Permohonan kerja saya diluluskan semalam.

My job application was approved yesterday.

Breakdown of Permohonan kerja saya diluluskan semalam.

• semalam: yesterday
• saya: my
• permohonan kerja: the job application
• diluluskan: to be approved

Questions & Answers about Permohonan kerja saya diluluskan semalam.

What exactly does permohonan mean, and how is it related to mohon or memohon?

Permohonan means “application” or “request” (as a noun).

It’s built from the root verb mohon (“to request, to ask for”) with the nominalising prefix and suffix peN-…-an:

• mohon – to request
• memohon – to request, to apply (active verb, with meN-)
• permohonan – a request / an application (noun)

So permohonan kerja literally means “work/job application” (an application related to work).

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Why is saya placed after permohonan kerja, instead of before like in English (“my job application”)?

In Malay, possessive pronouns like saya (“my”) usually come after the noun they modify.

• permohonan kerja saya = my job application
  
  • literally: “application work/job my”

This pattern is normal:

• kereta saya – my car
• rumah saya – my house
• telefon bimbit saya – my mobile phone

Putting saya before the noun (saya permohonan kerja) is incorrect in standard Malay.

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Does kerja here mean “work” or “job”? Why is it added after permohonan?

Here kerja functions like “job” or “employment”, not “working (the activity)” in general.

• permohonan kerja = job application / application for a job

In Malay, you often put a more general noun first and a more specific noun after it to show the relationship, similar to “noun + noun” compounds in English:

• permohonan visa – visa application
• permohonan pinjaman – loan application

So kerja tells us what kind of permohonan it is.

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What does diluluskan consist of, and what do di- and -kan do?

Diluluskan is one word built from the root lulus.

• lulus – to pass / to be approved
• meluluskan – to approve (something) (active)
• diluluskan – to be approved (passive)

Structure of diluluskan:

• di- = passive prefix (something is done to the subject)
• lulus = root (“pass/approve”)
• -kan = causative/applicative suffix; here it makes lulus into “to approve (something)”

So diluluskan literally means “was approved”.

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Is this sentence in the passive voice? How would you say it in active voice?

Yes, Permohonan kerja saya diluluskan semalam is passive.
The subject (permohonan kerja saya) is the thing affected by the action (it is approved).

An active version would be:

• Mereka meluluskan permohonan kerja saya semalam.
  
  • mereka – they
  • meluluskan – approved (active)

Meaning: “They approved my job application yesterday.”

In everyday Malay, the passive form without mentioning the agent (who approved it) is very common, especially for official actions.

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Can I drop -kan and say Permohonan kerja saya dilulus semalam?

In standard Malay, diluluskan is the more correct and common form.

You may sometimes see or hear dilulus in headlines or informal speech, but:

• diluluskan – clearly “was approved” (standard, safe to use)
• dilulus – can sound abbreviated or less formal; not always accepted in careful writing

For learners, it’s better to stick with diluluskan in sentences like this.

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Can semalam go at the beginning of the sentence instead of the end?

Yes. Both are grammatical, with a slight difference in emphasis:

• Permohonan kerja saya diluluskan semalam.
  
  • neutral order; simple statement
• Semalam, permohonan kerja saya diluluskan.
  
  • puts more focus on “yesterday”

You can safely use either. Time words like semalam, hari ini, esok can appear at the end or the beginning of a sentence.

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Is there a difference between permohonan kerja, permohonan pekerjaan, and aplikasi kerja?

All can be understood, but they differ in style and nuance:

• permohonan kerja

  • very common, natural; used in speech and writing
  • sounds neutral to slightly formal

• permohonan pekerjaan

  • more formal; pekerjaan = employment/occupation
  • typical in official documents or formal letters

• aplikasi kerja

  • influenced by English “application”; understood, but less standard
  • can sound more casual or modern, depending on context

For standard Malay, permohonan kerja or permohonan pekerjaan are safer choices.

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Can I omit kerja and just say Permohonan saya diluluskan semalam?

Yes, you can, if the context is clear.

• Permohonan saya diluluskan semalam.
  
  • My application was approved yesterday.

This sounds natural when the listener already knows what kind of application you’re talking about (job, visa, loan, etc.).
If you need to be specific, keep kerja: permohonan kerja saya.

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How formal is the sentence Permohonan kerja saya diluluskan semalam?

It sounds neutral to fairly formal, and is perfectly natural in:

• emails about job applications
• messages to colleagues or superiors
• spoken conversation, especially in a polite context

To make it more casual, people might say something like:

• Semalam permohonan kerja aku lulus.
  
  • using aku instead of saya, and lulus as a simpler verb

But your original sentence is appropriate for most situations, especially when you want to sound polite and clear.

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How would I change the sentence if I want to say “Our job application was approved yesterday”?

You only need to change the possessive pronoun:

• Permohonan kerja kami diluluskan semalam. – our job application (excluding the listener)
• Permohonan kerja kita diluluskan semalam. – our job application (including the listener)

Malay distinguishes between kami (we/us, not including the person you’re talking to) and kita (we/us, including the person you’re talking to).