Pronouns (kata ganti nama diri) stand in for names: saya and aku (I), kamu and awak (you), dia (he or she), kami and kita (we), mereka (they). Malay has no separate words for “he” and “she” — dia covers both.
What your child will learn
- Choose the pronoun that fits a sentence
- Tell kami from kita
- Use polite pronouns such as saya and beliau
Two kinds of “we”
Kita includes the person you are speaking to: “Mari kita makan” — let us (you and me) eat. Kami leaves them out: “Kami sudah makan” — we (but not you) have eaten.
Politeness matters. Saya is the polite “I”; aku is for close friends. Beliau is a respectful “he or she” for someone honoured, such as a head teacher.
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. Isi tempat kosong: “Itu Mei Ling. ___ kawan baik saya.”
🤝- Dia
- Kami
- Saya
- Kamu
Show answer
Answer: Dia. “Dia” menggantikan nama seorang yang lain.
2. Betul atau salah? “Mereka” digunakan untuk seorang sahaja.
- Salah
- Betul
Show answer
Answer: Salah. “Mereka” digunakan untuk ramai orang.
3. Isi tempat kosong: “Kakak sedang memasak. ___ membuat nasi goreng.”
🍳- Mereka
- Dia
- Kamu
- Kita
Show answer
Answer: Dia. “Dia” menggantikan “kakak”.
Tips for grown-ups
- At dinner, practise: “Kita makan nasi” (all of us) and “Kami pergi ke taman tadi” (telling a visitor).
- Notice which pronouns characters use in Malay storybooks.