The Suffix '-an' — Malay Grammar

Adding to the end of a word usually makes a noun: the thing an action produces, or the thing it is done with or to.

makanan
food
pakaian
clothes

The Thing of an Action

to eat - food
to wear - clothes
to choose - choice
to grow - plant
to sell - sale
to cut - discount

More nouns are built the same way: (building), (group), (plan, programme), (question), (order), (part) and (answer).

A Place

Some of these nouns name a place.

open, free - field

(the front) is built the same way.

Not Every -an Is the Suffix

A word can end in an without having the suffix. Take the ending off: if what is left is not a word with a related meaning, the an is part of the root, as in (breakfast), (road) and (month).

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Malay course

35 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 29. A few of them, with the words “The Suffix '-an'” is about in bold:

Ya. Mari makan makanan Cina.
Yes. Let's eat Chinese food.
Lesson 127
Tanggapan pertama saya ialah dia sangat pintar.
My first impression is that she is very smart.
Lesson 333
Saya hendak beli tumbuhan ini. Ia akan nampak hebat di dalam bilik saya.
I want to buy this plant. It will look great in my room.
Lesson 384

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