Learn Hardcore Malay: Guru akan menjelaskan soalan sejarah sebaik mungkin. - The teacher will explain the history question as well as possible.

Akan is a preverbal particle that signals future time or intention (roughly “will”). It’s optional. Malay doesn’t require tense marking; context or a time word can indicate futurity. Without akan, the sentence can still be future with a time adverb (e.g., Esok guru menjelaskan...) or clear context. With no context, omitting akan may sound more general/habitual.

Where can akan appear in the sentence?

It goes before the main verb: Subject + akan + Verb. So Guru akan menjelaskan... is correct. You don’t put akan after the verb or at the very end. Time adverbs can go at the start or near the end: Esok guru akan menjelaskan... / Guru akan menjelaskan... esok.

How is menjelaskan formed, and what does -kan do?

Root jelas (“clear”) + prefix meN- + suffix -kan = menjelaskan (“to make clear; to explain”). meN- forms an active verb (with initial j, it surfaces as men-). -kan often makes the verb causative/transitive (“cause to become clear”) and licenses a direct object.

Is there any difference between menjelaskan and menerangkan?

They’re near-synonyms (“to explain”) and usually interchangeable. Nuance (not strict):

Menjelaskan (from jelas “clear”): clarify, make clear.
Menerangkan (from terang “bright/clear”): explain, illuminate. In academic prompts you may also see huraikan/uraikan (“elaborate”). Use whichever fits your style/region.

Why is it soalan sejarah and not sejarah soalan?

Malay places the head noun first, then the modifier. Soalan (“question”) is the head; sejarah (“history”) specifies its type. So soalan sejarah = “history question(s).”

Is soalan sejarah singular or plural?

Malay doesn’t mark plural by default. Soalan sejarah can mean “a history question” or “history questions.” To be explicit:

Singular: satu soalan sejarah.
Plural: soalan-soalan sejarah, banyak soalan sejarah, or with a number (tiga soalan sejarah).

How do I say “a teacher” vs “the teacher”?

Malay has no articles; use other markers:

“A teacher”: seorang guru (one/any teacher).
“The teacher” (specific): guru itu (“that/that particular teacher”) or guru tersebut (“the aforementioned teacher”). Plain guru can be definite or generic from context.

Should Sejarah be capitalized?

If referring to the named school subject, capitalize: soalan Sejarah. If you mean “questions about history” in a general sense, lower-case sejarah is common. In formal education contexts, capitalization is typical.

What exactly does sebaik mungkin mean?

“As well as possible.” Structure: se- + baik + mungkin (“as good as possible”). This pattern makes “as X as possible”: secepat mungkin (as fast as possible), seteliti mungkin (as thoroughly as possible), etc.

Is mungkin here the same as “maybe”?

No. In sebaik mungkin, mungkin means “possible,” not “maybe.” As a standalone adverb, mungkin can mean “maybe,” but in this fixed construction it contributes the “as … as possible” meaning.

Can I add dengan before sebaik mungkin?

Yes: Guru akan menjelaskan soalan sejarah dengan sebaik mungkin. Adding dengan is common and natural; without it is also fine. Both act as an adverbial of manner.

Can I move sebaik mungkin earlier in the sentence?

Best is after the object or fronted as an adverbial:

Natural: Guru akan menjelaskan soalan sejarah sebaik mungkin.
Also acceptable/emphatic: Dengan sebaik mungkin, guru akan menjelaskan soalan sejarah. Avoid splitting verb and object: Guru akan menjelaskan sebaik mungkin soalan sejarah sounds awkward.

How would I say this in the passive?

Use the di- passive:

Soalan sejarah akan dijelaskan sebaik mungkin oleh guru. This foregrounds the object. Oleh guru can be omitted if the agent is obvious.

How do I include the recipient, e.g., “to the students”?

Use kepada for the recipient:

Guru akan menjelaskan soalan sejarah sebaik mungkin kepada murid-murid. Pattern: explain something to someone = menjelaskan [sesuatu] kepada [seseorang].

Does akan also express intention or a promise, not just future time?

Yes. Depending on tone/context, akan can convey a plan, promise, or scheduled action. For polite/soft commitments, add a mitigator: Guru akan cuba menjelaskan... (“will try to explain…”).

Where do time words like “tomorrow/later” go?

They can go at the start or near the end:

Esok guru akan menjelaskan soalan sejarah.
Guru akan menjelaskan soalan sejarah esok. Avoid Guru akan esok menjelaskan...; that’s not natural.

Is menjelaskan soalan natural? In English we rarely “explain a question.”

It’s natural in Malay. Menjelaskan soalan means clarifying what a question is asking (common in classroom/exam settings). Alternatives: menerangkan soalan (explain the question), membincangkan soalan (discuss the question).

Are there alternatives to sebaik mungkin, and do they differ in nuance?

Common options:

sebaik mungkin (neutral “as well as possible”).
sebaik-baiknya (often “ideally/what’s best”).
yang terbaik (“the best,” absolute, not “as … as possible”).
Colloquial Malaysia: sebaik yang boleh (“as well as [one] can”). Use sebaik mungkin for general, neutral tone.