Malay relative-clause gap

Level 3

In Malay, relative clauses are introduced by yang. Unlike English, which might use 'who' or 'which', Malay simply leaves a 'gap' in the sentence. Crucially, this gap must usually be in the subject position.

How It Works

Malay relative clauses generally follow a 'Subject-only constraint,' meaning the noun being described should function as the subject of the clause.

1. The Gap Strategy
When describing a subject or object, you leave an empty space (a gap) where the noun would be. Using yang, you say Orang yang [gap] makan (The person who [gap] eats). You do not use a pronoun like dia here.

2. Relativizing Objects (The Passive Shift)
To describe an object, you must first turn the clause into a passive form or object voice so the 'gap' becomes the subject.
Example: Buku yang [gap] saya baca (The book that [gap] was read by me).

3. The Possessive Exception
The main exception to the gap rule is when you describe a possession. In this case, you must use the resumptive pronoun -nya attached to the noun being possessed.
Example: Budak yang bajunya merah (The boy whose shirt is red).

4. Prepositional Objects
You cannot leave a gap after a preposition (like 'the chair I sat on'). Instead, you must use suffixes like -kan or -i to make the verb transitive, then use the passive shift described above.

Examples (4)

  1. Budak yang sedang berlari itu adik saya.

    The boy who is running is my younger sibling.

    Word by Word: Boy that [gap] progressive run that sibling my.

    Here, 'budak' (boy) is the subject of the relative clause. The gap is in the subject position before 'sedang'.

  2. Buku yang dibaca oleh Ali sangat tebal.

    The book that was read by Ali is very thick.

    Word by Word: Book that [gap] passive-read by Ali very thick.

    Since 'buku' is the object of 'read', we use the di- passive so the gap is in the subject position.

  3. Surat yang saya tulis sudah dihantar.

    The letter that I wrote has been sent.

    Word by Word: Letter that [gap] I write already passive-send.

    This uses object voice. The gap is the subject of the clause 'saya tulis'.

  4. Wanita yang memakai baju merah itu guru saya.

    The woman who is wearing the red clothes is my teacher.

    Word by Word: Woman that [gap] wear clothes red that teacher my.

    The head noun 'wanita' is the agent, so the verb uses the me- prefix and the gap is the subject.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a resumptive pronoun (like 'it' or 'him') inside the relative clause.

    Kereta yang saya beli ia sangat laju.
    Kereta yang saya beli sangat laju.

    In Malay, you must leave a gap. Adding 'ia' (it) after the verb inside the 'yang' clause is ungrammatical.

  • Using the active meN- prefix when the head noun is the object.

    Buku yang saya membaca sangat bagus.
    Buku yang saya baca sangat bagus.

    When the head noun is the object, you must drop the meN- prefix (using object voice) or use the passive to keep the gap in the subject position.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Malay relative-clause gapLevel 3

Learn This First

To understand the Malay relative-clause gap, you first need to be comfortable with basic 'yang' relative clauses and standard SVO sentence structure. It is also helpful to understand how pronouns like '-nya' function as objects, as this pattern specifically describes the omission of such pronouns within the relative clause.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.