Learn Hardcore Malay: Anak perempuan saya suka baju oren.

In most everyday contexts, anak perempuan saya is understood as my daughter.
Literally, anak = child, perempuan = female → female child.

Possible interpretations:

anak perempuan saya
- most natural: my daughter
- literal: my female child

For girl (not specifically your own child), people are more likely to say:

budak perempuan = girl (informal, like girl / little girl)
gadis = young woman / maiden (more literary or formal)

But when you add saya, anak perempuan saya is the standard way to say my daughter.

How do I make daughter plural, like my daughters?

Malay usually doesn’t change the noun form for plural; it uses context or extra words.

Options:

Just rely on context:
- Anak perempuan saya suka baju oren.
  Depending on context, this can mean:
  - My daughter likes orange clothes, or
  - My daughters like orange clothes.
Mark the plural explicitly:
- Anak-anak perempuan saya = my daughters
  (anak-anak is a reduplication to show plurality.)
- Or use a classifier + number:
  - dua orang anak perempuan saya = my two daughters
    (orang is a common classifier for people.)

So you don’t have to change the word to show plural, but you can if you want to be explicit.

Why is it anak perempuan saya and not anak saya perempuan?

Both are grammatical, but they don’t feel the same:

anak perempuan saya
- fixed, natural phrase for my daughter
- treats anak perempuan as a single unit (daughter), then adds saya afterwards.
anak saya perempuan
- feels more like my child is female
- often used to clarify gender, e.g.:
  - Anak saya perempuan, bukan lelaki.
    = My child is a girl, not a boy.

So for my daughter as a standard noun phrase, use anak perempuan saya.

What exactly does baju mean? Is it shirt, dress, or clothes?

Baju is a bit broader than English shirt, but narrower than clothes:

Common meanings of baju:
- top / upper-body clothing (shirt, blouse, T‑shirt, etc.)
- in some contexts, clothes in general (especially in casual speech)

Compare with other words:

pakaian = clothing / attire (more general, more formal)
kemeja = shirt (especially collared shirt)
gaun = dress
baju kurung / baju Melayu = specific traditional outfits

In baju oren, the listener will usually imagine something like an orange shirt / top unless context clearly suggests otherwise.

Why is it baju oren and not oren baju? Where do adjectives go?

In Malay, descriptive words (adjectives) usually come after the noun:

baju oren = orange shirt/clothes
rumah besar = big house
kereta baharu = new car

Putting the adjective before the noun (oren baju) is wrong in this simple descriptive sense. So you should follow this pattern:

noun + adjective → baju oren, buku tebal, air sejuk

Does oren only mean the color, or can it also mean the fruit orange?

In Malaysian Malay:

oren is commonly used for both:
- the color orange
- the fruit orange

Examples:

warna oren = orange (color)
jus oren = orange juice
baju oren = orange shirt/clothes

There is also jingga which is a more traditional/native word for the color orange, often seen in formal or written contexts:

warna jingga = the color orange

In everyday speech in Malaysia, oren is extremely common.

Why is there no word for a or the in baju oren?

Malay does not have separate words for a, an, or the. The noun phrase baju oren can mean:

an orange shirt
the orange shirt
orange clothes
some orange clothes

Which one is meant depends entirely on context and sometimes on extra words:

sehelai baju oren = an orange shirt (using a classifier for clothing)
baju oren itu = that / the orange shirt
beberapa baju oren = several orange shirts

But the basic form baju oren itself has no article; context fills in the rest.

How does suka work here? Is the structure always subject + suka + thing liked?

Yes, suka (to like) is straightforward:

Subject + suka + object

Examples:

Saya suka kopi. = I like coffee.
Mereka suka muzik. = They like music.
Anak perempuan saya suka baju oren. = My daughter likes orange clothes.

You can also like activities:

Saya suka membaca. = I like reading.
Dia suka menari. = He/She likes dancing.

No extra preposition (like to or about) is needed before the thing you like in this simple pattern.

How do I say My daughter doesn’t like orange clothes?

You just add tidak (or informal tak) before suka:

Anak perempuan saya tidak suka baju oren.
= My daughter does not like orange clothes.

Informally:

Anak perempuan saya tak suka baju oren.

Pattern: > Subject + tidak / tak + verb
> Anak perempuan saya + tidak + suka + baju oren.

Is saya the only way to say my? What about aku?

Saya and aku both mean I / me, and can also express my when placed after a noun:

rumah saya = my house
rumah aku = my house (more informal)

Differences:

saya
- polite, neutral, safe in almost all situations
- used in formal speech, with strangers, in writing
aku
- casual, intimate
- used with close friends, family, or in some regional styles
- can sound rude or too familiar in formal contexts

In this sentence, Anak perempuan saya suka baju oren is neutral and polite.
Anak perempuan aku suka baju oren sounds more informal/familiar and depends on who you’re talking to.

Is perempuan always polite? I heard it can sometimes sound rude.

Perempuan by itself can sound a bit blunt or even disrespectful when used to refer to adult women, especially in certain tones or contexts.

However:

In anak perempuan, it is perfectly normal and neutral:
- anak perempuan saya = my daughter
- dua orang anak perempuan = two daughters

For adult women, people might choose:

wanita = woman (more polite/formal)
perempuan = woman (everyday, but in some contexts can sound less respectful)

But in the fixed phrase anak perempuan, there is no negative or rude feeling. It’s the standard, natural way to say daughter.