Grammar: To start and to stop

Grammar Point

Bermula vs Memulakan

1. Bermula is an intransitive verb. Meanwhile, memulakan is a transitive verb. In other words, bermula is for something to start, meanwhile memulakan is to start something. Observe the following sentences.
   1. Hujan bermula tepat pukul 9 pagi tadi. (The rain started sharp at 9 this morning.)
   2. Saya akan memulakan projek baru itu minggu depan. (I will start the new project next week.)

In this case, memulakan is a transitive verb because it precedes a noun. Meanwhile, bermula does not.

Mula + verb

1. Use mula in front of a verb. This is equivalent to to start doing in English.
   1. Kami mula belajar selepas makan malam. (We started studying after lunch.)
   2. Di Malaysia, hari mula cerah lebih kurang pada pukul 7 pagi. (In Malaysia, the day starts to become bright at 7 o’clock.)
   3. Anak Aleesa mula menangis selepas dia nampak lelaki itu. (Aleesa’s son started crying after seeing the man.)

Berhenti vs Menghentikan

1. Similar to the verbs bermula and memulakan, berhenti is an intransitive verb and menghentikan is a transitive verb. Hence, memulakan is often followed by a noun.
   1. Kereta itu tiba-tiba berhenti di tengah jalan. (The car suddenly stopped in the middle of the road.)
   2. Bateri jam sudah habis, jadi jam sudah berhenti. (The clock ran out of battery, so it already stopped.)
   3. Polis memberhentikan teksi itu. (The police stopped that cab.)

Berhenti + verb

1. This is equivalent to stop/quit doing in English.
   1. Salji berhenti turun selepas tiga jam. (The snow stopped falling after three hours.)
   2. Akhirnya, dia sudah berhenti merokok. (Finally, he quit smoking.)
   3. Mereka berhenti bercakap apabila cikgu masuk ke kelas. (They stopped talking when the teacher entered the classroom.)