Learn Hardcore Malay: Motivasi itu penting untuk saya. - That motivation is important to me.

It makes the noun more specific, a bit like the or that in English:
- motivasi = motivation (in general)
- motivasi itu = that motivation / the motivation (the one we are talking about)
Very often in Malay, itu also works like a topic marker: it points to what we are talking about, almost like saying “that motivation we’re talking about…”.

So Motivasi itu penting untuk saya is close in feeling to That motivation is important to me or This motivation we’re talking about is important to me, even though in natural English we would usually just say Motivation is important to me.

Can I leave out itu and just say Motivasi penting untuk saya?

Yes, you can. Both are grammatically correct:

Motivasi penting untuk saya.
Sounds more general: motivation (as a concept) is important to me.
Motivasi itu penting untuk saya.
Sounds more specific: that particular motivation, or the motivation we have just been talking about, is important to me.

In real conversation, the difference is often subtle and depends on context. If you are making a general statement, without itu is very natural. If you are referring back to something already mentioned, with itu is slightly more natural.

Why isn’t there a word for “is” in this sentence?

Malay usually does not use a separate verb for “to be” when linking a noun to an adjective.

Motivasi itu = the subject (that motivation)
penting = an adjective (important)
Together: Motivasi itu penting = That motivation is important

There is no need for a word like is / am / are here. The pattern is:

[Noun / pronoun] + [adjective]
- Dia cantik. = She is beautiful.
- Makanan itu sedap. = That food is tasty.

You might sometimes see adalah used like is, but with adjectives it is usually omitted in everyday speech.

Can I say Motivasi itu adalah penting untuk saya?

You can, but it sounds formal or written, not like everyday spoken Malay.

With adjectives like penting, standard usage is:

Motivasi itu penting untuk saya. ✅ (natural, common)
Motivasi itu adalah penting untuk saya. ✅ (grammatical, but formal / bookish)

Adalah is mainly used when the part after it is a noun phrase, not a simple adjective:

Motivasi itu adalah faktor utama.
(That motivation is the main factor.)

So in normal conversation, drop adalah with adjectives like penting.

What is the difference between untuk saya and bagi saya here?

Both can be translated as “to me / for me”, but there is a nuance:

untuk saya
Literally for me. Often suggests benefit, relevance, or effect to the person.
- Motivasi itu penting untuk saya.
  That motivation is important for me (in my life / for my situation).
bagi saya
Often used like “in my opinion / from my point of view”.
- Motivasi itu penting bagi saya.
  That motivation is important in my view / to me personally (as an opinion).

In everyday use, both can overlap and many speakers will use them almost interchangeably here. If you want to sound like you are stating an opinion, bagi saya fits slightly better; if you focus on personal benefit or effect, untuk saya fits better.

Can I change the word order and say Untuk saya, motivasi itu penting?

Yes, that is correct and quite natural.

Motivasi itu penting untuk saya.
Neutral word order.
Untuk saya, motivasi itu penting.
Puts Untuk saya at the front, so it sounds more like:
For me, that motivation is important.

Fronting Untuk saya gives it a bit more emphasis, similar to stressing “for ME” in English.

Why is the pronoun saya used, and how would it change with aku?

Malay has several words for I / me, and they show formality and closeness.

saya
Polite, neutral, and the default in formal or semi‑formal situations.
Used with strangers, older people, in work, and in writing.
aku
More informal / intimate. Used with close friends, siblings, sometimes in songs or literature.

So:

Motivasi itu penting untuk saya.
Neutral and polite.
Motivasi itu penting untuk aku.
Grammatically fine, but sounds more casual / intimate. You would say this to friends, not in a job interview or with your teacher (unless your relationship is very informal).

How do I say “Motivation is very important to me”?

You add a word that means very before or after penting:

Common options:

sangat penting
amat penting
penting sekali

Examples:

Motivasi itu sangat penting untuk saya.
Motivasi itu amat penting untuk saya.
Motivasi itu penting sekali untuk saya.

All three are natural and mean Motivation is very important to me.
Sangat penting is probably the most commonly taught and used.

If I want to say “my motivation is important to me”, how would I say that?

You can use motivasi saya to mean my motivation:

Motivasi saya penting untuk saya.

Literally: My motivation is important to me.

Grammatically this is correct, though in real conversation it might sound a bit redundant (my motivation … to me). Usually, people would specify what kind of motivation:

Motivasi saya untuk belajar penting untuk saya.
My motivation to study is important to me.

Or they might just use the original sentence and let context make it clear.

Is motivasi singular or plural? How would I say “motivations”?

Malay usually does not mark plural with a separate word, so:

motivasi can mean motivation or motivations, depending on context.

If you really need to emphasise plurality, you have options:

motivasi-motivasi
Reduplication to show plural (more formal / written).
pelbagai motivasi = various motivations
banyak motivasi = many motivations

But in most everyday sentences, motivasi on its own is enough, and listeners understand from context.

Is Motivasi itu untuk saya penting correct?

It is grammatically possible, but it sounds unnatural or at least very marked in normal speech.

Standard, natural orders are:

Motivasi itu penting untuk saya. ✅
Untuk saya, motivasi itu penting. ✅

Putting penting later, as in Motivasi itu untuk saya penting, feels like you are trying to put heavy emphasis on penting, and even then it is not common. For learners, it is best to avoid this order.

How do I pronounce Motivasi itu penting untuk saya?

Approximate pronunciation (syllable by syllable, stressed fairly evenly):

Mo-ti-va-si i-tu pen-ting un-tuk sa-ya

Rough guide using English sounds:

Mo – like mo in moment
ti – like tea
va – like va in vacuum
si – like see
i – like ee in see
tu – like too
pen – like pen (the object)
ting – like ting in tingle
un – like oon in soon, but shorter
tuk – like took, but with a short u
sa – like sa in safari
ya – like ya in yard

Malay vowels are generally short and clear, and each syllable is pronounced; there is no silent letter here.