semua

Semua is a common word in Indonesian and Malay that functions as a determiner and pronoun meaning "all," "the whole," or "everyone." It is used to express totality of a set, group, or quantity, and can modify a noun or stand alone as the subject or object of a sentence. In everyday usage, semua often appears before a noun phrase, as in semua orang (everyone) or semua buku ini (these books all).

Grammatical behavior and related forms vary slightly between Indonesian and Malay but share core meaning. As a determiner, semua precedes a noun to indicate inclusiveness, such as semua orang, semua barang, or semua milik saya. As a pronoun, it can refer to the entire group or amount, and the form semuanya is used to mean "all of them" or "the whole lot." Other related terms include segala (every, all in a more formal or emphatic sense) and seluruh (the entire, the whole, often with a sense of completeness).

Usage notes and nuances. Semua is versatile and common in informal and formal contexts. It emphasizes totality more than some alternatives like segalanya or setiap, which can carry different emphasis or formality. In Malay and Indonesian, contexts determine whether semuanya, semua itu, or semua orang is most natural.

Examples:

- Semua orang setuju. (Everyone agrees.)

- Saya membeli semua buku itu. (I bought all of those books.)

- Semua telah selesai. (All have been finished.)

- Segala sesuatu bisa terjadi. (Everything can happen.)

Semua remains a basic, widely used term across both languages, with careful selection of related forms to match formality and emphasis.