Learn Hardcore Malay: Kami suka suasana bandar pada waktu malam.

kami = we (not including the listener)
- Used when the group does not include the person you are talking to.
- Example context: Talking to your friend about you and your family:
  Kami suka suasana bandar pada waktu malam.
  = We (my family and I, not you) like the city atmosphere at night.
kita = we (including the listener)
- Used when the group includes the person you are talking to.
- Example: Talking to a friend about both of you:
  Kita suka suasana bandar pada waktu malam.
  = We (you and I) like the city atmosphere at night.

So in the given sentence, kami suggests the listener is not part of the group that likes the city atmosphere at night.

Why doesn’t the verb suka change for past, present, or future tense?

In Malay, verbs usually do not change form for tense. Instead, tense is shown by:

Time words
- semalam = yesterday
- tadi = earlier
- sekarang = now
- nanti / kemudian = later
Context

So Kami suka suasana bandar pada waktu malam can mean:

We like the city atmosphere at night (in general) – habitual/general
In the right context, it could also be understood as:
- We liked the city atmosphere at night (if you’re clearly talking about a past trip)
- We will like the city atmosphere at night (less common, but possible in the right context)

If you want to be clear:

Past: Kami suka suasana bandar pada waktu malam semalam.
Present (habit): Sekarang kami suka suasana bandar pada waktu malam.
Future: Nanti kami akan suka suasana bandar pada waktu malam.

The verb suka itself stays the same.

What does suka exactly mean? Is it like love or just like?

suka most commonly means to like.

It can mean:
- to enjoy:
  Kami suka suasana bandar pada waktu malam.
  = We enjoy the city atmosphere at night.
- to be fond of:
  Saya suka kopi. = I like coffee.

For love (emotional, romantic, strong feeling), you normally use:

sayang = love (affectionate, caring)
cinta = love (romantic, deep love)

So saya suka awak is more like I like you (can be friendly or mild romantic), not necessarily I love you. For strong romantic love, you’d say:

Saya cinta awak. or Saya sayang awak.

What does suasana mean exactly? Is it just atmosphere?

suasana is usually translated as atmosphere, but in a non-physical sense:

The feeling, mood, or ambience of a place:
- suasana bandar = the atmosphere / vibe of the city
- suasana kampung = the village atmosphere (more peaceful, rural vibe)
- suasana romantik = romantic atmosphere

It does not mean the physical air (for that you would use udara).

So in your sentence, suasana bandar is about the vibe or feel of the city at night (lights, people, noise, energy, etc.).

Is suasana bandar like saying the city’s atmosphere? Why is there no of in Malay?

Yes, suasana bandar works like the city’s atmosphere or city atmosphere.

Malay often uses Noun + Noun to show relationships that English expresses with:

of (atmosphere of the city)
’s (the city’s atmosphere)
or a compound (city atmosphere)

Structure:

suasana (atmosphere) + bandar (city)
→ suasana bandar (city atmosphere / the atmosphere of the city)

Other examples:

pintu rumah = door (of) the house
harga kereta = price (of) the car
baju sekolah = school uniform (clothes of school)

So the language doesn’t need an explicit of; it’s shown by word order.

Does bandar mean city or town? How is it different from kota?

bandar generally means town or city, depending on size and context. It’s used in everyday speech for urban areas.

kota also means city, but:

It can sound a bit more formal or historical.
It’s often found in place names:
- Kota Bharu
- Kota Kinabalu
It can also mean fort or fortified city in traditional contexts.

In normal conversation about modern urban areas, bandar is the more common, neutral word:

suasana bandar = city/town atmosphere
Using suasana kota would sound more literary or specific to a “city” in a stylized sense.

Why is it pada waktu malam and not di waktu malam? What’s the function of pada here?

Both pada waktu malam and di waktu malam can be heard, but:

pada is more standard and is often used with time expressions:
- pada waktu malam = at night
- pada pukul 8 = at 8 o’clock
- pada hari Isnin = on Monday
di is more for locations/places:
- di bandar = in the city
- di rumah = at home
- di sekolah = at school

In practice:

With waktu (time), pada is preferred: pada waktu malam.
Some native speakers do say di waktu malam, but it’s less formal/less standard.

So pada waktu malam is the more grammatically “textbook” choice for at night.

Can we just say pada malam instead of pada waktu malam? Is there any difference?

Yes, you can say pada malam and it is completely natural.

pada waktu malam = at night time (slightly more explicit)
pada malam = at night

In everyday speech:

Kami suka suasana bandar pada malam.
sounds fine and is commonly used.

waktu literally means time, so waktu malam = “night time,” but often malam alone is enough to express “at night.”

Can I move pada waktu malam to the front: Pada waktu malam, kami suka suasana bandar?

Yes, that is correct and sounds natural.

Malay word order is quite flexible for time expressions. Both are acceptable:

Kami suka suasana bandar pada waktu malam.
Pada waktu malam, kami suka suasana bandar.

Moving pada waktu malam to the front:

Adds slight emphasis on the time (“At night, we like the city atmosphere”).
Is common in both speech and writing.

The core grammar doesn’t change; it’s just a stylistic variation.

Can we drop kami and just say Suka suasana bandar pada waktu malam?

Yes, you can drop kami, especially if the subject is clear from context.

Malay often omits pronouns when they are obvious:

Suka suasana bandar pada waktu malam.
= (We) like the city atmosphere at night.

However:

Without kami, you can’t tell if it means I, we, they, etc.
In careful or formal speech/writing, it’s usually better to include the pronoun at least once, especially if the subject might be unclear.

So:

In a conversation where you’ve already said kami, you might later drop it.
As a standalone sentence (like in an exercise), Kami suka… is clearer.

Does bandar here mean one specific city, or cities in general? How do you make it plural?

bandar by itself can mean:

a specific city/town, if context shows which one
cities/towns in general, if speaking generally

Malay does not always mark plural nouns. Plurality is often understood from context.

To make it explicitly plural, you can:

Use repetition: bandar-bandar = cities/towns
Or add a quantifier: banyak bandar = many cities

Examples:

Kami suka suasana bandar pada waktu malam.
→ could mean “in the city” (a particular city) or “in cities” (in general).
Kami suka suasana bandar-bandar besar pada waktu malam.
→ We like the atmosphere of big cities at night.

Is this sentence formal, informal, or neutral? Would I say this to a friend?

The sentence Kami suka suasana bandar pada waktu malam. is neutral in tone and:

Perfectly fine in formal contexts (writing, presentations, polite speech).
Also acceptable in informal conversation.

To a friend you might hear slightly more casual versions, like:

Aku suka suasana bandar waktu malam.
(aku = informal “I”; often used between close friends)
Dropping pada and kami in casual speech:
- Suka suasana bandar waktu malam.

But as given, the sentence is standard, polite, and usable in almost any context.