Saya suka warna merah.

I like the color red.

Breakdown of Saya suka warna merah.

• saya: I
• suka: to like
• merah: red
• warna: the color

Questions & Answers about Saya suka warna merah.

Why is it warna merah and not merah warna, since English says red color?

In Malay, adjectives usually come after the noun, not before it.

• warna = color (noun)
• merah = red (adjective)

So the normal order is:

• warna merah = color red / red color
  (literally: color red)

This pattern is very common:

• baju biru = blue shirt
• rumah besar = big house
• kereta baru = new car

So warna merah follows the standard Malay noun + adjective order.

Can I just say Saya suka merah instead of Saya suka warna merah?

You can hear Saya suka merah, and people will understand it as I like red (the color).

However:

• Saya suka warna merah is clearer and more natural when you are specifically talking about colors.
• Saya suka merah is shorter and more casual, and might also mean:
  • I like red clothes,
  • I like red things, depending on context.

So for learners, Saya suka warna merah is the safest and clearest form.

What is the difference between saya and aku?

Both mean I / me, but they differ in formality and context:

• saya

  • Polite, neutral, standard.
  • Used with strangers, in formal situations, at work, in writing.

• aku

  • Informal, intimate.
  • Used with close friends, siblings, sometimes to children or by children.
  • Sounds too casual or even rude in formal situations.

So Saya suka warna merah is polite and safe almost everywhere.
Aku suka warna merah is fine with close friends or in very informal speech.

Can I drop saya and just say Suka warna merah?

Yes, in the right context.

Malay often drops the subject pronoun if it is clear from context, especially in casual speech:

• (Saya) suka warna merah.
• (Saya) tak suka warna merah.

However:

• In a full, clear sentence (especially as a learner), it’s better to keep saya.
• In writing or formal speech, dropping saya can feel incomplete or too casual.

So use Saya suka warna merah as your default full sentence.

Does suka work like the English verb like? Do I need a preposition?

suka works very similarly to like in English and does not need a preposition before the object:

• Saya suka warna merah. = I like the color red.
• Dia suka kopi. = He / she likes coffee.
• Mereka suka muzik. = They like music.

No extra word (like to, of, or at) is needed.

You may see suka akan or suka kepada in more formal/written language, but in everyday speech, just suka + object is most common and natural.

What’s the difference between suka and cinta or sayang?

All three can translate as like / love, but with different strength and typical uses:

• suka

  • Like, enjoy.
  • Used for things or people.
  • Neutral strength.
  • Saya suka warna merah. = I like red.

• cinta

  • Deep, romantic or very strong love.
  • Often used for romantic partners, or abstract things like country.
  • Saya cinta kamu. = I am in love with you.

• sayang

  • Affectionate love, fondness.
  • Used for family, close friends, children, pets.
  • Also used as a term of endearment.
  • Saya sayang ibu saya. = I love my mother (affectionately).

So with colors, suka is the natural choice: Saya suka warna merah.

How do I say I don’t like the color red in Malay?

Use the negator tidak (often shortened to tak) before suka:

• Saya tidak suka warna merah.
• Saya tak suka warna merah. (more casual)

Do not use bukan here; bukan negates nouns, not verbs or adjectives.
With suka (a verb), you must use tidak / tak.

How do I turn this sentence into a question like Do you like the color red??

Change the pronoun and use a question intonation, or add a question word:

1. Simple spoken question (most common):

   • Awak suka warna merah?
   • Kamu suka warna merah?
   • Anda suka warna merah? (more formal) Said with rising intonation.

2. More formal/written:

   • Adakah anda suka warna merah?

So from Saya suka warna merah, you mainly change saya to awak / kamu / anda and use a questioning tone.

Is warna merah specific, like the red color, or general, like red?

Malay does not use articles like a or the, so warna merah can be:

• the color red (specific)
• red color / red (general)

Context tells you which one is meant.
In Saya suka warna merah, it naturally sounds like a general statement: I like the color red / I like red.

Can I change the word order to emphasize red, like saying Red is the color I like?

Yes, but the structure changes more than just the order. Common ways to emphasize merah or warna merah:

• Merah ialah warna kegemaran saya.
  = Red is my favorite color.

• Warna merah yang saya suka.
  = The color I like is red. (literally: The color that I like is red)

These are different sentences from Saya suka warna merah, but they are natural ways to put focus on red. The original Saya suka warna merah is the straightforward I like the color red.