Tolong berundur sekarang.

A word-by-word breakdown is:

• tolong = please / literally help
• berundur = move back, step back, back away, or retreat
• sekarang = now

So the whole sentence means something like Please step back now or Please move back now.

Yes, tolong can literally mean help, but it is also very commonly used to soften a request, much like please in English.

So in a sentence like Tolong berundur sekarang, tolong is not really asking for help. It is making the command more polite.

Compare:

• Berundur sekarang. = Move back now.
  This sounds more direct.
• Tolong berundur sekarang. = Please move back now.
  This sounds more polite.

Berundur means to move backward, to step back, to back away, or sometimes to retreat.

The exact English translation depends on context:

• in a crowd: step back
• in an emergency: move back
• in military or formal contexts: retreat

In everyday speech, here it most naturally means step back or move back.

The prefix ber- often forms an intransitive verb in Malay, meaning a verb that does not directly take an object.

So:

• undur relates to backward movement
• berundur = to move back / to step back

For a learner, the most useful thing is simply to recognize berundur as a verb meaning to move backward. You do not need to analyze the prefix every time, but it helps to know that ber- is a common verb-forming prefix in Malay.

Malay often leaves out the subject when it is obvious from context, especially in commands and requests.

In English, you usually understand an invisible you in commands:

• Please move back now.

Malay works the same way:

• Tolong berundur sekarang.

The person being addressed is understood, so there is no need to say anda or awak.

It is generally polite but firm.

Because of tolong, it is softer than a bare command. However, the word sekarang adds urgency, so it can sound quite firm depending on the situation.

So the overall tone is something like:

• Please step back now.

It is polite, but it is also clearly an instruction that should be followed immediately.

Yes, Malay word order can be somewhat flexible, but Tolong berundur sekarang is very natural.

You may also hear:

• Sekarang, tolong berundur.

This puts extra focus on now.

But Tolong berundur sekarang is probably the most straightforward and common order for this meaning.

Yes. Sila berundur sekarang is also correct.

The difference is mainly in tone:

• tolong = please, often used in everyday polite requests
• sila = more formal, official, or instructional, like signs, announcements, or service language

So:

• Tolong berundur sekarang = everyday polite request
• Sila berundur sekarang = more formal/public-instruction style

It can sound a bit formal or official in some contexts, especially in announcements, crowd control, or safety instructions.

In casual conversation, people might also use other expressions depending on the situation, but berundur is a very normal and useful word to know.

In this sentence, it sounds natural if someone is directing people to move back, such as:

• a guard
• an announcer
• a staff member
• someone managing a crowd

In standard Malay, berundur is the more expected form here.

You may hear related forms based on undur, but for a learner, Tolong berundur sekarang is the safest and most natural choice in standard usage.

So if you want to remember one version, remember:

• Tolong berundur sekarang.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

• tolong → toh-long
• berundur → beh-roon-door
• sekarang → seh-kah-rahng

A rough full reading:

toh-long beh-roon-door seh-kah-rahng

A few tips:

• r in Malay is usually trilled or tapped lightly
• vowels are generally pronounced clearly
• stress is not as strong or dramatic as in English

Yes. It is an imperative, meaning a command or request.

Malay imperatives are often very simple. You can have just the verb:

• Berundur! = Step back!

Then you can soften or modify it:

• Tolong berundur. = Please step back.
• Tolong berundur sekarang. = Please step back now.

So this sentence is an imperative with:

• a politeness marker: tolong
• the main verb: berundur
• a time word: sekarang

This sentence is especially likely in situations where someone needs space or immediate movement backward, for example:

• crowd control
• security situations
• emergency instructions
• giving space to a vehicle or person
• avoiding danger

Because of sekarang, it sounds urgent enough for real-time instructions, not just a casual suggestion.

Yes, but it depends on context.

It sounds most natural when someone is actually instructing another person or a group to move back. It is less the kind of thing you say in relaxed everyday chat and more the kind of thing you say when physical movement is needed.

So it is natural, but it is tied to a specific situation rather than being a general conversational phrase.