Learn Hardcore Malay: Saya bosan menunggu berita tentang keputusan itu. - I am bored of waiting for the news about that decision.

Saya – I
bosan – bored (also “to be bored”)
menunggu – to wait / waiting
- base verb: tunggu (wait)
- meN- prefix → menunggu
berita – news
tentang – about / regarding
keputusan – decision
itu – that

So the structure is: I – bored – wait(ing) – news – about – decision – that → “I am bored of waiting for news about that decision.”

Why is menunggu used directly after bosan without untuk, like “to wait”?

In Malay, when one verb describes a feeling/attitude toward another action, the second verb often follows directly without untuk.

Saya bosan menunggu.
= I am bored (of) waiting.

If you added untuk, like Saya bosan untuk menunggu, it would sound unnatural or overly stiff in most contexts. The natural pattern is:

Saya suka membaca. – I like reading.
Saya benci menunggu. – I hate waiting.
Saya bosan menunggu. – I’m bored of waiting.

So bosan + [verb] is the normal structure.

Is bosan an adjective (“bored”) or a verb (“to be bored”)? How is it used?

Bosan functions like an adjective meaning “bored,” but Malay doesn’t use a separate “to be” verb like English, so bosan can also feel verb‑like.

Saya bosan. – I am bored.
Dia bosan di rumah. – He/She is bored at home.
Saya bosan menunggu. – I am bored of waiting.

To say something is boring (not “I am bored”), you usually make the thing the subject:

Menunggu itu membosankan. – Waiting is boring.
(membosankan = causes boredom / is boring)

What’s the nuance of Saya bosan menunggu versus something like Saya penat menunggu?

Saya bosan menunggu.
→ emotionally/mentally bored, fed up with the waiting.
Saya penat menunggu.
→ physically or mentally tired from waiting (focus on fatigue, not just boredom).

Another close option:

Saya jemu menunggu.
→ also “bored/tired of waiting,” often a bit more literary or expressive.

Your sentence emphasizes feeling bored / fed up rather than just tired.

What exactly does berita tentang keputusan itu mean? Is there an implied “the”?

Berita tentang keputusan itu literally: “news about that decision.”

Malay doesn’t use articles (a, the). Whether you translate it as “the news” or just “news” depends on context. In this sentence, English would normally say:

“waiting for the news about that decision”

because it refers to specific, known news. Malay signals that specificity partly with itu (“that”) after keputusan:

keputusan itu – that decision / the decision

Why tentang here? Could I say berita mengenai keputusan itu or berita pasal keputusan itu instead?

Yes, you can; they differ slightly in formality:

tentang – about, regarding (neutral, common in both speech and writing)
- berita tentang keputusan itu – news about that decision
mengenai – about, concerning (a bit more formal)
- berita mengenai keputusan itu – stylistically a bit more formal/written
pasal – about (informal / colloquial)
- berita pasal keputusan itu – sounds casual, conversational

All three are understandable; your sentence with tentang is neutral and standard.

Why is itu placed after keputusan instead of before, like “itu keputusan”?

In Malay, demonstratives usually come after the noun:

keputusan itu – that decision / the decision
rumah itu – that house
orang itu – that person

Itu keputusan also exists, but it means “That is the decision,” where itu functions more like “that” as a subject, not as a determiner for the noun.

So in your sentence, keputusan itu correctly means “that decision.”

Can I use aku instead of saya here? Does it change the tone?

Yes:

Saya bosan menunggu berita tentang keputusan itu.
– Polite/neutral, suitable in most situations, including semi‑formal.
Aku bosan menunggu berita tentang keputusan itu.
– More informal/intimate; used with friends, family, or people your age or younger.

The meaning is the same; the difference is formality and social distance. Saya is safer unless you know an informal tone is appropriate.

How do I show past or future time? This sentence looks like “I am/was/will be bored” all at once.

Malay verbs don’t change form for tense. Time is understood from context or from time words like sudah (already), tadi (earlier), akan (will), etc.

Your sentence could mean:

“I am bored of waiting…” (present)
“I was bored of waiting…” (past)
“I will be bored of waiting…” (future, with context)

If you really want to clarify:

Tadi saya bosan menunggu berita tentang keputusan itu.
– Earlier I was bored of waiting…
Saya akan bosan menunggu berita tentang keputusan itu.
– I will be bored of waiting… (less common, but grammatically possible)

Where would I add “really” or “very” bored, like “I’m really bored of waiting …”?

Use sangat, amat, or terlalu before or after bosan:

Saya sangat bosan menunggu berita tentang keputusan itu.
Saya bosan sekali menunggu berita tentang keputusan itu. (more natural in Indonesia)
Saya terlalu bosan menunggu berita tentang keputusan itu. – “I’m too bored of waiting…”

Common and natural options:

sangat bosan – very bored
amat bosan – very bored (a bit more formal)
terlalu bosan – too bored (stronger, maybe complaining)