Segala usaha ini berbaloi.

All these efforts are worthwhile.

Breakdown of Segala usaha ini berbaloi.

• ini: this
• adalah: to be
• usaha: the effort
• berbaloi: worthwhile
• segala: all

Questions & Answers about Segala usaha ini berbaloi.

What does each word in Segala usaha ini berbaloi literally correspond to in English?

Rough word-by-word mapping:

• segala = all, every, all kinds of
• usaha = effort, attempt, endeavour
• ini = this / these (demonstrative placed after the noun)
• berbaloi = worth it, worthwhile

So a very literal gloss might be:
segala (all) usaha (effort) ini (this) berbaloi (is worth it / worthwhile).

What exactly does segala mean, and how is it different from semua?

Both segala and semua are often translated as all, but there are nuances:

• semua is the more general, everyday word for all.

  • semua orang = all people
  • semua buku = all the books

• segala often has a slightly more formal or literary feel and is frequently used with:

  • abstract nouns: segala usaha (all effort), segala bantuan (all help)
  • mass/uncountable ideas: segala masalah (all kinds of problems)

In Segala usaha ini berbaloi, segala gives a sense of every bit of the effort, or all kinds of efforts that went into it, not just a simple list of countable items.
You could say Semua usaha ini berbaloi and it would still be understood, but segala feels a bit more sweeping and emphatic.

Is usaha singular or plural here? How do I know if it means “effort” or “efforts”?

Malay generally does not mark singular vs plural on the noun itself, so usaha can mean:

• effort (singular, as a concept)
• efforts (plural, multiple attempts/actions)

Context decides.

In segala usaha ini, it’s best understood as all this effort or all these efforts. Both translations are valid; the sentence is talking about the totality of the effort that was put in.

If you really want to emphasise plurality, you can say:

• usaha-usaha = efforts (reduplicated noun for plural emphasis)
  
  • Segala usaha-usaha ini berbaloi. (still sounds a bit heavy; native speakers would often just keep usaha.)

What is the function of ini here, and why does it come after usaha instead of before it?

ini is a demonstrative that means this or these. In Malay, the typical pattern is:

• noun + ini = this/these + noun
• noun + itu = that/those + noun

So:

• usaha ini = this effort / these efforts
• buku ini = this book
• orang ini = this person

Placing ini after the noun is the standard pattern in Malay. Saying ini usaha is possible but has a different feel; it’s more like this is an effort (a different structure), not this effort.

In Segala usaha ini berbaloi, ini specifies that we are talking about this particular set of efforts (e.g. the efforts just mentioned in conversation), not effort in general.

What kind of word is berbaloi? Is it a verb or an adjective?

Malay doesn’t divide verbs and adjectives in exactly the same way as English, but:

• berbaloi behaves like a stative verb / adjective meaning worth it / worthwhile.
• It has the prefix ber-, which often marks intransitive or stative verbs.

You use it like a predicate:

• Segala usaha ini berbaloi.
  = All this effort is worth it / worthwhile.

Other examples:

• Filem itu berbaloi ditonton.
  = That movie is worth watching.
• Tak berbaloi bayar mahal macam tu.
  = It’s not worth paying that much.

So you can think of berbaloi as filling the “is worth it” / “is worthwhile” slot in English.

Why is there no word for “is” in this sentence? Where is the verb “to be”?

Malay typically does not use a separate verb for “to be” when linking a subject to an adjective or a stative verb.

Pattern:

• [subject] + [adjective / stative verb]
  
  • Dia penat. = He/She is tired.
  • Buku itu mahal. = That book is expensive.
  • Segala usaha ini berbaloi. = All this effort is worth it.

There is a word adalah, but it’s usually used:

• to link to nouns, especially in formal writing:
  
  • Dia adalah seorang doktor. = He/She is a doctor.
• or to emphasise an explanation/definition.

For adjectives and words like berbaloi, native speakers normally do not insert adalah. The “is” idea is understood from the structure.

Can I say Segala usaha ini adalah berbaloi? Is that correct or natural?

It’s grammatically understandable, but it sounds unnatural to most native speakers in normal usage.

For predicate adjectives or stative verbs like berbaloi, Malay usually just uses:

• Segala usaha ini berbaloi. ✅ (natural)

If you want to add emphasis, you would more likely use other words:

• Segala usaha ini memang berbaloi.
  (All this effort is really / definitely worth it.)
• Segala usaha ini sangat berbaloi.
  (All this effort is very much worth it.)

Using adalah before an adjective is often avoided in colloquial Malay and sounds overly formal or awkward in many contexts.

How would I say “All this effort was worth it” or “will be worth it”? How do I change the tense?

Malay doesn’t change the verb form for tense. Instead, you use time words or context.

1. Past sense – “was worth it”

   • Segala usaha ini memang berbaloi.
   • Segala usaha ini sudah berbaloi. (literally: already worth it)
   • Akhirnya, segala usaha ini berbaloi juga.
     = In the end, all this effort turned out to be worth it.

2. Future sense – “will be worth it”

   • Segala usaha ini akan berbaloi.
     = All this effort will be worth it.
   • Nanti segala usaha ini berbaloi juga.
     = Later, all this effort will be worth it too.

Without sudah / telah / akan / nanti, Segala usaha ini berbaloi is neutral and the time reference comes from the overall context.

How do I make this sentence negative, as in “All this effort is not worth it”?

You simply add the negator tidak (or the informal tak) before berbaloi:

• Segala usaha ini tidak berbaloi.
• Segala usaha ini tak berbaloi. (more informal / spoken)

Stronger versions:

• Segala usaha ini langsung tak berbaloi.
  = All this effort is absolutely not worth it at all.
• Rasa macam semua usaha ini tak berbaloi.
  = Feels like all this effort isn’t worth it.

Can I just say Berbaloi! on its own? Would people understand me?

Yes. Berbaloi! on its own is very natural and common in conversation.

It works like an exclamation meaning:

• Worth it!
• So worth it!

Examples:

• After eating at a restaurant that was cheap and delicious:

  • Makan kat sini memang berbaloi!
  • Or just: Berbaloi!

• After seeing the positive results of hard work:

  • Penat-penat pun, berbaloi lah.
    (Even though it was tiring, it was worth it.)

So your full sentence Segala usaha ini berbaloi is just a more explicit version of this idea.

Is this sentence formal or informal? In what contexts would Segala usaha ini berbaloi be used?

The sentence itself is neutral and works in both formal and informal contexts.

• In informal speech, you might hear:

  • Semua usaha kita ni berbaloi.
  • Akhirnya, berbaloi juga semua ni.

• In more formal or written contexts (essays, speeches, reports), Segala usaha ini berbaloi fits very well and sounds slightly more polished, especially because of segala.

You could easily see it:

• At the end of a motivational speech
• In a school essay about hard work
• In a company’s annual report, referring to projects that succeeded

Are there similar useful expressions with berbaloi or usaha that I should know?

Yes, here are some handy patterns:

With berbaloi:

• Tak berbaloi.
  = Not worth it.
• Memang berbaloi.
  = Definitely worth it / totally worth it.
• Berbaloi ke? (informal, with question particle ke)
  = Is it worth it?

With usaha:

• berusaha = to make an effort, to try

  • Kita kena berusaha lebih keras.
    = We have to put in more effort / try harder.
• usaha terakhir = last effort / last attempt
• usaha sendiri = one’s own effort

Combined:

• Dengan sedikit usaha, hasilnya akan berbaloi.
  = With a bit of effort, the result will be worth it.
• Usaha tanpa henti akhirnya berbaloi.
  = Relentless effort is finally worth it.