Learn Hardcore Malay: Kaki saya letih selepas berjoging.

Putting saya first (saya kaki) would sound wrong here and can even suggest a different meaning (e.g. I am a kaki…, where kaki can be slang for an addict/fan of something, like kaki bola = football fan).

So: kaki saya letih = my legs are tired is the natural structure.

Why is there no word for “are” in kaki saya letih?

Malay usually does not use a separate verb like am / is / are before an adjective.

The pattern is:

Subject + Adjective

So:

kaki saya letih = my legs are tired
saya lapar = I am hungry
air itu sejuk = that water is cold

You only use linking words like ialah / adalah mainly:

before nouns, not adjectives (e.g. Dia ialah doktor = He is a doctor)
or in more formal/written styles.

With adjectives like letih, you just put them directly after the subject.

What is the difference between letih and penat?

Both letih and penat are often translated as tired.

penat – very common in everyday speech; “tired” from effort, work, walking, etc.
letih – also “tired”, sometimes sounds a little more “drained / exhausted” or slightly more formal depending on context.

In this sentence:

Kaki saya letih selepas berjoging. You could also say:
Kaki saya penat selepas berjoging.

Both are acceptable; many speakers would use penat in casual conversation.

How can kaki mean both “foot” and “leg”? Which one is it here?

Malay kaki covers a wider area than English foot:

It can mean foot (the part you stand on).
It can also mean leg (from the hip down), especially in everyday speech.

In many contexts, English must choose foot or leg, but Malay just uses kaki.

Here, with jogging, English speakers would normally say:

My legs are tired after jogging.

So kaki saya is most naturally understood as my legs in this sentence, not just the feet.

How do we know this means “after jogging” happened in the past if there is no past tense?

Malay verbs do not change form for past / present / future.

Time is shown by:

context, and/or
time words (e.g. tadi = earlier, semalam = last night, esok = tomorrow).

Kaki saya letih selepas berjoging. by itself is neutral:

It can mean My legs are tired after jogging (describing what typically happens), or
My legs are tired after jogging (just now), if the context is a recent jog.

To make the past more explicit, you might add a time expression:

Kaki saya letih selepas berjoging tadi.
My legs were tired after jogging just now / earlier.
Kaki saya letih selepas berjoging pagi tadi.
My legs were tired after jogging this morning.

What does the ber- in berjoging do? Why not just joging?

ber- is a common verb prefix in Malay. Very roughly, it often turns a noun into an intransitive verb meaning “to do / to have / to be with X”.

Examples:

kerja (work) → bekerja (to work)
jalan (road) → berjalan (to walk)
renang (swim) → berenang (to swim)

So:

joging = jogging (the activity/loanword)
berjoging = to go jogging / to jog

In more standard Malay, berjoging is the normal verb form:

Saya berjoging setiap pagi. = I jog every morning.

In informal speech, some people might just say joging as a verb, but berjoging is safer and more correct for learners.

Could I say Selepas saya berjoging, kaki saya letih instead? Is that more natural?

Yes, that is also correct and natural:

Selepas saya berjoging, kaki saya letih.
After I jog, my legs are tired.

Comparing:

Kaki saya letih selepas berjoging.
– Literally: My legs are tired after jogging.
– The subject “I” of jogging is implied from context.
Selepas saya berjoging, kaki saya letih.
– Literally: After I jog, my legs are tired.
– The subject saya is explicitly mentioned.

Both are fine. The first is a bit shorter and very common. The second is slightly more explicit and a bit more “sentence-like” for learners.

What is the difference between selepas, lepas, and sesudah?

All three can mean after, but they differ in formality and typical use:

selepas
- Standard, neutral.
- Used in both spoken and written Malay.
- Good default choice.
lepas
- More informal / colloquial.
- Often used in casual speech.
- E.g. Lepas berjoging, kaki saya letih.
sesudah
- Slightly more formal / literary.
- More common in writing, speeches, religious contexts, etc.
- E.g. Sesudah berjoging, kaki saya letih.

For everyday use, selepas is safe and appropriate almost everywhere.

Could I omit saya and just say Kaki letih selepas berjoging?

Normally, no. Kaki letih selepas berjoging sounds incomplete or strange, because we don’t know whose legs.

You need some marker of possession:

kaki saya letih = my legs are tired
kaki awak letih = your legs are tired
kaki dia letih = his/her legs are tired

Another option is a possessive suffix:

kakiku letih selepas berjoging.
(-ku = my)
This is correct but sounds a bit more written/poetic or “bookish” in many contexts.

In normal conversation, kaki saya letih is the most natural.

Is saya the only option here, or can I use aku?

You can use aku, but it changes the level of formality and relationship:

saya – polite, neutral; used with strangers, in formal situations, or when you want to be respectful.
aku – informal; used with close friends, family, peers; can sound rude if used with the wrong person.

So, in casual speech with friends you might say:

Kaki aku letih selepas berjoging.

The structure is the same; only the pronoun and tone (formality) change.

How would I say “My whole body is tired after jogging” using a similar structure?

You can keep the pattern [body part] + saya + letih + selepas berjoging and just change the body part:

Seluruh badan saya letih selepas berjoging.
My whole body is tired after jogging.

Other examples:

Tangan saya letih selepas berjoging. – My arms are tired after jogging.
Badan saya letih selepas berjoging. – My body is tired after jogging.

The sentence structure stays the same.