Learn Hardcore Malay: Bila awak lapar, awak nak makan cepat, kan? - When you are hungry, you want to eat quickly, right?

bila = when (neutral, very common in speech and writing).
apabila = when (more formal/literary).
kalau = if (but in casual Malay it often overlaps with “when/whenever”). Here, Bila awak lapar means “when/whenever you’re hungry.” You could say Kalau awak lapar in everyday speech; Apabila would sound more formal.

Why is there no “are” before “hungry”? Why is it just awak lapar?

Malay doesn’t use a verb “to be” for present states. Adjectives act as predicates:

awak lapar = “you are hungry”
makanan itu sedap = “that food is tasty” You only need a copula-like word in specific contexts (e.g., ialah/adalah with nouns), not with adjectives like lapar.

Is awak the normal way to say “you”? Is it polite?

awak: common and friendly in Peninsular Malaysia among peers.
To elders/strangers, many speakers prefer titles or kin terms: Encik, Puan, Cik, Tuan, Abang, Kakak, or a name.
anda: formal/polite in writing or public address; less common in casual speech.
kamu: fine in some regions (e.g., Sabah/Sarawak), but can sound teacher-to-student or distant in Peninsular Malaysia.
kau/engkau: very informal/rough—use only with close friends. Mixing in English, some people also say you in casual Malay.

Do I have to repeat awak in the second clause?

No. It’s natural to drop repeated subjects:

Bila awak lapar, nak makan cepat, kan? You can also drop both in casual speech if the subject is clear:
Bila lapar, nak makan cepat, kan?

What exactly does nak mean, and how formal is it?

nak is the everyday contraction of hendak (“to want (to)”). It’s very common and casual. Alternatives:

mahu: “want,” neutral and acceptable in both casual and neutral contexts.
ingin: “wish/desire,” more formal or polite. All can take verbs or nouns: nak/mahu/ingin makan; nak air (“want water”).

Can nak also mean “going to/will,” not just “want to”?

Yes. In speech, nak often signals planned intention:

Esok saya nak pergi KL. = “I’m going to KL tomorrow.” It implies “I intend/plan to,” softer than a firm “will.”

Is makan cepat correct, or should it be makan dengan cepat?

Both are correct.

makan cepat is very natural in speech (adjectives double as adverbs).
makan dengan cepat is a bit more formal/emphatic. Intensifier: makan cepat-cepat (“eat quickly/in a hurry”). Note: cepat makan! is an imperative “hurry up and eat!”

Should I use cepat, laju, pantas, or segera here?

cepat: general “quick/fast” for actions; best choice for eating.
laju: speed of moving objects/vehicles; odd with eating.
pantas: “swift,” more formal/literary.
segera: “immediate(ly)”; e.g., makanan segera = “instant/fast food,” not “eat quickly.”

What does the final kan? do?

kan? is a tag that seeks agreement, like “right?” or “isn’t it?”

It likely comes from bukan? but is used after any statement.
Use rising intonation.
In writing, a comma before it is common: …, kan?

How do I answer a question with kan??

Agree: Ya. / Betul. / Memang. / Ha’ah. You can also echo: Ya, bila saya lapar, saya nak makan cepat.
Disagree: Tak. / Tak juga. / Tak semestinya. Optionally explain: Tak, saya makan perlahan walaupun lapar.

Could I use ke? instead of kan??

Different function:

ke? is the yes–no question particle: Bila awak lapar, awak nak makan cepat ke? (neutral question)
kan? seeks confirmation/solidarity: “…, kan?” (“…right?”)

Is any tense marker needed here? How do I say it’s habitual?

Malay doesn’t mark tense morphologically. Bila already gives a habitual/whenever reading. Add time words if needed:

Past: Bila awak lapar tadi, …
Future: Bila awak lapar nanti, …
Ongoing state: Bila awak tengah lapar, … (colloquial; emphasizes “at that time you’re in the state of being hungry”).

What’s the difference between lapar and kelaparan?

lapar = hungry.
kelaparan = starving/severely hungry; also “famine/hunger” as a noun. You can say Saya kelaparan for hyperbole, but everyday “I’m hungry” is Saya lapar.

Any quick pronunciation tips for this sentence?

c is “ch”: cepat ≈ “cheh-paht” (first “e” like a schwa).
Final k often unreleased or glottal: awak [awaʔ], nak [naʔ].
aw in awak like “ow” in “cow.” Use a rising tone on kan? at the end.

Is kan? the same as the suffix -kan I see on other verbs?

No. kan? here is a separate tag word. The verbal suffix -kan attaches to a verb root (e.g., bukakan “open (something) for [someone]”) and has grammatical functions (causative/applicative). Don’t confuse kan? (separate word, with a question mark) with -kan (suffix attached to verbs).