dia belum balas (lagi). = “He/She hasn’t replied (yet).” The object can be omitted in conversation.

What’s the positive counterpart of "belum"?

Sudah (formal/neutral) or dah (colloquial) = already.

Dia sudah/dah balas emel saya. (He/She has already replied to my email.)

How do I say “He still hasn’t replied”?

Use masih belum:

Dia masih belum balas emel saya.
More formal: Dia masih belum membalas emel saya.

How do I say “He didn’t reply yesterday” vs “Yesterday, he hadn’t replied (yet)”?

Didn’t reply yesterday (simple past negative): Dia tak balas emel saya semalam.
At some point yesterday, it was still pending: Semalam, dia belum balas emel saya. (focuses on the “not yet” status at that time)

How do I make “emails” plural?

Malay doesn’t require plural marking. Context/quantifiers do the job:

Dia belum balas emel saya. (could be one or more emails)
If you need to be explicit: Dia belum balas emel-emel saya, or use quantifiers: banyak emel, beberapa emel.

Is the word order "emel saya" normal? Can I say "saya punya emel"?

Yes, emel saya (noun + pronoun) is the standard way to say “my email.” Saya punya emel is colloquial and best kept to casual speech; avoid it in formal writing.

How do I ask “Has he replied to my email yet?” (informal vs formal)

Informal: Dia dah balas emel saya belum? / Dah balas emel saya?
Formal: Sudahkah dia membalas e-mel saya? / Adakah dia sudah membalas e-mel saya?

Can I use the English loanword “reply/respon” in Malay?

In casual speech you may hear reply or respon used, but standard Malay prefers:

Verb: membalas; Noun: respons (with -s at the end). Examples:
Standard: Dia belum memberi respons kepada emel saya.
Casual (heard but less standard): Dia belum respon emel saya.