Saya menulis umur saya di borang permohonan dan menyemak kalendar di dinding.

I write my age on the application form and check the calendar on the wall.

Breakdown of Saya menulis umur saya di borang permohonan dan menyemak kalendar di dinding.

• saya: I
• dan: and
• menulis: to write
• saya: my
• di: on
• dinding: the wall
• umur: the age
• borang permohonan: the application form
• menyemak: to check
• kalendar: the calendar

Questions & Answers about Saya menulis umur saya di borang permohonan dan menyemak kalendar di dinding.

Why is saya repeated in umur saya? Could you just say Saya menulis umur di borang…?

You need saya after umur to show whose age it is.

• umur saya = my age
• umur on its own = age in general (could be anyone’s)

So:

• Saya menulis umur saya… = I wrote my age… (clear)
• Saya menulis umur… = I wrote (an) age… (unnatural / incomplete without context)

In Malay, possession is usually shown by [noun + possessor]:

• buku saya = my book
• nama saya = my name
• umur saya = my age

How is tense shown here? Does Saya menulis… mean “I write” or “I wrote”?

The verb menulis itself has no tense. Malay does not change verb forms for past / present / future.

Saya menulis umur saya… can mean:

• I write my age…
• I am writing my age…
• I wrote my age…

The exact tense is understood from context, or by adding time words/particles:

• Saya tadi menulis umur saya… = I wrote my age just now
• Saya sedang menulis umur saya… = I am writing my age (right now)
• Saya akan menulis umur saya… = I will write my age

Why isn’t saya repeated before menyemak? Could it be Saya menulis… dan saya menyemak…?

Both are correct. In Malay, if the subject is the same, you can omit it in the second clause:

• Saya menulis umur saya… dan menyemak kalendar…
• Saya menulis umur saya… dan saya menyemak kalendar…

The first version is more natural and less repetitive. The subject saya is understood to apply to both verbs.

What’s the difference between menulis and tulis?

The base verb is tulis (“to write”). menulis = meN- + tulis and is the normal finite verb form.

General pattern:

• meN- + root = standard active verb
  
  • baca → membaca (to read)
  • tulis → menulis (to write)
  • semak → menyemak (to check)

Use:

• menulis in full sentences with a subject:
  
  • Saya menulis surat. = I write / am writing a letter.
• tulis often as command or in very informal speech:
  
  • Tulis nama kamu di sini. = Write your name here.

In your sentence, menulis is the correct form.

What exactly does menyemak mean? Is it like “check” in English?

Yes, menyemak usually means to check / to review / to go through something carefully.

Typical uses:

• menyemak kalendar = check the calendar
• menyemak jawapan = check answers
• menyemak dokumen = review documents

There are synonyms with slightly different flavours:

• memeriksa – inspect / examine (often more thorough, e.g. machines, patients)
• memastikan – to make sure / ensure (focus on the result)

In your sentence, menyemak kalendar di dinding = “(I) checked the calendar on the wall.”

Why is di used twice: di borang permohonan and di dinding? Does di mean “in”, “on”, or “at”?

di is a general location preposition. Depending on context, it can mean in / on / at.

• di borang permohonan = on / in the application form
• di dinding = on the wall

Malay does not always distinguish “in / on / at” the way English does. A few examples:

• di rumah = at home
• di meja = on the table
• di sekolah = at school

Also note: di here is a separate word (preposition), not the passive prefix di- that attaches directly to verbs (e.g. ditulis = is/was written).

Why is it di dinding and not something like di atas dinding for “on the wall”?

For surfaces like walls, Malay commonly just uses di + place:

• di dinding = on the wall
• di lantai = on the floor
• di meja = on the table

atas literally means “upper part / top”. You might see:

• di atas meja = on top of the table

But with dinding (a vertical surface), native speakers almost always say di dinding, not di atas dinding.

What exactly does borang permohonan mean, and why is the word order like that?

borang permohonan is a noun + noun phrase:

• borang = form
• permohonan = application / request

In Malay the main noun (the “thing”) usually comes first, and the describing noun comes after:

• borang permohonan = application form
• bilik mesyuarat = meeting room
• kad pengenalan = identity card

So borang permohonan literally feels like “form (for) application”, which matches “application form”.

Is there any difference between umur saya and usia saya?

Both umur and usia mean age, and both are understood everywhere.

• umur – very common, neutral, used in everyday speech and writing
• usia – a bit more formal / literary in feel, common in speeches, writing, religious contexts

In your sentence, both are fine:

• Saya menulis umur saya…
• Saya menulis usia saya…

Most learners start with umur because it’s more frequent in daily conversation.

Why is there no word for “the” or “a” in borang permohonan and kalendar di dinding?

Malay does not have articles like “the” or “a/an”. Nouns are usually bare, and definiteness is understood from context.

So kalendar di dinding can mean:

• the calendar on the wall
• a calendar on the wall

If you need to be explicit, you use other words:

• sebuah kalendar di dinding = a calendar on the wall (one calendar, counting classifier)
• kalendar itu di dinding = that/the calendar (already known) is on the wall

But in most normal contexts, no article is needed.

Is saya the only way to say “I”? When would you use a different word?

saya is the neutral, polite “I” and is safe in almost all situations.

Other options:

• aku – informal/casual “I”, used with close friends, family, or in songs and poetry
• beta, patik, etc. – very formal, royal/court language

Your sentence uses saya, which is appropriate for anything connected to forms, applications, and general polite speech.

So:

• Saya menulis umur saya… sounds natural and polite.
• Aku tulis umur aku… would sound casual/informal.