Mimpi itu pelik tetapi membuat saya rasa tenang pagi ini.

That dream is strange but makes me feel calm this morning.

Breakdown of Mimpi itu pelik tetapi membuat saya rasa tenang pagi ini.

• ini: this
• adalah: to be
• itu: that
• pagi: the morning
• membuat: to make
• tenang: calm
• rasa: to feel
• tetapi: but
• saya: me
• mimpi: the dream
• pelik: strange

Questions & Answers about Mimpi itu pelik tetapi membuat saya rasa tenang pagi ini.

In mimpi itu, what does itu do? Is it like the or that in English?

Itu is a demonstrative that usually means that (as opposed to ini = this), but very often it also works like a general the.

• mimpi itu
  
  • literally: that dream
  • often felt as: the dream

So mimpi itu could be understood as that dream (a specific one already known from context) or simply the dream you’re talking about. Malay doesn’t have a separate word for the, so itu often fills that role when you want to be specific.

You could say just mimpi (dreams / a dream) if you meant it in a more general, non‑specific sense.

Why is the adjective pelik (strange) after the noun mimpi instead of before it?

In Malay, descriptive adjectives normally come after the noun:

• mimpi pelik = a strange dream
• rumah besar = a big house
• orang tua = an old person

So mimpi itu pelik is literally the dream (is) strange.
There is no linking verb like is; Malay simply uses [noun] + [adjective].

Word-for-word:

• mimpi itu pelik
  
  • mimpi = dream
  • itu = that / the
  • pelik = strange

Meaning: That dream is strange / The dream is strange.

How do we know this sentence is about the past (a dream I had before now) if there is no past tense form like made?

Malay verbs generally do not change form for tense. Context words show time instead:

• pagi ini = this morning

Because pagi ini refers to a morning that has already happened (from the point of speaking), we understand the whole sentence as referring to the past:

• Mimpi itu pelik tetapi membuat saya rasa tenang pagi ini.
  → That dream was strange but made me feel calm this morning.

If you wanted to be extra explicit about past time, you could add adverbs such as:

• tadi = a little while ago
• semalam = last night

But they’re not grammatically required.

Why is the subject mimpi itu not repeated after tetapi? Should it be … tetapi mimpi itu membuat saya rasa tenang …?

Both are acceptable:

1. Mimpi itu pelik tetapi membuat saya rasa tenang pagi ini.
2. Mimpi itu pelik tetapi mimpi itu membuat saya rasa tenang pagi ini.

In sentence 1, the subject mimpi itu is understood to continue into the second part, so it is dropped to avoid repetition. This is very common in Malay when the subject stays the same across linked clauses.

Sentence 2 is more explicit and can sound a bit more formal or emphatic, but it’s not necessary in everyday speech.

So yes, it’s grammatically fine to leave the subject out after tetapi when it’s clearly the same as before.

What is the difference between tetapi and tapi? Could I say … pelik tapi membuat … instead?

Tetapi and tapi both mean but, with a difference in formality:

• tetapi – more formal, often used in writing, news, speeches
• tapi – more informal, common in everyday conversation

So:

• Mimpi itu pelik tetapi membuat saya rasa tenang pagi ini.
  → neutral / slightly formal.
• Mimpi itu pelik tapi membuat saya rasa tenang pagi ini.
  → more casual, spoken style.

Both are correct; choose based on how formal you want to sound.

Why is membuat used here? Could I say menjadikan saya tenang or just menenangkan saya instead?

All three are possible, but they have slightly different flavors:

1. membuat saya rasa tenang

   • literally: makes me feel calm
   • structure: membuat (make) + saya (me) + rasa (feel) + tenang (calm)
   • very natural; directly parallels English make someone feel [adjective].

2. menjadikan saya tenang

   • literally: turns me into (being) calm / causes me to be calm
   • a bit more formal or written-sounding, and focuses more on the result state.

3. menenangkan saya

   • menenangkan = to calm (someone)
   • literally: calms me
   • shorter and also quite natural.

All of these can work in context:

• Mimpi itu pelik tetapi membuat saya rasa tenang pagi ini.
• Mimpi itu pelik tetapi menjadikan saya tenang pagi ini.
• Mimpi itu pelik tetapi menenangkan saya pagi ini.

The original version sounds very close to natural English phrasing, which is why it’s a common choice.

What’s the difference between rasa, merasa, and berasa? Why use rasa and not merasa here?

All three relate to feeling, but usage differs:

• rasa

  • basic root: taste / feeling.
  • in rasa tenang, rasa works like a light verb: to feel.
  • membuat saya rasa tenang ≈ makes me feel calm.

• merasa

  • verb: to feel / to taste.
  • Saya merasa tenang = I feel calm.
  • Slightly more formal / complete, but very common too.

• berasa

  • also to feel, often more formal or dialect-dependent.
  • In many contexts merasa or rasa is more common; berasa can sound a bit bookish or regional in some varieties.

You could say:

• … membuat saya rasa tenang (most natural spoken/written)
• or … membuat saya merasa tenang (also correct, slightly more formal).

Using just rasa after membuat saya is very typical and sounds smooth in modern Malay.

Could I say membuat saya tenang instead of membuat saya rasa tenang?

Yes, you can:

• Mimpi itu pelik tetapi membuat saya tenang pagi ini.

This means That dream was strange but made me calm this morning.

Nuance:

• membuat saya tenang – focuses on the state: makes me calm
• membuat saya rasa tenang – emphasizes the subjective experience: makes me feel calm

Both are natural; the original just highlights the feeling slightly more.

Why is pagi ini at the end of the sentence? Can it go at the beginning or in the middle?

Time phrases like pagi ini (this morning) are flexible in Malay. All of these are acceptable:

1. Mimpi itu pelik tetapi membuat saya rasa tenang pagi ini.
2. Pagi ini, mimpi itu pelik tetapi membuat saya rasa tenang.
3. Mimpi itu, pagi ini, pelik tetapi membuat saya rasa tenang. (less common, more dramatic/emphatic)

Most natural are (1) and (2).

• Putting pagi ini at the end (1) sounds very normal and neutral.
• Putting pagi ini at the beginning (2) emphasizes the time: This morning, that dream was strange but made me feel calm.

Malay often places time expressions at the start or end of the clause; both are fine.

Why is saya used here instead of aku?

Both saya and aku mean I / me, but they differ in politeness and context:

• saya

  • polite, neutral, used with strangers, in formal situations, and in most writing.

• aku

  • informal, used with close friends, family, or in lyrics/poetry.
  • Can sound too casual or even rude if used with the wrong audience.

So:

• Mimpi itu pelik tetapi membuat saya rasa tenang pagi ini.
  → polite/neutral, suitable for most contexts.

If you’re writing a diary entry or talking to a close friend, you might say:

• Mimpi itu pelik tapi buat aku rasa tenang pagi ini.

Both are correct; it’s just a matter of formality and relationship.

Is the structure [adjective] tetapi [verb phrase] common? It feels a bit unusual compared to English.

Yes, it’s very common in Malay. The pattern:

• [subject] + [adjective] + tetapi + [verb phrase]

is natural:

• Filem itu membosankan tetapi membuat saya berfikir.
  → That movie was boring but made me think.

• Hari ini susah tetapi berjalan dengan baik.
  → Today is difficult but is going well.

In English, you might expect more symmetry (strange but calming), but Malay doesn’t require parallel word classes around tetapi. You can freely contrast an adjective with a verb phrase as long as the meaning is clear.