Learn Hardcore Malay: Saya suka berjoging di pinggir bandar pada waktu pagi. - I like to jog on the outskirts of the city in the morning.

Suka most commonly means “to like”. In this sentence, Saya suka berjoging… means “I like jogging…” and usually implies a habitual preference (something you generally enjoy doing, not just once).

If you wanted a stronger, more “enthusiastic” nuance like “I really enjoy / I’m fond of jogging”, you might also hear:

Saya sangat suka berjoging. – I really like jogging.
Saya gemar berjoging. – I enjoy / am fond of jogging. (a bit more formal/literary)

Why is it berjoging and not just joging? What does the prefix ber- do?

In Malay, many verbs are formed by adding ber- to a root word. Here:

joging = jogging (a noun or loanword from English)
berjoging = to jog / to be jogging (verb form: “to do jogging”)

The prefix ber- often indicates:

“to have / to be in a state of” something
“to do” the action related to that noun

So berjoging is the natural verb: “to jog”.

You might see joging used like a verb in very casual speech (influenced by English), but berjoging is the grammatically standard form.

Could I say Saya suka joging instead of Saya suka berjoging?

Many people do say Saya suka joging in informal contexts, and it will be understood. However:

Saya suka berjoging is more standard and grammatically “tidier”.
Saya suka joging sounds more casual and “English-influenced”.

If you’re aiming for correct textbook Malay, use berjoging. In everyday conversation, both are commonly heard.

What exactly does di pinggir bandar mean? Is it “in the suburbs” or “at the edge of the city”?

Di pinggir bandar literally means “at the edge of the city”.

Nuance:

pinggir = edge, outskirts, fringe
bandar = town / city

So di pinggir bandar can be understood as:

on the outskirts of the city
in the fringe / near the city limits

In practical everyday use, it can overlap with the idea of “in the suburbs”, but suburb as a specific planning term isn’t always 1:1. It’s more about a place that is not in the city centre, but not fully rural either.

Could I say di tepi bandar instead of di pinggir bandar? Do they mean the same thing?

They are close but not completely identical in feel:

di pinggir bandar – common, idiomatic phrase for the outskirts / fringe of the city.
di tepi bandar – literally “at the side of the city”. It can be understood, but it sounds more literal, a bit less idiomatic.

For natural Malay when talking about where you jog, di pinggir bandar is the more typical choice.

What is the function of di in di pinggir bandar? Can I omit it?

Di is a preposition of place, similar to “at / in / on” in English.

di pinggir bandar = at the edge of the city
di rumah = at home
di sekolah = at school

You cannot omit di here.
Saying pinggir bandar alone just names the location (“the outskirts of the city” as a noun phrase), but di pinggir bandar makes it a prepositional phrase, specifying where the jogging happens.

What does pada waktu pagi mean exactly, and why not just pagi?

pada = at / on (preposition, very often used with time)
waktu = time
pagi = morning

So:

pada waktu pagi ≈ “in the morning / during the morning”

You can say:

Saya suka berjoging pada waktu pagi. (more complete/formal)
Saya suka berjoging pada pagi hari. (also natural)
Saya suka berjoging waktu pagi. (slightly more relaxed)
Saya suka berjoging pagi. (colloquial, shorter; understood as “in the mornings”)

Pada waktu pagi is a clear and fairly neutral way to express “in the morning”, suitable for both spoken and written Malay.

Can I move pada waktu pagi to the front: Pada waktu pagi, saya suka berjoging di pinggir bandar?

Yes, that is perfectly grammatical and natural.

Malay word order is relatively flexible for adverbials of time and place. All of these are fine, with slightly different focus:

Saya suka berjoging di pinggir bandar pada waktu pagi.
– neutral; tells what you like, then where, then when.
Pada waktu pagi, saya suka berjoging di pinggir bandar.
– puts emphasis on the time (in the mornings).
Di pinggir bandar, saya suka berjoging pada waktu pagi.
– puts emphasis first on the place.

They all mean the same thing in everyday use.

How is present tense shown here? There’s no word like “am” or “do”.

Malay generally does not mark tense on the verb the way English does. Instead, context and time expressions show when something happens.

In Saya suka berjoging di pinggir bandar pada waktu pagi:

The verb suka (like) has no tense ending.
The time phrase pada waktu pagi indicates when.

So the same sentence can be understood as:

“I like jogging…” (present / habitual)
In another context, it might refer to past habits, but usually it’s read as present, habitual unless you add time markers like dulu (formerly) or akan (will).

Could I use aku instead of saya? What’s the difference in tone?

Yes, grammatically you can say:

Aku suka berjoging di pinggir bandar pada waktu pagi.

Difference in tone:

saya – polite, neutral, formal; safe with strangers, elders, and in writing.
aku – informal, intimate; used with close friends, family, or people of similar age/status in casual settings.

If you are a learner and unsure what to use, saya is usually the safest default.

How would I make this sentence negative, like “I don’t like jogging…”?

To negate suka, use tidak (often shortened to tak in casual speech):

Saya tidak suka berjoging di pinggir bandar pada waktu pagi.
– I do not like jogging at the edge of the city in the morning.

Informal:

Saya tak suka berjoging di pinggir bandar pada waktu pagi.

Tidak / tak is used to negate verbs and adjectives (not nouns).

Is there any difference between waktu pagi and pagi-pagi?

Yes, there is a nuance:

waktu pagi – neutral: “in the morning” (any time in the morning).
pagi-pagi – often implies early in the morning / very early morning.

So:

Saya suka berjoging pada waktu pagi.
– I like jogging in the mornings (general).
Saya suka berjoging pagi-pagi.
– I like jogging early in the morning.

Pagi-pagi is less formal and a bit more expressive.