Kamu makan nasi di kantin.

You eat rice at the canteen.

Breakdown of Kamu makan nasi di kantin.

• makan: to eat
• nasi: the rice
• di: at
• kantin: the canteen
• kamu: you

Questions & Answers about Kamu makan nasi di kantin.

What does kamu mean exactly? Is it singular or plural, and is it polite?

Kamu means you and is usually singular.

• It’s generally informal / neutral, used with:
  • friends
  • people your age
  • younger people
• For more politeness or distance, people often use:
  • awak (common in Malaysia, casual–neutral)
  • anda (polite, more formal, e.g. in announcements, ads)
  • titles like encik, cik, puan
    • name

So kamu makan nasi di kantin sounds like you’re talking to someone you know reasonably well, not in a very formal situation.

Why is there no word for am / are / do in kamu makan nasi?

Malay doesn’t use a separate verb like to be or do in this kind of sentence.

• kamu makan can mean:
  • you eat
  • you are eating
  • you ate (if context is past)
• Malay relies on context or on time words like:
  • tadi (just now / earlier)
  • sekarang (now)
  • nanti (later)
  • sudah / dah (already)

Example:

• Kamu makan nasi di kantin sekarang. = You are eating rice in the canteen now.
• Tadi kamu makan nasi di kantin. = You ate rice in the canteen earlier.

How do I say Are you eating rice in the canteen? using this sentence?

Often you just change the intonation in speech:

• Kamu makan nasi di kantin? (rising tone)
  = Are you eating rice in the canteen?

Or you can add a question word:

• Adakah kamu makan nasi di kantin? (more formal)
• Kamu makan nasi di kantin ke? (colloquial, especially in Malaysia)

What is the difference between nasi and beras? Both are translated as rice, right?

Yes, but they refer to different forms of rice:

• beras = uncooked rice grains (raw, in the bag/jar)
• nasi = cooked rice (ready to eat)

In kamu makan nasi di kantin, nasi is correct because you eat cooked rice, not raw grains.

Do I need something like some or a classifier before nasi?

No, you can just say nasi.

Malay usually doesn’t need an article (a / an / the) or some:

• Saya makan nasi. = I eat rice / I am eating rice.
• Kamu makan nasi di kantin. = You eat rice in the canteen.

If you want to be more specific (a plate/bowl of rice), you can add a classifier:

• sepinggan nasi = a plate of rice
• semangkuk nasi = a bowl of rice

What does di mean in di kantin?

di is a preposition of place, usually translated as at / in / on, depending on the context.

• di kantin = at the canteen or in the canteen
• di rumah = at home
• di sekolah = at school
• di atas meja = on the table

So kamu makan nasi di kantin literally is: you eat rice at/in (the) canteen.

Why is the word order kamu makan nasi di kantin and not something like kamu di kantin makan nasi?

The normal word order in Malay is similar to English:

Subject – Verb – Object – (Place / Time etc.)

• kamu (subject)
• makan (verb)
• nasi (object)
• di kantin (place)

You can move di kantin for emphasis:

• Di kantin, kamu makan nasi. (In the canteen, you eat rice.) But the neutral, everyday order is the one you were given.

Does kantin mean exactly canteen, or is it more like a restaurant?

Kantin usually means a canteen in a school, office, factory, or similar place:

• School canteen
• Office canteen
• Hospital canteen

For other eating places, Malay speakers might say:

• restoran = restaurant
• warung / gerai = small food stall
• kedai makan = food shop / eating place

So di kantin suggests a canteen-type setting, not a fancy restaurant.

Can kamu makan nasi di kantin also mean You are going to eat rice in the canteen (future)?

Yes, it can, depending on context.

Malay verbs don’t change form for tense. makan stays the same.

To make the future clearer, people often add a word like:

• akan (will)
  Kamu akan makan nasi di kantin. = You will eat rice in the canteen.
• nanti / lepas ini (later / after this)
  Nanti kamu makan nasi di kantin. = Later you will eat rice in the canteen.

Without such words, kamu makan nasi di kantin is time-neutral; context decides.

Can I drop kamu and just say makan nasi di kantin?

Yes, you can. Malay often omits the subject pronoun if it’s obvious from context.

• Makan nasi di kantin. could mean:
  • I eat rice in the canteen.
  • You eat rice in the canteen.
  • We eat rice in the canteen.

The meaning depends on who is being talked about. In conversation, context and who you’re looking at usually make it clear.

Is makan only a verb, or can it be used as a noun too?

In this sentence, makan is clearly a verb meaning to eat.

It can be part of related words:

• makanan = food
• makan-makan = to eat casually / have a small eating get-together (informal)

But by itself in kamu makan nasi di kantin, it functions as a verb.

Is kamu polite enough to use with teachers or older people?

Generally, no, it’s too informal for clearly higher-status or much older people.

Better choices:

• Cikgu makan nasi di kantin? (to a teacher; cikgu = teacher)
• Encik makan nasi di kantin? (to an older man)
• Puan makan nasi di kantin? (to an older woman)

Using titles is safer and more respectful than kamu in those situations.

If I want to say You are eating rice in the school canteen, how do I modify the sentence?

You just specify the canteen more clearly:

• Kamu makan nasi di kantin sekolah.
  = You are eating rice in the school canteen.

sekolah = school
kantin sekolah = school canteen (literally: school canteen)