Learn Hardcore Malay: Daripada marah tentang trafik perlahan, lebih baik kita berbual dengan tenang dalam kereta. - Instead of getting angry about the slow traffic, it is better that we chat calmly in the car.

“daripada” is used for:
- comparisons / choices:
  - lebih baik A daripada B = it’s better to do A than B
  - lebih murah daripada itu = cheaper than that
- certain abstract “from” meanings (from a source, from someone, from a point of view).
“dari” is more for:
- physical place / time:
  - dari rumah = from home
  - dari pagi sampai petang = from morning till evening

In a structure like “Daripada X, lebih baik Y”, you need “daripada”, not “dari”.

How is “Daripada marah tentang trafik perlahan” grammatically working? There’s no subject or “to be”.

Grammatically, “Daripada marah tentang trafik perlahan” is a prepositional phrase:

daripada = instead of
marah = to be angry
tentang trafik perlahan = about the slow traffic

Malay often omits the subject when it’s obvious. Here, the understood subject is “kita” (we). So the full idea is:

Daripada (kita) marah tentang trafik perlahan…
= Instead of (us) being angry about the slow traffic…

Also, Malay doesn’t need a separate “to be” verb like English “be”:

kita marah = we are angry / we get angry
dia sakit = he is sick

So “marah” itself functions like “to be angry” or “angry”, depending on context.

Why is it “marah tentang trafik perlahan”? Can I say “marah pasal”, “marah kerana”, or “marah pada” instead?

“marah tentang trafik perlahan” literally means “angry about the slow traffic”.

Common options with marah:

marah tentang + thing/issue
- Quite neutral; suitable in writing or careful speech.
- marah tentang keputusan itu = angry about that decision
marah kerana / marah sebab + cause
- Emphasises the reason:
- marah kerana trafik perlahan = angry because of the slow traffic
marah pasal + thing (very colloquial)
- Very common in spoken Malaysian/Singaporean Malay:
- marah pasal trafik perlahan
marah kepada / marah pada + person/target
- For who you’re angry at:
- marah pada pemandu itu = angry at that driver
marah akan
- Old‑fashioned / formal / literary.

So you could also say:

Daripada marah kerana trafik perlahan… (a bit more “because of”)
Daripada marah pasal trafik perlahan… (very everyday speech)

The original “tentang” is a safe, neutral choice.

Is “trafik perlahan” the natural way to say “slow traffic”? Why “perlahan” and not “lambat”?

Yes, “trafik perlahan” is acceptable and understandable as “slow traffic”.

perlahan = slow (in terms of speed / movement)
- kereta bergerak perlahan = the car is moving slowly
lambat = slow / late (often about lateness or “taking a long time”)
- dia lambat = he is late / slow
- internet lambat = the internet is slow

For traffic conditions, you’ll commonly hear:

trafik perlahan = slow‑moving traffic
trafik bergerak perlahan = traffic is moving slowly
jalan sesak / kesesakan lalu lintas = traffic jam / congestion

“trafik lambat” is not usual; people will understand, but it sounds less natural than “trafik perlahan” or “trafik bergerak perlahan”.

Also note: in Malay, adjectives come after the noun:

trafik perlahan = slow traffic
rumah besar = big house

You could also say “trafik yang perlahan”, but the “yang” is optional here.

How does “lebih baik” work? Is it literally “more good”? Can it always mean “it’s better to …”?

Yes, “lebih baik” is literally “more good”, and together it functions as “better”.

Components:

lebih = more
baik = good

Common uses:

Followed by a clause, to suggest what to do
- Lebih baik kita berbual…
  = It’s better (for us) to chat… / We’d better chat…
With “daripada” to compare choices
- Lebih baik kita berbual dengan tenang daripada (kita) marah.
  = It’s better that we chat calmly than (that we) get angry.

You’ll also hear a shortened, very colloquial form:

Baik kita berbual… (dropping “lebih”)
= Same idea: “We’d better chat…” / “Let’s just chat…”

Position matters:

Lebih baik kita berbual…
= Impersonal suggestion: “It’s better if we…”
Kita lebih baik berbual…
= Grammatically OK, but sounds more like describing us as “rather better at chatting” in some contexts. The first pattern is more natural for suggestions.

Why is “kita” used instead of “kami”?

Malay has two words for “we”:

kita = inclusive “we” (includes the listener)
- kita pergi = we (you and I) go
kami = exclusive “we” (excludes the listener)
- kami pergi = we (but not you) go

In “lebih baik kita berbual…”, the speaker is suggesting something that includes the listener:

“It’s better if we (you and I) chat calmly…”

If you used “kami” here, it would sound like:

“It’s better if we (some other group, not you) chat calmly in the car”

That doesn’t match the intended meaning, so “kita” is the natural choice.

What’s the nuance of “berbual”? How is it different from “bercakap” or “bersembang”?

All three involve talking, but with slightly different feels:

berbual
- to chat, have a conversation
- Often suggests a two‑way, relaxed conversation.
- Good neutral choice in both speech and writing.
bercakap
- to speak / talk
- More general; can be neutral or formal:
  - bercakap dengan kawan = talk with a friend
  - bercakap di hadapan orang ramai = speak in public
bersembang
- very informal colloquial for “chat/gossip”:
  - sembang dengan kawan‑kawan = chat with friends

So:

lebih baik kita berbual = “let’s chat / have a nice conversation”
lebih baik kita bercakap = acceptable, but sounds more neutral / not as “cosy”
lebih baik kita bersembang = very casual, like “let’s just chat/chill”

In this sentence, “berbual” fits well because the idea is a calm, friendly conversation.

What does “dengan tenang” do here? Is “tenang” an adjective or an adverb?

“tenang” by itself means “calm” (adjective).

Malay often makes an adverbial phrase by using:

dengan + adjective
= “in a … way” / “…‑ly”

So:

dengan tenang = calmly / in a calm way

Thus, “berbual dengan tenang” = “to chat calmly”.

You can place “dengan tenang” in different spots without changing the meaning much:

lebih baik kita berbual dengan tenang dalam kereta
lebih baik kita berbual dalam kereta dengan tenang

Both are fine. The original keeps the adverb (dengan tenang) close to the verb (berbual), which is a common pattern.

Why “dalam kereta” and not “di kereta” or “di dalam kereta”?

All of these are possible, but there are nuances:

dalam kereta
- “in the car / inside the car”
- Very common and natural in speech and writing.
di dalam kereta
- literally “at/in inside the car”
- Slightly more explicit/emphatic about being inside, and can sound a bit more formal or careful.
di kereta
- literally “at the car / in/on the car”
- Understandable, but for a car people usually say “dalam kereta” or “di dalam kereta”.
- di kereta api (on the train) is much more common than di kereta (in the car).

In everyday speech, “dalam kereta” is the most natural choice for “in the car”.

How flexible is the word order? Can I move parts of the sentence around?

Malay word order is somewhat flexible, but some orders sound more natural.
Original:

Daripada marah tentang trafik perlahan, lebih baik kita berbual dengan tenang dalam kereta.

Other acceptable options:

Lebih baik kita berbual dengan tenang dalam kereta daripada marah tentang trafik perlahan.
- Same meaning; you put the “better” clause first, then the “instead of …” part.
Daripada marah tentang trafik perlahan, lebih baik kita berbual dengan tenang sahaja dalam kereta.
- Adds “sahaja” (just), emphasising “just chat calmly”.
Daripada kita marah tentang trafik perlahan, lebih baik kita berbual dengan tenang dalam kereta.
- Explicitly adds “kita” after daripada; still natural.

Examples that are grammatical but less natural in style:

Lebih baik dalam kereta kita berbual dengan tenang…
- Understandable, but sounds like you’re emphasising “in the car”.
Daripada marah, lebih baik kita berbual dengan tenang tentang trafik perlahan dalam kereta.
- Now “tentang trafik perlahan” seems to describe what you talk about, not what you’re angry about.

So you can move chunks, but be careful not to accidentally change what modifies what.

Is this sentence formal, informal, or neutral? How would it change in casual conversation?

The sentence is neutral: perfectly fine in writing and polite speech.

More formal / careful version:

Daripada berasa marah terhadap trafik yang perlahan, lebih baik kita berbual dengan tenang di dalam kereta.
- berasa marah = feel angry
- terhadap instead of tentang
- trafik yang perlahan
- di dalam kereta

More colloquial, everyday version (Malaysian/Singaporean):

Daripada marah pasal trafik perlahan, baik kita sembang je dalam kereta.
- pasal = about (informal)
- baik kita… = shorter, casual suggestion
- sembang = chat (colloquial)
- je (short for saja/sahaja) = just

So the original sits comfortably in the middle: polite, natural, not stiff.

Could any words be safely dropped or replaced in very casual speech without sounding wrong?

Yes. In relaxed conversation, speakers often simplify:

Original:
Daripada marah tentang trafik perlahan, lebih baik kita berbual dengan tenang dalam kereta.

Possible casual versions:

Daripada marah pasal trafik perlahan, baik kita sembang je dalam kereta.
- tentang → pasal (informal “about”)
- lebih baik → baik
- berbual → sembang
- optional je = just
Daripada marah pasal trafik, baik kita berbual je dalam kereta.
- Drop “perlahan” if the context already makes it clear traffic is slow.
Daripada marah je pasal jem, baik kita sembang dalam kereta.
- jem = traffic jam (from English “jam”)
- marah je = just getting angry

In very casual talk, you might even reduce it conceptually to:

Daripada marah pasal jem, baik kita sembang.

The core structure stays the same:

Daripada X, (lebih) baik kita Y.
= Instead of X, it’s better that we Y.