Learn Hardcore Malay: Saya rasa, walau di mana pun saya belajar, yang penting saya fokus dan tidak ponteng kelas. - I feel that no matter where I study, what is important is that I focus and do not skip class.

Saya rasa = I feel / I think / I have the impression that…
- Example: Saya rasa dia sudah pergi. = I think he has already gone.
Saya fikir = I think in a more logical / intellectual sense (less about feelings).
- Example: Saya fikir jawapannya betul. = I think the answer is correct.
Saya rasa bahawa…
- bahawa = that (a conjunction / complementizer).
- This is more formal and more common in written language:
  Saya rasa bahawa keputusan ini tepat. = I think that this decision is correct.

In everyday speech, people normally just say "Saya rasa…" and drop "bahawa".

What does "walau" mean here, and is it the same as "walaupun"?

In this sentence, walau is a shortened form of walaupun.

walaupun = although / even though / even if
walau … pun (as a split pair) = no matter … / however … / wherever …

So walau di mana pun is basically the same pattern as walaupun di mana pun; both are understood as:

"no matter where" / "wherever"

In practice:

walau di mana pun saya belajar
walaupun di mana pun saya belajar

Both are acceptable; the version with walau … pun is very common in speech and writing.

Can you break down "walau di mana pun" word by word, and how is it different from "di mana-mana" or just "di mana"?

Breakdown:

walau – even though / even if / no matter
di – at / in / on (a preposition)
mana – where
pun – an emphasiser: even / also / at all (here it makes the "no matter…" / "-ever" meaning stronger)

So:

walau di mana pun (saya belajar)
≈ no matter where (I study) / wherever (I study)

Differences:

di mana
- Basic question word: where?
- Kamu belajar di mana? = Where do you study?
di mana-mana
- Means "everywhere".
- Saya boleh belajar di mana-mana. = I can study everywhere / in any place.
walau di mana pun
- Means "no matter where" / "wherever" (focus on condition, not on "everywhere").
- Walau di mana pun saya belajar, saya akan berusaha.
  = No matter where I study, I will make an effort.

Without pun, you might see walau di mana saya belajar, but pun is very natural and idiomatic in this pattern.

Why is there a comma after "Saya rasa"? Is there actually a pause in speech, and is the comma required?

The comma marks a natural pause because "Saya rasa" is working like a sentence opener / discourse marker (“I think…”).

In speech, people normally pause slightly:
- Saya rasa, [pause] walau di mana pun saya belajar…
In writing, the comma is optional but quite common:
- With comma: Saya rasa, walau di mana pun…
- Without: Saya rasa walau di mana pun…

Both are grammatically fine. The comma just makes the structure clearer and mirrors how people naturally speak.

Why is "pun" written separately in "di mana pun"? I’ve seen "dimanapun" written as one word.

This is a spelling / standardization issue.

In standard Malay (Malaysia):

di mana = where (two words: preposition di
- question word mana)
pun is a separate word.
So the standard form is: di mana pun

In Indonesian, or in some informal writing, you may see:

dimana or dimanapun written as one word.

In Malaysian Malay (the variety you’re seeing here), the correct, standard form is:

di mana pun (three separate words).

What does "yang penting" literally mean, and why do we need "yang" here?

Literally:

yang – a relative pronoun / marker, like that / which / who
penting – important

Together, "yang penting" = "that which is important" → "the important thing" / "what matters".

We need yang to turn the adjective "penting" into a noun phrase:

penting alone = important (adjective)
- Itu penting. = That is important.
yang penting = that which is important / what is important / the main thing
- Yang penting saya fokus…
  = What’s important is (that) I focus…
  = The important thing is that I focus…

So in your sentence:

…yang penting saya fokus dan tidak ponteng kelas.

= “what’s important is that I focus and don’t skip class.”

Is "saya fokus" correct Malay, or should it be something like "saya menumpukan perhatian" or "saya memberi tumpuan"?

"Saya fokus" is correct and very natural in modern Malay, especially in speech.

fokus is a loanword from English focus, and it functions as:
- a verb: to focus – Saya mesti fokus.
- or an adjective: focused – Saya sudah fokus.

More “traditional Malay” options include:

saya beri tumpuan = I give (my) attention / I focus
saya menumpukan perhatian = I concentrate / I focus
saya menumpukan perhatian dalam kelas = I pay attention in class

These are more formal or textbook-style. In ordinary conversation, "saya fokus" is very common and perfectly acceptable.

Why is there no word for "that" in "the important thing is (that) I focus and don’t skip class"? Could we use "bahawa"?

Malay often omits the equivalent of English "that" (the complementizer) after expressions of thinking, saying, or evaluating.

Your sentence:

…yang penting saya fokus dan tidak ponteng kelas.

literally:
"…what’s important [is] I focus and don’t skip class."

Here, "bahawa" (= that) is not needed and would sound too heavy/over-formal.

Alternative (more formal) patterns:

Yang penting ialah saya fokus dan tidak ponteng kelas.
(The important thing is that I focus and don’t skip class.)
Yang penting ialah bahawa saya fokus dan tidak ponteng kelas.
Grammatically possible, but very formal / stiff in everyday use.

So:

In normal speech and most writing, people do not insert "bahawa" here.
The sentence as given is the natural choice.

What does "ponteng" mean exactly, and is "ponteng kelas" a fixed expression?

ponteng means to skip / be absent from something on purpose, usually without permission.

Very common collocations:

ponteng sekolah – skip school / play truant
ponteng kelas – skip class
ponteng kerja – skip work / be absent from work without a valid reason

Yes, "ponteng kelas" is a very typical and natural phrase. It carries the idea of:

not attending class when you’re supposed to, usually on purpose.

The verb can also stand alone in context:

Dia selalu ponteng. = He always skips (class/school/etc.)

Why is "tidak" used instead of "jangan" before "ponteng kelas"?

Because the sentence is making a statement/condition, not giving a command.

tidak = not
- Used to negate verbs and adjectives in statements.
- Saya tidak ponteng kelas. = I do not skip class.
jangan = don’t
- Used for imperatives / prohibitions (telling someone not to do something).
- Jangan ponteng kelas. = Don’t skip class.

In your sentence:

…yang penting saya fokus dan tidak ponteng kelas.

= “…what’s important is that I focus and do not skip class.”

So "tidak" is correct because it describes what should (not) be true, not a direct command.

Why isn’t the subject "saya" repeated before "tidak ponteng kelas"?

Malay often drops repeated subjects when it’s clear they are the same.

Full, explicit version:

…yang penting saya fokus dan saya tidak ponteng kelas.

Natural, shorter version:

…yang penting saya fokus dan tidak ponteng kelas.

Both are grammatical. The second "saya" is simply understood:

what’s important is that *I focus and (that I) don’t skip class.*

This kind of subject ellipsis is very common in Malay and sounds normal, not informal or wrong.

What is the overall level of formality of this sentence, and in what situations would it sound natural?

The sentence is polite but informal / neutral.

Elements:

saya – polite, neutral first-person pronoun
rasa, fokus, ponteng – everyday vocabulary, comfortable in speech
Structure is natural spoken Malay, but fine in casual writing

It would sound natural:

When a student talks to friends or to a teacher in a relaxed setting
In informal essays, reflective writing, social media posts, or messages
In conversations about study habits or schooling

For very formal writing (e.g., official reports), people might choose slightly different wording, like:

Saya berpendapat bahawa walau di mana saya belajar, yang penting ialah saya memberikan tumpuan dan tidak ponteng kelas/sekolah.

But your original sentence is perfectly good and idiomatic for most everyday contexts.