Saya suka makanan Jepun di restoran itu.

I like Japanese food at that restaurant.

Breakdown of Saya suka makanan Jepun di restoran itu.

• saya: I
• suka: to like
• itu: that
• di: at
• makanan: the food
• restoran: the restaurant
• Jepun: Japanese

Questions & Answers about Saya suka makanan Jepun di restoran itu.

What does Saya mean, and how formal is it compared to Aku?

Saya means I / me and is the standard polite first‑person pronoun in Malay. You can safely use Saya:

• with strangers
• in formal situations (work, official, with elders)
• in neutral everyday conversation

Aku also means I / me, but it is informal and intimate. It is usually used:

• with close friends
• with siblings or very close peers
• in song lyrics, poems, or when you want a more emotional tone

So in this sentence, Saya suka makanan Jepun di restoran itu, using Saya makes the sentence polite and neutral. If you changed it to Aku suka makanan Jepun di restoran itu, it would sound casual and personal, depending on who you are talking to.

Can I drop Saya and just say Suka makanan Jepun di restoran itu?

Yes, you can drop Saya in casual conversation if the subject is clear from context.

Malay often allows the subject pronoun to be omitted when everyone already knows who is being talked about. For example, if someone asks:

• Awak suka makanan Jepun di restoran itu?
  (Do you like the Japanese food at that restaurant?)

You could reply just:

• Suka makanan Jepun di restoran itu.

The full form Saya suka makanan Jepun di restoran itu is always correct and slightly clearer. For learners and in writing, it’s good practice to keep Saya until you are comfortable with when it’s safe to drop it.

Why is it makanan Jepun and not Jepun makanan?

In Malay, the main noun usually comes first, and its describer (modifier) comes after it.

• makanan = food
• Jepun = Japanese / Japan

So:

• makanan Jepun = Japanese food (literally food [that is] Japanese)

The order Jepun makanan is not natural for this meaning.

This pattern is very common:

• kereta merah = red car (car red)
• buku bahasa Melayu = Malay language book (book language Malay)
• filem Jepun = Japanese movie (movie Japanese)

So remember: Noun + Describer is the usual order in Malay.

Does makanan mean “food” or “foods”? How is plural shown in Malay?

Makanan can mean food in general or foods / dishes, depending on context. Malay does not usually mark plural with an ending like English -s.

In this sentence:

• makanan Jepun = Japanese food / Japanese dishes (both interpretations are possible)

Plural is often understood from:

• context: mereka makan makanan Jepun (they eat Japanese food / dishes)
• numbers: tiga jenis makanan Jepun (three kinds of Japanese food)
• quantifiers: banyak makanan Jepun (a lot of Japanese food)

You can say makanan-makanan to emphasize plurality, but it’s less common and can sound a bit heavy unless you really want to stress “many different foods”.

Is Jepun the country, the language, the people, or the cuisine?

Jepun is the Malay word for Japan, and depending on context it can refer to:

• the country:
  Saya mahu pergi ke Jepun. = I want to go to Japan.
• the people (Japanese people):
  Orang Jepun sangat rajin. = Japanese people are very hardworking.
• something related to Japan (like the cuisine, movies, products):
  makanan Jepun = Japanese food
  filem Jepun = Japanese movie

Malay often uses the country name as an adjective meaning “from that country”. So in makanan Jepun, Jepun describes the type of food: food that is Japanese.

What does di mean in di restoran itu? Does it mean “at” or “in”?

Di is a location preposition that can mean at, in, or sometimes on, depending on the context. It simply marks location.

In di restoran itu:

• di = at / in
• restoran = restaurant
• itu = that

So di restoran itu can be translated as at that restaurant or in that restaurant, but in natural English we usually say at that restaurant.

Some examples:

• di rumah = at home / in the house
• di sekolah = at school
• di meja = on the table (literally “at the table”)

Why is itu after restoran instead of before it, like in English “that restaurant”?

In Malay, demonstratives like ini (this) and itu (that) usually come after the noun they describe.

• restoran itu = that restaurant (literally: restaurant that)
• restoran ini = this restaurant
• buku itu = that book
• kereta ini = this car

So di restoran itu follows the common pattern preposition + noun + demonstrative:

• di rumah itu = at that house
• di pejabat ini = in this office

Putting itu before the noun (itu restoran) is not the normal way to form “that restaurant” in standard Malay.

Can I move di restoran itu to the front: Di restoran itu, saya suka makanan Jepun?

Yes, that is grammatically correct.

Malay word order is fairly flexible, especially for location phrases. You can say:

• Saya suka makanan Jepun di restoran itu.
• Di restoran itu, saya suka makanan Jepun.

Both are correct. The meaning is basically the same, but the emphasis shifts:

• Original: more neutral; focus is on liking Japanese food, with di restoran itu just giving extra information.
• Fronted: Di restoran itu is highlighted – as if you are contrasting that restaurant with others:
  At that restaurant, I like Japanese food (maybe elsewhere I don’t).

What is the difference between Saya suka makanan Jepun and Saya suka makan makanan Jepun?

Both are correct, but they emphasize slightly different things.

1. Saya suka makanan Jepun.

   • Literally: I like Japanese food.
   • Focus: your preference for Japanese food as a thing.
   • Natural when talking about what kinds of food you like in general.

2. Saya suka makan makanan Jepun.

   • Literally: I like to eat Japanese food.
   • suka = to like
   • makan = to eat (verb)
   • makanan Jepun = Japanese food
   • Focus: you like the activity of eating Japanese food.

In many contexts, the difference is subtle and both would be understood similarly, but:

• talking about taste or preference → Saya suka makanan Jepun.
• talking about the activity of eating → Saya suka makan makanan Jepun.

Is there a more formal or stronger word than suka for “like”, such as gemar or minat?

Yes, there are other verbs with slightly different nuance:

1. suka

   • Most common, neutral “like”.
   • Works for food, activities, people, places, etc.
   • Saya suka makanan Jepun. = I like Japanese food.

2. gemar

   • Often sounds a bit more formal or literary, and can imply fondness / enjoyment.
   • Common in writing, announcements, or more formal speech.
   • Saya gemar makanan Jepun. = I am fond of Japanese food / I enjoy Japanese food.

3. minat

   • More like to be interested in / have an interest in.
   • Used more for hobbies, subjects, fields, not so much for everyday food preferences.
   • Saya minat budaya Jepun. = I am interested in Japanese culture.
   • Saya minat makanan Jepun. = I’m interested in Japanese food (e.g. as a topic, or you’re into exploring it), not just “I like its taste”.

For your original sentence, Saya suka makanan Jepun di restoran itu is the most natural everyday choice.