Learn Hardcore Malay: Saya buang bekas plastik ke dalam tong hijau. - I throw the plastic container into the green bin.

buang – to discard, get rid of, throw away
If you want a neutral “throw” (e.g. throw a ball), you might use lempar or balik (in some dialects/contexts), not buang.

So Saya buang bekas plastik… is best understood as “I throw away the plastic container…”.

Why is there no word for “the” or “a” in bekas plastik? How do you know if it’s “a plastic container” or “the plastic container”?

Malay normally does not use articles like “a/an/the”. bekas plastik can mean:

a plastic container
the plastic container
plastic containers (in general)

Context tells you which is intended. If you really need to specify:

sebuah bekas plastik – a plastic container (one unit; sebuah is a classifier)
bekas plastik itu – the plastic container (literally “that plastic container”)
bekas‑bekas plastik – plastic containers (plural, by reduplication)

But in everyday speech, just bekas plastik is very common and usually clear enough.

Is bekas plastik singular or plural in this sentence?

By itself, bekas plastik is number‑neutral:

It can be one container or several containers, depending on context.

To make it clearly singular or plural, you can say:

sebuah bekas plastik – one plastic container
dua / tiga / banyak bekas plastik – two / three / many plastic containers
bekas‑bekas plastik – plastic containers (plural shown by repetition)

What does bekas mean? Why not just say “plastic” (plastik) or use botol?

bekas is a general word for a container – something that holds things.
plastik describes the material.

So bekas plastik = plastic container (could be a tub, box, tray, etc.)

Some more specific words:

botol plastik – plastic bottle
kotak plastik – plastic box
bekas makanan plastik – plastic food container

If you only say plastik, it usually means plastic (the material) or a plastic bag (in many everyday contexts), not a rigid container.

Do I need a classifier like sebuah before bekas plastik? For example, should I say Saya buang sebuah bekas plastik…?

You don’t have to use a classifier here. Saya buang bekas plastik… is natural and correct.

Use a classifier like sebuah when you want to emphasise the number (one) or sound a bit more formal/explicit:

Saya buang sebuah bekas plastik ke dalam tong hijau.
= I throw away one plastic container into the green bin.

In casual speech, people often omit the classifier unless they need to be precise about quantity.

What’s the difference between ke dalam and just ke or just dalam? Could I say Saya buang bekas plastik ke tong hijau or … dalam tong hijau?

All three are possible, but with slightly different feels:

ke – to / towards (destination)
- Saya buang bekas plastik ke tong hijau.
  = I throw the plastic container to the green bin (focus on the destination, not clearly “inside”).
dalam – in / inside (location)
- Saya buang bekas plastik dalam tong hijau.
  = I throw the plastic container in the green bin; usually understood as “into”, but grammatically it focuses on the location.
ke dalam – into (movement + interior)
- Saya buang bekas plastik ke dalam tong hijau.
  = I throw the plastic container into the inside of the green bin, clearly showing motion into the interior.

In practice, dalam tong hijau and ke dalam tong hijau are both very natural for “into the green bin”; ke dalam just makes the “into” idea very explicit.

Why is the word order tong hijau (noun + adjective) and not hijau tong?

In Malay, the common order is:

noun + adjective

So:

tong hijau – green bin
kereta merah – red car
baju baru – new shirt

Putting the adjective before the noun (hijau tong) is not standard and sounds wrong in normal Malay.

What does tong mean exactly? Is it “bin”, “bucket”, “drum”…?

tong is a fairly general word for a large container, often:

a bin (like a rubbish bin)
a drum
a large canister or barrel

In this context, tong hijau is best translated as “the green bin” (often understood as a recycling bin, depending on local colour codes).

Common related phrase:

tong sampah – rubbish bin / trash can

How formal is Saya here? Could I use Aku or leave out the pronoun?

Saya is neutral and polite; it’s safe in almost any situation:

with strangers
in formal or semi‑formal speech
in writing

Aku is more informal/intimate, used with close friends, family, or in certain regional cultures.

You can also omit the pronoun if the context is clear:

(Saya) buang bekas plastik ke dalam tong hijau.
– In the right context, listeners will know you’re talking about yourself.

For learners, Saya is the safest default.

There’s no word for “am / did / will” in Saya buang…. How do I know the tense?

Malay doesn’t change the verb for tense. buang is the same for past, present, or future. The tense is understood from context, or made explicit with time words:

Past:
- Saya tadi buang bekas plastik ke dalam tong hijau. – I just now threw away…
- Tadi / semalam / tadi pagi, etc. indicate past time.
Present (habitual/right now):
- Setiap hari saya buang bekas plastik ke dalam tong hijau. – Every day I throw…
- Sekarang saya buang… – I am now throwing…
Future:
- Saya akan buang bekas plastik ke dalam tong hijau. – I will throw…
- Nanti saya buang… – I’ll throw it away later.

So Saya buang bekas plastik… can be translated as “I throw / I am throwing / I threw / I will throw” depending on context.

What’s the difference between buang and membuang?

Both relate to “throw away / discard”:

buang – basic form; very common in everyday speech.
membuang – longer meN‑ form; often sounds a bit more formal or appears in writing, instructions, or careful speech.

In casual conversation:

Saya buang bekas plastik… is completely natural.

In a more formal sentence or written instruction, you might see:

Sila membuang bekas plastik ke dalam tong hijau.
= Please throw plastic containers into the green bin.

Could I say Saya letak bekas plastik ke dalam tong hijau instead of buang?

You could, but the meaning changes slightly:

buang – to throw away / discard (you don’t want it anymore)
letak – to put/place (more neutral, no “throw away” idea)

So:

Saya buang bekas plastik ke dalam tong hijau.
– I throw away the plastic container in the green bin (for disposal/recycling).
Saya letak bekas plastik ke dalam tong hijau.
– I put the plastic container into the green bin (could be just placing it there; less strong “discard” nuance).

For rubbish or recycling, buang is the natural verb.