Log inSign up

Saya tidak mahu jawab serta-merta; saya perlu fikir apa yang terbaik untuk keluarga saya.

Saya tidak mahu jawab serta-merta; saya perlu fikir apa yang terbaik untuk keluarga saya.
I do not want to answer immediately; I need to think about what is best for my family.
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Malay grammar and vocabulary.

Start learning Malay now

Questions & Answers about Saya tidak mahu jawab serta-merta; saya perlu fikir apa yang terbaik untuk keluarga saya.

Why is tidak used here instead of bukan?

Tidak is used to negate verbs and adjectives, while bukan is used to negate nouns and noun phrases.

  • Saya tidak mahu jawab serta-merta.
    → Negating the verb phrase mahu jawab (“want to answer”).

If you were negating a noun, you’d use bukan instead, e.g.:

  • Itu bukan jawapan saya. – “That is not my answer.”

So in this sentence, tidak is correct because you’re saying “I do not want (to answer immediately)” rather than “This is not X.”

What’s the difference between mahu jawab and mahu menjawab? Are both correct?

Both mahu jawab and mahu menjawab are grammatically correct, but they differ slightly in style and nuance.

  1. jawab

    • Base verb, shorter, more casual and very common in speech.
    • Often used when the object is clear from context:
      • Saya tidak mahu jawab. – “I don’t want to answer.”

  2. menjawab

    • meN- verb form (a “transitive” or “active” form), often feels a bit more formal or complete.
    • Common when you clearly mention the object:
      • Saya tidak mahu menjawab soalan itu. – “I don’t want to answer that question.”

In your sentence, mahu jawab sounds natural and conversational. If you change it to mahu menjawab, the sentence becomes slightly more formal but still correct:

  • Saya tidak mahu menjawab serta-merta; saya perlu fikir apa yang terbaik untuk keluarga saya.
Why is there no word like “to” before jawab and fikir? In English we say “want to answer”, “need to think”.

Malay doesn’t need a special “to” word before verbs used in this way. The pattern is simply:

  • modal / auxiliary / mental verb + base verb

Examples:

  • Saya mahu tidur. – “I want to sleep.”
  • Saya perlu fikir. – “I need to think.”
  • Dia suka baca. – “He/She likes to read.”

So:

  • Saya tidak mahu jawab serta-merta.
    literally: “I not want answer immediately.”

  • Saya perlu fikir apa yang terbaik untuk keluarga saya.
    literally: “I need think what is best for my family.”

You don’t add untuk before the verb here; untuk is used more for purposes (“for / in order to”) or for nouns:

  • Saya belajar untuk lulus peperiksaan. – “I study to pass the exam.”
What exactly does serta-merta mean? Is it formal? Are there alternatives?

Serta-merta means “immediately / on the spot / right away,” with a nuance of reacting without delay or reflection.

  • It can appear in both written and spoken Malay, but it sounds a bit more formal / standard than some alternatives.
  • You may also see it written as serta-merta (with a hyphen) in standard spelling.

Common alternatives, roughly similar in meaning:

  • segera – immediately, soon (quite neutral/formal)
  • terus – straightaway, directly; often in casual speech
  • dengan serta-merta – “immediately” (with an adverbial feel)

Replacements in the sentence:

  • Saya tidak mahu jawab serta-merta.
  • Saya tidak mahu jawab segera.
  • Saya tidak mahu jawab terus. (more colloquial)

All are understandable; serta-merta emphasizes “without delay, on the spot,” often hinting at “without thinking too much first.”

Is the semicolon (;) natural in Malay here? Could this be written as two sentences or with a comma?

The semicolon is acceptable in formal written Malay, and its usage is similar to English: it links two closely related independent clauses.

Your sentence:

  • Saya tidak mahu jawab serta-merta; saya perlu fikir apa yang terbaik untuk keluarga saya.

This could also be written as:

  1. Two separate sentences

    • Saya tidak mahu jawab serta-merta. Saya perlu fikir apa yang terbaik untuk keluarga saya.

  2. With a comma + conjunction

    • Saya tidak mahu jawab serta-merta, kerana saya perlu fikir apa yang terbaik untuk keluarga saya.
      (“…because I need to think what is best for my family.”)

All three are acceptable. In everyday writing and texting, people more often use full stops or commas with kerana than semicolons.

Why is fikir used instead of berfikir or memikirkan? What’s the difference?

All three are related but not identical:

  1. fikir – base verb, “to think”

    • Here it’s used with a direct object:
      • fikir apa yang terbaik – “think (about) what is best”
    • Very common and neutral.

  2. berfikir – intransitive “to be in the process of thinking / to think (as an activity)”

    • Focuses on the act or state of thinking, without necessarily pointing to a specific object:
      • Saya perlu berfikir dengan teliti. – “I need to think carefully.”
    • You wouldn’t normally say berfikir apa yang terbaik; it sounds a bit awkward.

  3. memikirkan – “to think about / to consider (something)”

    • Takes a clear object; more formal and deliberate:
      • Saya perlu memikirkan apa yang terbaik untuk keluarga saya. – “I need to think about / consider what is best for my family.”

In your sentence, fikir is the most natural, neutral option. memikirkan is also correct and just a bit more formal or “careful-sounding”.

What’s going on in apa yang terbaik? Why do we need yang there?

Apa yang terbaik literally breaks down as:

  • apa – what
  • yang – a marker introducing a descriptive clause or phrase
  • terbaik – best

Malay often uses apa yang + adjective / clause to mean “what is …” or “whatever is …”:

  • apa yang penting – what is important / whatever is important
  • apa yang betul – what is correct
  • apa yang saya mahu – what I want

So fikir apa yang terbaik = “think (about) what is best.”

You could say:

  • fikir yang terbaik untuk keluarga saya – “think of the best (option) for my family.”

but that slightly shifts the structure: now yang terbaik is “the best (one)” rather than “what is best.” Both are possible; your original is perfectly natural and common.

Why is untuk keluarga saya used? Could I use bagi or demi instead, and what’s the difference?

All three can appear with keluarga saya, but they carry different nuances:

  1. untuk keluarga saya

    • Basic “for my family,” neutral, most common.
    • Indicates benefit, target, or purpose.
    • …apa yang terbaik untuk keluarga saya. – “what is best for my family.”

  2. bagi keluarga saya

    • Often “for / in the view of / from the perspective of.”
    • More formal, can imply viewpoint or concern:
      • Itu penting bagi keluarga saya. – “That is important for my family.”
    • In your sentence, …yang terbaik bagi keluarga saya is understood and acceptable, just slightly more formal.

  3. demi keluarga saya

    • “For the sake of / on behalf of / in sacrifice for my family.”
    • Stronger emotional or sacrificial nuance:
      • Saya sanggup berkorban demi keluarga saya. – “I’m willing to sacrifice for the sake of my family.”

So:
untuk = general “for”;
bagi = often “for / to (someone) / in their view” (more formal);
demi = “for the sake of” (emotional / sacrificial).

Is this whole sentence formal, informal, or neutral? How would it sound in casual spoken Malay?

The original sentence is standard and fairly neutral, leaning a bit toward polite/formal:

  • Saya tidak mahu jawab serta-merta; saya perlu fikir apa yang terbaik untuk keluarga saya.

Key points of formality:

  • saya (polite pronoun)
  • tidak instead of tak
  • mahu instead of very casual nak
  • serta-merta (more standard than, say, terus)

In everyday casual speech, someone might say:

  • Saya tak nak jawab terus; saya kena fikir apa yang paling baik untuk family saya.
    • tak instead of tidak
    • nak instead of mahu
    • kena (“must / have to”) instead of perlu
    • paling baik instead of terbaik (very common)
    • family as an English loan word, common in informal speech.

Your original is good for polite conversation, writing, and formal contexts.

Why is saya repeated twice? Could we drop the second saya?

Repeating saya is very normal and often preferred in Malay for clarity and rhythm:

  • Saya tidak mahu jawab serta-merta; saya perlu fikir apa yang terbaik untuk keluarga saya.

You can drop the second saya, especially in casual speech:

  • Saya tidak mahu jawab serta-merta; perlu fikir apa yang terbaik untuk keluarga saya.

This is still understandable and acceptable, but:

  • In formal writing, repeating the subject (saya) is usually clearer and more standard.
  • In speech or informal writing, omitting it is quite common when the subject is obvious from context.

So both versions work; the original is slightly more formal/explicit.

Could I say aku instead of saya here? What’s the difference?

Yes, grammatically you could replace saya with aku, but it changes the level of politeness and intimacy.

  • saya

    • Polite, neutral; safe with strangers, in formal situations, and in writing.
    • Default in most textbooks and formal Malay.

  • aku

    • Informal, intimate; used with close friends, family, or in some regional/casual contexts.
    • Would sound too casual or even rude with people you should show respect to.

For example, with close friends:

  • Aku tak nak jawab terus; aku kena fikir apa yang terbaik untuk keluarga aku.

With a boss, teacher, or someone you don’t know well, saya is the safe and expected choice.