Sila isi borang digital itu.

Breakdown of Sila isi borang digital itu.

itu
that
sila
please
borang
the form
digital
digital
isi
to fill
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Questions & Answers about Sila isi borang digital itu.

What does sila mean exactly? Is it the same as “please”?

Sila is a polite word used to invite or request someone to do something, and it usually translates as “please”.

  • It’s common in formal and semi-formal situations: signs, announcements, customer service, speaking to strangers, etc.
  • It’s not very emotional; it’s polite, neutral, and a bit official.
  • In casual speech with friends, people might drop it and just say Isi borang digital itu (Fill in that digital form), which can still be polite depending on tone.

So Sila isi borang digital itu“Please fill in that digital form.”

Why is there no subject like “you”? Where is the “you” in this sentence?

Malay often omits the subject in imperatives when it’s obvious from context.

  • English: Please (you) fill in that digital form.
  • Malay: Sila isi borang digital itu. (literally: “Please fill (the) digital form that.”)

The “you” is understood, not spoken.
You can say Sila anda isi borang digital itu, but it sounds quite formal or stiff and is less common than just Sila isi….

What does isi mean, and why isn’t it mengisi?

Isi is a verb meaning “to fill” or “to fill in” (e.g. a form, a container).

  • In dictionaries you’ll see isi (base form) and mengisi (prefixed form).
  • For imperatives (commands/requests), Malay usually uses the base form of the verb:
    • Isi borang itu. – Fill the form.
    • Baca buku ini. – Read this book.
    • Tulis nama anda. – Write your name.

Mengisi is used in ordinary statements:

  • Saya mengisi borang digital itu. – I am filling in the digital form.

So here, because it’s a request/command, isi (not mengisi) is correct.

What exactly is a borang? Is it always a form like in English?

Borang means a form in the sense of a document to be filled in (paper or online).

Examples:

  • borang pendaftaran – registration form
  • borang permohonan kerja – job application form
  • borang cukai – tax form

It does not mean “form” in abstract senses like “shape” or “in this form of writing”. For those, Malay uses other words, such as bentuk (shape, form) or rupa (appearance).

Why is it borang digital, not digital borang?

In Malay, adjectives and most descriptive words come after the noun.

  • borang digital – digital form
    • borang = form
    • digital = digital

Saying digital borang is ungrammatical.

Other examples:

  • kereta merah – red car (not merah kereta)
  • baju baru – new shirt (not baru baju)
  • telefon pintar – smart phone (not pintar telefon)
Why is itu at the end? What does it add?

Itu is a demonstrative, usually translated as “that” (or sometimes “the” in context).

  • borang digital – a digital form / digital forms (general)
  • borang digital ituthat digital form / the digital form we’re talking about

Placing itu at the end of the noun phrase is normal Malay word order:

  • rumah itu – that house
  • budak kecil itu – that little kid
  • borang digital itu – that digital form

So Sila isi borang digital itu = Please fill in that digital form (the specific one we mean).

What’s the difference between itu and ini in this kind of sentence?
  • ini = this (near the speaker)
  • itu = that (farther away or already known / previously mentioned)

Examples:

  • Sila isi borang digital ini. – Please fill in this digital form (maybe the one on this page or in my hand).
  • Sila isi borang digital itu. – Please fill in that digital form (maybe one referred to earlier or visible elsewhere).

Sometimes itu also just marks “the specific one we both know about”, not physically far away. Context decides whether it feels more like “that” or “the” in English.

Does borang digital itu mean one form or many forms? How do you show plural?

By default, Malay does not mark plural if it’s clear from context. So borang digital itu could be:

  • that digital form (singular), or
  • those digital forms (plural),

depending on context.

If you need to be very clear:

  • borang-borang digital itu – those digital forms (plural marked by reduplication)
  • semua borang digital itu – all those digital forms

For a single form, you can say:

  • satu borang digital itu – that one digital form (less common)
  • More naturally, rely on context; singular is often just borang digital itu.
Is digital pronounced like English “digital”?

It’s similar, but adapted to Malay pronunciation:

  • Spelled: digital
  • Typical Malay pronunciation: [dijital] (roughly “DEE-jee-tal”)
    • di = “dee”
    • gi often softened; many speakers say something like “dijital”
    • Stress is usually fairly even, not as strong as English stress patterns.

Other words in the sentence:

  • silaSEE-lah
  • isiEE-see
  • borangBOH-rang, with -ng as in English “sing” [ŋ].
Could I say Sila lengkapkan borang digital itu instead? Is that different from isi?

Yes, you can say:

  • Sila lengkapkan borang digital itu.

lengkapkan (from lengkap) means “complete / make complete”.
The nuance:

  • isi borang – fill in the form (focus on filling entries)
  • lengkapkan borang – complete the form (focus on making sure everything is done/complete)

In practice, both are commonly used on instructions and forms, and often feel similar. Isi is slightly more literal “fill in”; lengkapkan suggests completeness.

Is it okay to drop sila and just say Isi borang digital itu?

Yes, grammatically it’s fine:

  • Isi borang digital itu. – Fill in that digital form.

Tone-wise:

  • With sila: more polite, formal, suitable for notices, customer service, etc.
  • Without sila: can still be polite depending on your voice and situation, but it’s shorter and can sound more direct.

On written instructions (e.g. on a website button), you’ll see both:

  • Isi borang
  • Sila isi borang
What is the literal word‑for‑word breakdown of Sila isi borang digital itu?
  • Sila – please (polite request marker)
  • isi – fill / fill in
  • borang – form (document to fill in)
  • digital – digital
  • itu – that / the (that specific one)

Literal structure:

  • Sila (please)
  • isi (fill in)
  • borang digital itu (that digital form)

Natural English: “Please fill in that digital form.”