What Does ‘Sejak’ Mean in Malay?
‘Sejak’ is a preposition in Malay that translates to ‘since’ in English. It is used to indicate the starting point of an action or event that continues up to the present or another specified time. When you want to specify when something began, ‘sejak’ is the word you will use.
Using ‘Sejak’ to Indicate Time Duration
In Malay, ‘sejak’ is primarily used to refer to the beginning of a time period. It is followed by a specific time reference, such as a date, year, day, or event. The action or state usually continues from that point to the present moment or another point in time.
Basic Sentence Structure
The typical structure for using ‘sejak’ is:
Subject + Verb + sejak + Time Reference
For example:
- Saya tinggal di sini sejak tahun 2015. (I have lived here since 2015.)
- Dia bekerja di syarikat itu sejak bulan Januari. (He/she has worked at that company since January.)
Common Time References Used with ‘Sejak’
- Tahun (Year) – sejak tahun 2020 (since 2020)
- Bulan (Month) – sejak bulan Mac (since March)
- Hari (Day) – sejak hari Isnin (since Monday)
- Peristiwa (Event) – sejak perang tamat (since the war ended)
- Umur (Age) – sejak kecil (since childhood)
How ‘Sejak’ Differs from ‘Selama’ and ‘Dari’
It is important not to confuse ‘sejak’ with similar Malay words like ‘selama’ and ‘dari’.
- ‘Sejak’ is used to indicate the starting point in time (since).
- ‘Selama’ is used for the duration of time (for). Example: Saya menunggu selama dua jam. (I waited for two hours.)
- ‘Dari’ can also mean ‘from’ but is used for both time and place, often paired with ‘hingga’ or ‘sampai’ (to/until).
Examples of ‘Sejak’ in Everyday Malay Conversation
- Saya tidak berjumpa dia sejak sekolah rendah. (I haven’t seen him/her since primary school.)
- Kami berkawan sejak kecil. (We have been friends since childhood.)
- Ibu saya bekerja di hospital itu sejak tahun lepas. (My mother has worked at that hospital since last year.)
- Dia tinggal di Kuala Lumpur sejak berpindah dari Sabah. (He/she has lived in Kuala Lumpur since moving from Sabah.)
Practice Tips for Mastering ‘Sejak’
- Practice forming sentences about your own life using ‘sejak’ and different time references.
- Listen to native speakers or Malay podcasts, and note how they use ‘sejak’ in context.
- Try using ‘sejak’ in conversations with language partners or during your Talkpal AI language learning sessions.
Conclusion
Mastering ‘sejak’ is a vital step in expressing time duration and sharing your experiences in Malay. Remember, ‘sejak’ always marks the starting point of an ongoing action or event. With regular practice and exposure, you’ll become more fluent and accurate in your use of Malay time expressions. For more language learning tips and resources, keep following the Talkpal – AI language learning blog!
