-lah

• IPA^(key): /-laʔ/

-lah

1. (after stems ending in l) Alternative form of -tlah

• IPA^(key): /lah/
• Rhymes: -lah, -ah

-lah (Jawi spelling له-)

1. Used to make a polite request or to allow an action.

   Minumlah air ini. ― Please drink this water.

   Janganlah malu-malu. ― Please don't be shy.

   Marilah berbuka puasa bersama-sama. ― Please come and break fast together.

2. Used on verbs and adverbs to indicate the jussive, imperative.
   • a. 1256 AH, شَعِير سيتِي زُبَيْدة ڡرَڠ چينا [Poem of Siti Zubaidah’s Chinese War], page 25:

     Seraya berkata, “Wahai Cengkoa, ayuhai tuk pekong tolonglah goa, satu pun tidak salah dibawa, sekarang sudah dapat kecewa.”

     "Ah Cengkoa", the junk captain complained, "Help me, Tuk Pekong", he exclaimed, "not a single fault, nothing wrongly gained, only disappointment is all that I’ve obtained."

3. Used on adverbs to indicate reassurance, emphasis and assertion.

   Dialah yang mencuri kereta saya! ― It is him who stole my car!

   Janganlah bising! ― Don't be noisy!

   • a. 1840 CE, Syair Siti Zubaidah Perang Cina, page 22:

     Cincu wangkang terlalu marah, tubuh geme[n]tar mukanya merah, “Funi Cokong! Pigilah nyah! Dagangan aku habislah sudah”.

     The owner of the junk ship, so outraged was he, his body trembling, face as red as could be, "Funi Cokong! Be gone with thee! All of my goods have gone already."

   • 1958 CE, Zubir Said (lyrics and music), “Majulah Singapura”:

     Majulah Singapura!

     Onward, Singapore!

4. Used on nouns to indicate that they are only, singularly, and in their entirety.
   • c. 1510, Hikayat Amir Hamzah [Hamzanama], pages 233—234:

     “[…] Sebab itu-lah saya datang kerana hendak menyelamatkan datok saya, atau pun saya gugor di-hadapan-nya.”

     Because of that only have I come because of wanting to save my datok, or I fall before him.

5. (literary) Used to indicate emphasised passive ergative verbs.

-lah (inalienable)

1. An opposite sex sibling (a woman’s brother, a man’s sister)

   shilah ― my brother/sister

   bilah ― her/his/their brother/sister