Log inSign up

Adik saya membaling bola di taman.

Adik saya membaling bola di taman.
My younger sibling throws a ball in the park.
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Malay grammar and vocabulary.

Start learning Malay now

Questions & Answers about Adik saya membaling bola di taman.

In adik saya, who is the subject of the sentence — I or my younger sibling?

The subject is my younger sibling, not I.

  • adik = younger sibling (younger brother or sister)
  • saya = I / me, but here it works as a possessive (my)

So adik saya as a whole means my younger sibling, and that is the person doing the action of throwing.

Does adik mean “younger brother” or “younger sister,” or both?

Adik is gender‑neutral. It just means younger sibling.

If you need to be specific:

  • adik lelaki = younger brother
  • adik perempuan = younger sister

In normal conversation, if context makes it clear, people just say adik.

Why do we say adik saya instead of saya adik?

In Malay, possessive structures are typically noun + possessor:

  • buku saya = my book
  • rumah mereka = their house
  • adik saya = my younger sibling

So:

  • adik saya = my younger sibling
  • saya adik is ungrammatical in this meaning; it sounds like two separate words “I / me” and “younger sibling” with no clear relationship.
What is the function of membaling in this sentence, and how is it formed?

membaling is the verb, meaning to throw.

It is formed from:

  • base verb: baling (throw)
  • prefix: meN- → here it becomes mem- before b, giving mem + baling = membaling

The meN- prefix:

  • usually marks an active verb,
  • indicates that the subject is doing the action.

So adik saya membaling bola = my younger sibling throws the ball.

Is membaling present tense, past tense, or something else?

Malay verbs do not change form for tense.

membaling by itself can mean:

  • throws / is throwing (present),
  • threw / was throwing (past),
  • will throw (future), depending on context or time words.

To make the time explicit, Malay adds separate words:

  • tadi = earlier, just now
  • semalam = yesterday
  • nanti / kemudian = later
  • sedang = in the middle of (doing)

Examples:

  • Adik saya tadi membaling bola di taman. = My younger sibling threw the ball in the park (earlier).
  • Adik saya sedang membaling bola di taman. = My younger sibling is throwing the ball in the park (right now).
What does bola mean, and is it specific to any type of ball?

bola means ball in general.

It can refer to:

  • a football/soccer ball,
  • a basketball,
  • a tennis ball,
  • any round ball used in games.

If you want to be specific, you add another word:

  • bola sepak = football / soccer ball
  • bola keranjang = basketball
  • bola tenis = tennis ball
What does di mean in di taman, and how is it different from ke?

di marks a location: at / in / on.

  • di taman = in the park / at the park

ke marks movement towards a place: to / toward.

Compare:

  • Adik saya membaling bola di taman.
    = My younger sibling throws the ball in/at the park. (location)

  • Adik saya pergi ke taman.
    = My younger sibling goes to the park. (movement to a place)

Does taman always mean “park”? Can it mean anything else?

taman most commonly means park.

It can also mean:

  • garden (especially a public or decorative one),
  • in Malaysia, a housing area / residential neighborhood often has Taman X as its official name.

In this sentence, di taman is naturally understood as in the park.

Can the word order be changed, for example: Adik saya di taman membaling bola?

Yes, you can say:

  • Adik saya membaling bola di taman.
  • Adik saya di taman membaling bola.

Both are grammatically correct, but the usual and most natural order for a simple sentence is:

[Subject] + [Verb] + [Object] + [Place]

= Adik saya membaling bola di taman.

Putting di taman after adik saya is possible but can sound a bit more marked or stylistic, as if you are first locating adik saya before mentioning what they do.

Is saya always “I,” or can it also mean “my”?

saya by itself means I / me, but in Malay, possessive “my” is expressed by putting “saya” after the noun:

  • buku saya = my book (literally “book I/me”)
  • rumah saya = my house
  • adik saya = my younger sibling

So saya doesn’t change form to become “my”; the position after a noun shows that it’s functioning as a possessor.

Are there other common verbs for “to throw” besides membaling?

Yes. Common alternatives include:

  • membuang
    Literally “to throw away” (dispose of).
    Saya membuang sampah. = I throw away rubbish.

  • melempar
    Also “to throw,” a bit more general; often used in some regions or styles.
    Dia melempar bola. = He/She throws the ball.

membaling and melempar can often be used interchangeably when talking about throwing a ball, though there can be regional and stylistic preferences.

Can I drop saya and just say Adik membaling bola di taman?

Yes, you can say Adik membaling bola di taman, but the meaning changes slightly in how specific it is:

  • Adik saya membaling bola di taman.
    = My younger sibling throws the ball in the park. (clearly belongs to me)

  • Adik membaling bola di taman.
    = (The) younger sibling throws the ball in the park.
    This might refer to:

    • a younger sibling that’s already known from context, or
    • someone’s younger sibling in general.

Including saya makes it specifically my younger sibling.