Learn Hardcore Malay: Saya rasa kebebasan memilih kerja penting supaya kita tidak menyesal kemudian. - I feel freedom to choose a job is important so that we do not regret it later.

Saya rasa kebebasan memilih kerja penting supaya kita tidak menyesal kemudian.

I feel freedom to choose a job is important so that we do not regret it later.

Breakdown of Saya rasa kebebasan memilih kerja penting supaya kita tidak menyesal kemudian.

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Questions & Answers about Saya rasa kebebasan memilih kerja penting supaya kita tidak menyesal kemudian.

What does Saya rasa really mean here? Is it I feel or I think?

In this sentence, Saya rasa is best understood as I think rather than literally I feel.

rasa literally = to feel (physically or emotionally)
In everyday speech, Saya rasa… is a very common way to say I think… / In my opinion…

So:

Saya rasa kebebasan memilih kerja penting…
≈ I think freedom to choose a job is important…

You could translate it as I feel that freedom…, but in English that sounds more emotional; in Malay it is more neutral and commonly used for opinions.

Why is there no adalah in kebebasan memilih kerja penting? Should it be …kerja adalah penting?

In Malay, when the predicate is an adjective, adalah is usually optional and often dropped, especially in informal or neutral sentences.

kebebasan memilih kerja penting
= literally freedom (to) choose work important

This is a normal structure:

Dia tinggi. – He is tall.
Filem itu menarik. – That movie is interesting.
Kebebasan memilih kerja penting. – Freedom to choose a job is important.

You can say:

Kebebasan memilih kerja adalah penting.

This is correct, but sounds a bit more formal or written, like in essays, speeches, or reports. In spoken Malay, many people just say it without adalah.

What is the structure of kebebasan memilih kerja? How is the meaning built up?

Break it down like this:

bebas – free
ke-…-an – a prefix + suffix that often makes an abstract noun
kebebasan – freedom
memilih – to choose, choosing
kerja – work, job

So:

kebebasan = freedom
memilih kerja = choosing a job / to choose a job

The whole phrase kebebasan memilih kerja is a noun phrase meaning:

the freedom to choose a job / employment freedom / job-choice freedom

It’s similar to English phrases like the freedom to choose a job where an infinitive clause to choose a job modifies freedom.

Can I also say kebebasan untuk memilih kerja? Is it different from kebebasan memilih kerja?

Yes, you can say kebebasan untuk memilih kerja, and it is natural Malay.

kebebasan memilih kerja
kebebasan untuk memilih kerja

Both mean freedom to choose a job and are both correct.

Nuance:

kebebasan memilih kerja – slightly more compact, often used in writing or more formal style.
kebebasan untuk memilih kerja – feels a bit more explicit (literally freedom in order to choose a job), and is very common in speech and writing as well.

In most contexts, they are interchangeable.

Why is kita used instead of kami? What is the difference?

Malay has two we pronouns:

kita – inclusive: includes the speaker and the listener(s).
kami – exclusive: includes the speaker and their group, but not the listener.

In this sentence:

…supaya kita tidak menyesal kemudian.
= …so that we don’t regret it later.

Using kita suggests:

The speaker is including the person they are talking to (and possibly other people) in we.
It feels more general, like people like us, or all of us.

If you said kami here, it would mean so that we (but not you) don’t regret it later, which doesn’t match the general, inclusive feeling of the sentence.

What is the function of supaya here? Is it like so that, because, or in order to?

supaya introduces a purpose or desired result, similar to English so that or in order that.

…penting supaya kita tidak menyesal kemudian.
≈ …is important so that we won’t regret it later.
≈ …is important in order that we don’t regret it later.

It is not a cause word like because (kerana / sebab).

Compare:

Saya belajar bersungguh-sungguh supaya saya lulus.
– I study hard so that I pass.
Saya belajar bersungguh-sungguh kerana peperiksaan esok.
– I study hard because the exam is tomorrow.

Could I replace supaya with untuk? For example, penting untuk kita tidak menyesal kemudian?

Yes, penting untuk kita tidak menyesal kemudian is grammatical, but there is a nuance:

supaya – more clearly expresses purpose or desired outcome.
untuk – can express purpose, but here it sounds more like it is important for us not to regret later (describing what is important for us), rather than in order that we don’t regret later.

Both are understandable, but:

supaya keeps the idea of cause → intended effect very clear.
untuk sounds a bit more like describing a condition that is important.

For teaching and clear meaning, supaya is a better match for so that in this sentence.

Why is tidak used here instead of jangan?

tidak and jangan both mean not, but they are used in different ways.

tidak – used for statements and questions.
- Saya tidak tahu. – I don’t know.
- Dia tidak datang. – He didn’t come.
jangan – used for negative commands / prohibitions, telling someone don’t.
- Jangan bising! – Don’t be noisy!
- Jangan lupa. – Don’t forget.

In the sentence:

…supaya kita tidak menyesal kemudian.
– so that we do not regret it later.

This is a statement about a possible future situation, not a command. So tidak is correct.
Jangan menyesal kemudian would mean Don’t regret it later, which changes the tone to a direct warning or instruction.

What does menyesal mean exactly, and why does it have the prefix meN-?

Base word:

sesal – regret (noun / root)

With the meN- verb prefix:

menyesal – to regret, be regretful

In Malay, meN- is a very common verb-forming prefix:

tulis → menulis – to write
baca → membaca – to read
sesal → menyesal – to regret

So menyesal here is a verb meaning to regret (emotionally, to be sorry about something).

Saya menyesal. – I regret it / I’m sorry I did that.
supaya kita tidak menyesal kemudian. – so that we don’t regret it later.

What does kemudian mean in this context? Is it like afterwards, later, or then?

kemudian can mean:

after that / afterwards (in a sequence of events)
later / in the future

In this sentence:

…supaya kita tidak menyesal kemudian.
– …so that we don’t regret it later / afterwards.

The idea is in the future, after the decision, we won’t regret it.

Other similar words:

nanti – later (often more informal, closer in time)
kelak – later on, in future (more formal / written)
di kemudian hari – in future days, later in life (set phrase, more literary/formal)

You could also say:

supaya kita tidak menyesal di kemudian hari.
– so that we won’t regret it in the future (sounds a bit more formal).

Why is kerja used instead of pekerjaan? Do they mean the same thing?

Both relate to work / job, but with slightly different typical uses:

kerja
- can mean work (the activity)
- can also mean job (informally)
- very common in everyday speech
pekerjaan
- more clearly a job / occupation / employment (noun)
- sounds a bit more formal or specific

In this phrase:

kebebasan memilih kerja – freedom to choose a job (natural, everyday)
kebebasan memilih pekerjaan – also correct, slightly more formal / written or policy-style wording.

Everyday conversation would usually use kerja here.

Could I say Aku rasa instead of Saya rasa? What’s the difference in tone?

Yes, grammatically you can, but the tone and formality change.

saya – neutral and polite; safe in almost all situations (formal, semi-formal, casual).
aku – more informal / intimate; used:
- with close friends
- within family
- in some songs, poems, or very casual talk

So:

Saya rasa kebebasan memilih kerja penting…
– Polite and neutral; suitable for talking to strangers, teachers, in class discussions, etc.
Aku rasa kebebasan memilih kerja penting…
– Sounds like you’re talking to friends or people close to you.

As a learner, Saya rasa… is the safer default in most contexts.

Is the word order fixed as kebebasan memilih kerja penting, or can I move penting?

The natural and standard order is:

[Subject] + [Description]
kebebasan memilih kerja (subject)
penting (adjective describing the subject)

So:

Kebebasan memilih kerja penting.

You cannot say:

Penting kebebasan memilih kerja. (unnatural in standard Malay as a simple statement)

The normal pattern for adjective predicates is:

Subjek + adjektif
- Rumah itu besar. – That house is big.
- Masalah ini serius. – This problem is serious.
- Kebebasan memilih kerja penting. – Freedom to choose a job is important.

If you want to emphasize penting, you could use intonation when speaking, or add words like sangat:

Kebebasan memilih kerja sangat penting. – Freedom to choose a job is very important.