Learn Hardcore Malay: Untuk mengurangkan tekanan, saya buat senaman ringan supaya tubuh saya rasa lebih selesa. - To reduce stress, I do light exercises so that my body feels more comfortable.

“Untuk” is used to show purpose or intention and is usually followed by a verb in the “meN-” form (a verb with the meN- prefix), like mengurangkan.

It often corresponds to English “to” (when “to” expresses purpose):

Untuk belajar, saya pergi ke perpustakaan.
→ To study, I go to the library.

It can also correspond to “for” in the sense of “for the purpose of”:

Saya beli buku untuk belajar.
→ I bought a book *for studying.*

So, “untuk” = to / for the purpose of, not every kind of “to” or “for” in English, but specifically when you talk about purpose.

How is “mengurangkan” formed, and what is the function of “-kan”?

“Mengurangkan” comes from the base word “kurang” (less, lacking, reduced) plus:

the prefix meN- → meng- (because the root starts with k, which usually changes to ng), and
the suffix -kan

So: kurang → mengurang + kan → mengurangkan

Meaning: to make something less / to reduce something.

The -kan suffix often has a causative sense: “to cause something to be X” or “to do X to something”.

Compare:

kurang = less / lacking
mengurang (rare/unfinished) = to reduce (not usually used alone in modern standard Malay)
mengurangkan tekanan = to reduce stress

Another example:

besar (big) → membesarkan anak
→ to raise / bring up a child (literally “to make big”).

So -kan in mengurangkan helps form a transitive verb: you reduce (something).

What does “tekanan” mean exactly? Does it only mean “stress”?

“Tekanan” literally means “pressure”. It comes from:

tekan = press / push
-an = noun-forming suffix

So tekanan = pressure, in both literal and figurative senses.

It can mean:

Physical pressure
- tekanan darah = blood pressure
- tekanan udara = air pressure
Psychological pressure / stress (as in this sentence)
- Saya mengalami tekanan di tempat kerja.
  → I experience pressure/stress at work.

In this sentence, “mengurangkan tekanan” is best understood as “to reduce stress”, i.e. mental or emotional pressure.

Why is “saya buat senaman ringan” used instead of something like “saya bersenam” or “saya melakukan senaman”? Are they different?

All of these are possible, but they differ in style and nuance:

Saya buat senaman ringan
- Literally: I do light exercise.
- “buat” = do/make (very common, everyday verb).
- Common, conversational, neutral in tone.
Saya bersenam
- Literally: I exercise.
- ber-
  - senam (to exercise).
- Sounds a bit more compact and slightly more “standard”/bookish than buat senaman, but is also used in speech.
- If you want to keep “light” you can say:
  - Saya bersenam ringan.
Saya melakukan senaman ringan
- melakukan = to do / to carry out (from laku).
- Sounds more formal or written, e.g. health brochures, articles.

So:

Everyday speech: saya buat senaman ringan or saya bersenam
More formal/written: saya melakukan senaman ringan

They all convey the same basic idea: you are doing light exercise.

What does “senaman ringan” mean literally, and can “ringan” be used for things other than exercise?

“Senaman ringan” literally means “light exercise”.

senaman = exercise (from senam
- -an)
ringan = light (not heavy), easy, not intense

Yes, “ringan” is a general adjective for “light” or “not heavy / not intense”, used in many contexts:

beg ringan = a light bag
kerja ringan = light work, not too hard
hukuman ringan = a light sentence/punishment
demam ringan = mild fever

In “senaman ringan”, it suggests exercise that is:

not intense,
easy on the body,
low-impact.

Why does the sentence use “supaya” after the comma? Can I use “agar” or “untuk” instead?

In “... supaya tubuh saya rasa lebih selesa.”, “supaya” introduces a purpose/result clause and means roughly “so that” / “in order that”.

You can think of it as:

Untuk mengurangkan tekanan, saya buat senaman ringan supaya tubuh saya rasa lebih selesa.
→ To reduce stress, I do light exercise so that my body feels more comfortable.

Can you replace it?

agar – Yes, you can usually swap supaya with agar in standard Malay:
- … saya buat senaman ringan agar tubuh saya rasa lebih selesa.
- agar sounds a bit more formal or literary.
untuk – Not in this exact structure.
You can’t simply say:
- ✗ … saya buat senaman ringan untuk tubuh saya rasa lebih selesa. (unnatural)

If you want to use untuk, the structure typically changes:

… saya buat senaman ringan untuk membuat tubuh saya rasa lebih selesa.

So, for a “so that…” clause after a full sentence, supaya (or agar) is the natural choice.

Is “tubuh” the same as “badan”? Which one is more common?

Both “tubuh” and “badan” can mean “body”, but there are some preferences and nuances:

badan
- Very common in everyday speech.
- Used in many set phrases:
  - sakit badan = body aches
  - jaga badan = keep in shape
tubuh
- Slightly more formal or literary, often used in writing, health contexts, or poetic language.
- Also in set phrases:
  - seluruh tubuh = the whole body

In normal conversation, many people would naturally say:

… supaya badan saya rasa lebih selesa.

Your sentence with “tubuh saya” is correct and natural, just a bit more on the formal / careful side.

Why is it “tubuh saya rasa lebih selesa” and not “tubuh saya berasa lebih selesa”?

Both are possible:

tubuh saya rasa lebih selesa
tubuh saya berasa lebih selesa

Differences:

rasa (without ber-)
- Very common in spoken Malay.
- Works like English “feel” in many contexts:
  - Saya rasa penat. = I feel tired.
berasa
- More standard / formal in writing.
- You’ll see it in textbooks and formal texts.

So in casual speech, “tubuh saya rasa lebih selesa” is completely natural.
In very formal writing, you might see “tubuh saya berasa lebih selesa” instead.

What does “lebih” add to “selesa”? Is it necessary?

selesa = comfortable
lebih selesa = more comfortable

So “lebih” is the word for “more” (in comparisons or degrees).

In “tubuh saya rasa lebih selesa”, it suggests:

not just comfortable, but more comfortable than before.

If you say only:

tubuh saya rasa selesa
→ my body feels comfortable (no comparison implied).

So “lebih” is not grammatically required, but it changes the meaning: it introduces the idea of increase / improvement in comfort, which fits well with “mengurangkan tekanan”.

Why is there no word for “my” other than “saya”? How does possession work here?

Malay uses pronouns after the noun to show possession, instead of separate words like “my/your/his”.

Structure: noun + pronoun

tubuh saya = my body
rumah dia = his/her house
buku mereka = their book

So “tubuh saya” literally is “body I”, but it means “my body”.

You don’t need an extra word like “of” or “my” – the position of the pronoun shows the possession.

Can I omit the second “saya” and just say “supaya tubuh rasa lebih selesa”?

Yes, in informal speech, you can often drop repeated pronouns when the meaning is clear:

Untuk mengurangkan tekanan, saya buat senaman ringan supaya tubuh rasa lebih selesa.

Most listeners will still understand that “tubuh” refers to your own body.

However:

In clear, careful, or written Malay, it is better to keep “tubuh saya” so there is no ambiguity.
Dropping “saya” is more conversational and less precise.

So the original “tubuh saya rasa lebih selesa” is the safer, more standard choice.

Is the comma after “tekanan” necessary? Does it affect the meaning?

The comma after “tekanan” marks the pause between:

the fronted purpose phrase: Untuk mengurangkan tekanan (To reduce stress), and
the main clause: saya buat senaman ringan… (I do light exercise…).

It’s similar to English:

To reduce stress, I do light exercise so that my body feels more comfortable.

In writing, the comma is recommended because:

it shows clearly that “untuk mengurangkan tekanan” is an introductory phrase, not the subject.

In spoken language, this is just a natural pause and doesn’t change the meaning, but in writing, using the comma makes the sentence easier to read and more standard.

Is “saya” the most common way to say “I” here, or could I use “aku”?

Both “saya” and “aku” mean “I”, but they differ in formality and social distance:

saya
- Polite, neutral, and safe in almost all situations: with strangers, at work, in writing.
- Used in the example sentence, which sounds neutral/polite.
aku
- Informal/intimate: used with close friends, family, or in casual contexts (songs, diaries).
- It would be natural if you’re speaking to a close friend:
  - Untuk mengurangkan tekanan, aku buat senaman ringan…

In a general learner example like this one, “saya” is the best and safest choice.