Udara di bilik ini lembap sekarang.

The air in this room is humid now.

Breakdown of Udara di bilik ini lembap sekarang.

• sekarang: now
• ini: this
• adalah: to be
• di: in
• udara: the air
• bilik: the room
• lembap: humid

Questions & Answers about Udara di bilik ini lembap sekarang.

Why is there no word for is in Udara di bilik ini lembap sekarang?

Malay usually drops the verb to be when linking a noun to an adjective or another noun.

So:

• Udara di bilik ini lembap sekarang.
  Literally: Air in this room humid now.
  Meaning: The air in this room is humid now.

In sentences of the pattern:

• [Noun] + [Adjective]
• [Noun] + [Noun]

Malay normally has no separate word meaning is/are/am. The relationship is understood from the word order and context.

You do see ialah or adalah sometimes, but mostly:

• for more formal writing, and
• especially before nouns, not adjectives.

With an adjective like lembap, you simply don’t use any is-word at all.

What’s the difference between di bilik ini and dalam bilik ini for in this room?

Both can be translated as in this room, but there’s a nuance:

• di bilik ini

  • di marks location: at / in / on.
  • Very general; just says the air’s location is this room.
  • Most natural in your sentence.

• dalam bilik ini

  • dalam means inside / inside of.
  • Slightly emphasizes inside-ness, like being within the interior of the room.

You can also combine them:

• di dalam bilik ini = inside this room (a little more explicit or formal).

In your sentence, di bilik ini is perfectly natural, everyday Malay.

Why is it bilik ini and not ini bilik for this room?

In Malay, demonstratives like ini (this) and itu (that) usually come after the noun:

• bilik ini = this room
• bilik itu = that room

So:

• Udara di bilik ini = The air in this room

If you say ini bilik, it’s more like:

• ini bilik = this is a room / this room (here)
  (often needing more context, like pointing at something)

So:

• bilik ini → noun phrase this room (as part of a bigger sentence)
• ini bilik → often works as a full clause: this is a room

What exactly does lembap mean? Is it wet, humid, or damp?

Lembap covers the ideas of humid, moist, or slightly damp, depending on context.

In your sentence:

• Udara di bilik ini lembap sekarang.
  → The air in this room is humid now.

Common contrasts:

• lembap

  • Slightly wet / moist / humid.
  • Can refer to:
    • air: udara lembap = humid air
    • surfaces or materials: roti lembap = moist bread

• basah

  • wet, more strongly.
  • Example: baju saya basah = my clothes are wet (soaked, not just a bit damp).

So lembap for humidity or mild dampness, basah for proper wetness.

Can I move sekarang to the front, like Sekarang, udara di bilik ini lembap?

Yes, you can. Both are natural:

1. Udara di bilik ini lembap sekarang.

   • Very common word order.
   • Neutral emphasis.

2. Sekarang, udara di bilik ini lembap.

   • Still correct and natural.
   • Slightly stronger focus on now (as opposed to some other time).

Malay word order is relatively flexible for adverbs like sekarang (now), tadi (earlier), nanti (later). Moving them around usually affects emphasis more than basic meaning.

How would I say “The air in this room was humid earlier”?

Malay doesn’t mark past tense with verb endings. It usually uses time words for past:

• tadi = just now / a short while ago
• sebentar tadi = a moment ago
• sebelum ini = previously / before this

Options:

• Udara di bilik ini lembap tadi.
  = The air in this room was humid just now.

• Tadi, udara di bilik ini lembap.
  Same meaning, with tadi at the front for emphasis.

For a more general past (not necessarily “just now”):

• Sebelum ini, udara di bilik ini lembap.
  = Previously, the air in this room was humid.

Where is the in this sentence? How do I say the air or a room in Malay?

Malay has no articles like the, a, or an. The same noun can mean the or a depending on context.

• udara = air / the air
• bilik = room / a room / the room

In your sentence:

• Udara di bilik ini lembap sekarang.
  By context and the use of ini (this), we naturally interpret it as:
  The air in this room is humid now.

If you need to emphasise something like one room, you can use:

• sebuah bilik = a/one room (with a classifier)
  But bilik alone is usually enough, and context clarifies whether it’s a or the.

What’s the difference between udara and angin? Both seem related to air.

They are related but not the same:

• udara

  • The substance air (as in the atmosphere, what we breathe).
  • Used for:
    • udara segar = fresh air
    • kualiti udara = air quality
    • udara lembap = humid air

• angin

  • wind, or moving air / breeze.
  • Used for:
    • angin kuat = strong wind
    • angin sejuk = cool breeze

In your sentence, you’re talking about the general air in the room, not wind, so udara is the correct word.

Can I just say Bilik ini lembap sekarang without udara?

Yes, you can, but the nuance is a bit different:

• Udara di bilik ini lembap sekarang.
  → Focus is on the air being humid.

• Bilik ini lembap sekarang.
  Literally: This room is damp/humid now.
  → Could imply the room feels damp overall (surfaces, walls, smell, not just the air).

In everyday conversation, people often do say:

• Bilik ini lembap.
  to mean This room is damp / humid.

Including udara makes it clear you’re specifically talking about the air.

Is lembap pronounced with a clear p sound at the end?

The final p is there, but in Malay it’s usually:

• short and unreleased (you close your lips but don’t puff out air strongly).

Rough guide to pronunciation:

• udara → oo-DAH-rah (stress usually on DA)
• di → dee
• bilik → BEE-lik
• ini → EE-nee
• lembap → lem-bap (short p, lips close then stop)
• sekarang → suh-KA-rang (the ng is like English sing)

So lembap is not like an English heavy p at the end; it’s lighter and shorter.

What’s the difference between Malay lembap and Indonesian lembab?

Spelling and standard usage differ slightly between Malay (as used in Malaysia/Brunei/Singapore) and Indonesian:

• Malay (Bahasa Melayu): lembap
• Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia): lembab

Both mean roughly the same: damp / humid / moist.

Similarly for room:

• Malay: bilik
• Indonesian: kamar

So the Indonesian equivalent of your sentence would typically be:

• Udara di kamar ini lembab sekarang.

Is Udara di bilik ini lembap sekarang natural and polite in everyday Malay?

Yes, it’s natural, clear, and neutral in politeness. You could use it:

• in casual conversation at home or with friends
• in more formal contexts, like in an office or a hotel

Other very natural variations include:

• Udara dalam bilik ini lembap sekarang.
• Sekarang, udara di bilik ini lembap.

All of these sound like something a native speaker could say.