Learn Hardcore Malay: Dia dahulu malu bercakap, tetapi sekarang dia lebih berani kerana sokongan kumpulan. - He/She used to be shy to speak, but now he/she is braver because of the group’s support.

Dia is a gender‑neutral third person singular pronoun in Malay. It can mean he, she, or they (for a single person) depending on context. Malay normally doesn’t mark gender in pronouns.

You know whether it’s “he” or “she” only from context (previous sentences, names, situation). The Malay sentence itself doesn’t change form for gender.

What is the function of dahulu in Dia dahulu malu bercakap? Is it the same as dulu?

Dahulu means before / formerly / in the past. In this sentence it marks a contrast with sekarang (now), like saying “He/She used to be shy to speak”.

About dahulu vs dulu:

dahulu is slightly more formal or careful speech.
dulu is more common in everyday conversation.

Both are correct here:

Dia dahulu malu bercakap (more formal / neutral)
Dia dulu malu bercakap (more casual)

Meaning: the person was like that in the past, but not now.

Why is there no word for “was” or “used to” in Dia dahulu malu bercakap?

Malay doesn’t use a separate verb for “to be” (like is/was/are) in simple descriptive sentences. The structure is usually:

[Subject] + [time word] + [adjective/verb]

Here:

Dia = he/she
dahulu = in the past
malu bercakap = shy to speak

The time word dahulu already shows that it’s in the past, so Malay doesn’t need anything like “was” or “used to”. English adds “used to” for naturalness, but in Malay it’s understood from context and time expressions.

What exactly does malu mean? Is it “shy”, “embarrassed”, or “ashamed”?

Malu covers several ideas that English separates:

shy (personality or temporary feeling)
embarrassed (self-conscious)
ashamed (feeling you’ve done something wrong)

In malu bercakap, it most naturally means “shy/too shy to speak” or “embarrassed to speak”. The exact nuance depends on context:

Dia malu bercakap di depan orang ramai.
He/She is shy to speak in front of a crowd.

For a stronger “ashamed” sense, you may see rasa malu (feel shame/embarrassment) or another clue in context.

Why is it malu bercakap and not malu untuk bercakap? Are both correct?

Both malu bercakap and malu untuk bercakap are grammatically correct.

malu bercakap
- Very common and natural.
- Literally “shy speak” → “shy to speak” / “shy about speaking”.
- Adjective followed directly by a verb is normal in Malay.
malu untuk bercakap
- Slightly more formal or explicit.
- Literally “shy to speak” as well, with untuk (“to / in order to”).

In everyday speech, malu bercakap is shorter and more typical.

What’s the difference between tetapi and tapi? Why use tetapi here?

Both mean “but” / “however”.

tetapi
- More formal or neutral.
- Common in writing, speeches, and careful conversation.
tapi
- Colloquial, more casual.
- Very common in spoken Malay.

In this sentence:

… malu bercakap, tetapi sekarang dia lebih berani …

Using tetapi gives a neutral or slightly formal tone. In casual speech, people would often say tapi instead. Meaning does not change.

How does lebih work in sekarang dia lebih berani?

Lebih means “more” and is used to form comparatives (more X, more Y) in Malay.

Structure:

Subject + lebih + adjective
= Subject is more [adjective].

Examples:

Dia lebih berani.
He/She is braver / more courageous.
Mereka lebih aktif sekarang.
They are more active now.

In context, lebih berani implies a comparison with the past:
“Now he/she is more brave/confident than before.”

Does berani only mean “brave”, or can it also mean “confident”?

The core meaning of berani is “brave, courageous, daring”.

In practical use:

It often overlaps with confident when talking about speaking up, taking initiative, or facing people.
In sekarang dia lebih berani, it’s very natural to translate it as:
- “Now he/she is braver,” or
- “Now he/she is more confident (to speak).”

If you want specifically “self-confident” as a personality trait, you can also use yakin diri (self-confident) or keyakinan diri (self-confidence), but berani is fine here.

What does kerana mean? Is it the same as sebab?

Kerana means “because / due to / because of”.

In this sentence, kerana sokongan kumpulan = because of the group’s support.

Kerana vs sebab:

kerana
- Slightly more formal or neutral.
- Works both as “because” (connector) and “because of” (preposition).
sebab
- More casual and conversational.
- Often used like “because” in speech.

Examples:

Dia lebih berani kerana sokongan kumpulan.
Dia lebih berani sebab sokongan kumpulan. (more casual)

Both are understood the same way in everyday use.

How do sokongan and kumpulan combine to mean “support of the group”? Why no dari (“from”)?

Malay often forms noun–noun compounds where the second noun specifies the first.

sokongan = support
kumpulan = group

Put together:

sokongan kumpulan
- Literally “support (of) group”.
- Means “group support” or “the group’s support”.

It’s similar to English “company policy”, where “company” modifies “policy” without of.

You can say sokongan dari kumpulan (“support from the group”), but Malay doesn’t require dari in many possessive/attributive relationships; the simple noun + noun structure is very common and natural.

Why is kumpulan singular? How do you know it’s “group” and not “groups”?

Malay nouns usually don’t show plural with a special ending. Kumpulan on its own can mean “group” or “groups”, depending on context.

In sokongan kumpulan:

Most natural reading: “support from the group” (one group), especially if the wider context talks about a specific group (e.g. a support group, a study group).
If earlier context mentioned several groups, kumpulan here could be understood as plural.

If you need to be very explicit:

sokongan kumpulan-kumpulan = support of the groups (reduplicated noun for emphasis on plurality)
sokongan daripada kumpulan-kumpulan lain = support from other groups

Is the repetition of dia necessary in tetapi sekarang dia lebih berani? Could I just say tetapi sekarang lebih berani?

It’s grammatically possible to drop dia the second time, but it’s more natural and clearer to repeat it here.

tetapi sekarang dia lebih berani
- Very clear: “but now he/she is more brave”.
tetapi sekarang lebih berani
- Still understandable in context, but sounds slightly incomplete or stylistically weaker, especially in writing.

Malay often drops pronouns when context is strongly established, but in written examples or standalone sentences, keeping dia avoids ambiguity.

What overall contrast is being expressed with dahulu and sekarang?

The sentence uses a before–now contrast:

Dia dahulu malu bercakap
- Previously / before, he/she was shy to speak.
tetapi sekarang dia lebih berani kerana sokongan kumpulan
- But now, he/she is more brave/confident because of the group’s support.

So dahulu and sekarang form a clear time contrast: “Before, X; but now, Y.”
This is a very common way in Malay to talk about personal change over time.