Tolong lap meja makan dengan kain basah.

Here tolong makes the command into a polite request. In English, it often feels like please.

So:

• Lap meja makan... = more direct, like Wipe the dining table...
• Tolong lap meja makan... = Please wipe the dining table...

By itself, tolong can also mean help, but in this sentence it is mainly functioning as a politeness marker before the verb.

Malay often uses the bare verb stem in commands and requests.

So in an imperative:

• Lap meja makan = natural
• Tolong lap meja makan = natural and polite

The form mengelap is the full active verb form and is more common when describing an action rather than giving a simple command.

Compare:

• Dia mengelap meja = He is wiping the table
• Tolong lap meja = Please wipe the table

You may hear Tolong mengelap meja too, but tolong + bare verb is very common and natural.

Yes. The subject is not stated because this is a command/request. The understood subject is you.

So the sentence really means something like:

• Please wipe the dining table with a wet cloth, you

But Malay normally leaves you out in this kind of sentence.

Meja makan is a noun phrase made of two words:

• meja = table
• makan = eat / eating

Together, they form a compound meaning dining table.

Malay often builds this kind of idea just by putting words together, without needing a word like of or a special ending.

Other similar examples:

• bilik tidur = bedroom
• meja tulis = writing desk
• air panas = hot water

Not really in the usual sentence-verb sense. In meja makan, makan helps describe the type of table. It is part of a compound noun.

So even though makan normally means to eat, here it functions more like a label: eating table, meaning dining table.

This is very common in Malay.

Here dengan means with in the sense of using something.

So dengan kain basah tells you the instrument used to do the action:

• with a wet cloth

Be careful, because dengan can also mean with in other senses, such as together with someone. Context tells you which meaning is intended.

Because in Malay, adjectives usually come after the noun.

So:

• kain basah = wet cloth
• meja besar = big table
• air sejuk = cold water

This is the normal word order, and it is one of the big differences from English.

Not specifically. Kain is a broad word meaning cloth, fabric, or piece of cloth.

In this sentence, the context makes it clear that it means a cloth used for wiping. In English, you might naturally say cloth or rag depending on the situation.

If you want to be more specific, you might hear:

• kain lap = wiping cloth
• kain buruk = rag
• tuala = towel

But kain basah works fine here.

It sounds polite and normal for everyday use because of tolong.

It is:

• not rude
• not extremely formal
• suitable for a simple request

If you wanted to sound more formal or indirect, you could say things like:

• Boleh tolong lap meja makan dengan kain basah? = Could you please wipe the dining table with a wet cloth?
• Sila lap meja makan dengan kain basah. = Please wipe the dining table with a wet cloth

Sila is common in formal instructions, signs, or official situations.

The given order is the most natural:

• Tolong lap meja makan dengan kain basah.

This follows a very common pattern:

• politeness marker + verb + object + instrument

You can sometimes move parts around for emphasis, but as a learner, it is best to keep this order. It is clear, idiomatic, and easy to understand.

Lap means wipe. It focuses on the wiping action itself.

Bersihkan means clean. It focuses more on making something clean, not necessarily by wiping.

So:

• Tolong lap meja makan... = Please wipe the dining table...
• Tolong bersihkan meja makan... = Please clean the dining table...

If someone specifically wants you to use a cloth and wipe the surface, lap is the better word.

Yes. Adding itu makes it that dining table or the dining table, depending on context.

So:

• Tolong lap meja makan dengan kain basah = Please wipe the dining table with a wet cloth
• Tolong lap meja makan itu dengan kain basah = Please wipe that dining table with a wet cloth

Malay often leaves words like the unstated unless the speaker wants to be more specific.