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Bos saya bukan kedekut, tetapi dia tegas tentang kualiti kerja.

Bos saya bukan kedekut, tetapi dia tegas tentang kualiti kerja.
My boss is not stingy, but he/she is strict about the quality of work.
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Questions & Answers about Bos saya bukan kedekut, tetapi dia tegas tentang kualiti kerja.

Why is it bos saya and not saya bos for my boss?

In Malay, possession is usually NOUN + possessor, not the other way round.

  • bos saya = my boss (literally boss I)
  • rumah mereka = their house (literally house they)

Saya bos would mean I am the boss, not my boss. So bos saya is the correct order for my boss.

Why is there no word for is in Bos saya bukan kedekut?

Malay normally drops the verb to be (is/am/are) when linking a subject to an adjective or noun.

  • Bos saya kedekut. = My boss is stingy.
  • Dia tegas. = He/She is strict.

You only see adalah (a kind of to be) in more formal or specific structures, often before a noun phrase, not a simple adjective:

  • Dia adalah bos saya. = He/She is my boss.

So in Bos saya bukan kedekut, the is is understood and doesn’t need to be written.

Why is bukan used instead of tidak in Bos saya bukan kedekut?

General rule:

  • tidak negates verbs and adjectives
  • bukan negates nouns, pronouns or whole statements

So you would normally expect:

  • Bos saya tidak kedekut. = My boss is not stingy.

However, speakers often use bukan before an adjective when they are saying someone is not that kind of person, almost like not a stingy person. So:

  • Bos saya bukan kedekut feels like My boss isn’t (the) stingy type, a bit more emphatic or contrastive.
    It’s common and natural in conversation.
Is Bos saya tidak kedekut also correct? What’s the difference from bukan kedekut?

Yes, Bos saya tidak kedekut is grammatically correct.

Nuance:

  • Bos saya tidak kedekut.
    Neutral: just My boss is not stingy.
  • Bos saya bukan kedekut.
    Slightly more emphatic/contrastive: My boss is not stingy (at all / not that kind of person).

In everyday speech, both are used and understood; context and tone usually make the nuance clear.

What exactly does kedekut mean? Is it rude?

Kedekut means stingy, mean with money, or unwilling to spend or share. It is negative in tone.

Compare:

  • kedekut = stingy/mean (quite negative)
  • berjimat cermat = thrifty, careful with money (positive/neutral)
  • sederhana = modest/simple (not wasteful, neutral/positive)

Calling someone kedekut can be rude or at least unflattering, depending on context and tone. In this sentence, it’s softened by saying bukan kedekut (not stingy).

Does dia mean he or she here?

Dia is a gender-neutral third-person singular pronoun. It can mean he, she, or they (singular) depending on context.

Malay does not normally mark gender in pronouns. If you really need to specify, you add extra words:

  • dia lelaki = he (literally he male)
  • dia perempuan = she (literally she female)

But in most situations, dia alone is enough, like in this sentence.

What’s the difference between tetapi and tapi?

Both mean but, however.

  • tetapi – more formal, common in writing, speeches, formal conversations
  • tapi – informal, very common in everyday speech

So you could say:

  • Bos saya bukan kedekut, tetapi dia tegas... (neutral/formal)
  • Bos saya bukan kedekut, tapi dia tegas... (casual)

The meaning is the same; it’s a matter of register.

What does tegas mean? Is it always negative like strict?

Tegas means firm, strict, authoritative, or assertive.

It can be:

  • Positive/neutral: firm and consistent in enforcing rules or standards
    • Guru itu tegas tetapi adil. = That teacher is strict but fair.
  • Negative, if said with a critical tone or in a complaint
    • Bos saya terlalu tegas. = My boss is too strict.

In dia tegas tentang kualiti kerja, the nuance is generally positive or neutral: the boss cares seriously about work quality.

What does tentang mean, and could I use a different word instead?

Tentang means about, regarding, concerning.

In this sentence:

  • tegas tentang kualiti kerja = strict/firm about the quality of work

Common alternatives with similar meanings:

  • mengenai – about, regarding (more formal)
  • berkenaan (dengan) – regarding, in relation to (formal)
  • pasal – about (informal, colloquial)

For example:

  • Dia tegas mengenai kualiti kerja. (very similar meaning)
  • Dia tegas pasal kualiti kerja. (more casual)
How does kualiti kerja work? Why is it not kerja kualiti?

Malay noun phrases usually follow the pattern head noun + modifier.

Here, kualiti (quality) is the head, and kerja (work) specifies what kind of quality:

  • kualiti kerja = the quality of work / work quality
    (literally quality [of] work)

To say work that is of good quality, you would usually change the structure:

  • kerja berkualiti = quality work, work that is of good quality
  • kerja yang berkualiti tinggi = high-quality work

So:

  • tegas tentang kualiti kerja = strict about the quality of work
  • suka kerja berkualiti = likes quality work
Could I drop dia and just say ... tetapi tegas tentang kualiti kerja?

Yes, in natural spoken Malay, dropping the repeated subject is possible if the subject is clear from context:

  • Bos saya bukan kedekut, tetapi tegas tentang kualiti kerja.

This is still understandable and sounds quite natural, especially in speech.
Including dia (tetapi dia tegas...) is a bit clearer and slightly more careful/explicit, so it’s a good default in learner Malay and in writing.