Kata nafi are the words for “not”. Malay has two and they are not interchangeable. Bukan goes before a noun or a place phrase: “Itu bukan beg saya.” Tidak goes before a verb or an adjective: “Saya tidak lapar.”
What your child will learn
- Use bukan before nouns and place phrases
- Use tidak before verbs and adjectives
- Use bukan… tetapi… for a contrast
What comes next decides
Look at the word after the gap. A noun (guru, beg, hari Ahad) or a phrase starting with di, ke, dari or untuk takes bukan. A verb (pergi, suka, hadir) or adjective (panas, sukar) takes tidak.
One exception: bukan may stand before a verb or adjective when a correction follows — “Dia bukan malas, tetapi kurang sihat.”
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. Isi tempat kosong: “Adik ___ menangis lagi.”
🧒- tiada
- bukan
- tidak
- usah
Show answer
Answer: tidak. “Menangis” ialah kata kerja, jadi “tidak”.
2. Betul atau salah? Kata nafi digunakan untuk menafikan sesuatu.
- Salah
- Betul
Show answer
Answer: Betul. Kata nafi ialah “tidak” dan “bukan”.
3. Isi tempat kosong: “Saya ___ suka makan peria.”
🍽️- usah
- tiada
- bukan
- tidak
Show answer
Answer: tidak. “Suka” ialah kata kerja, jadi “tidak”.
Tips for grown-ups
- Play “bukan!”: point at a spoon and say “Ini garpu.” Your child corrects: “Itu bukan garpu.”
- Turn five true sentences into false ones with tidak or bukan.