Kami menyemai benih.

Both can mean we, but they are not interchangeable.

• kami = we, not including the person being spoken to
• kita = we, including the person being spoken to

So Kami menyemai benih means we sow seeds, but you are not part of the we.

Menyemai is a verb built from the root semai.

It uses the meN- verbal prefix, which often forms active verbs. With roots beginning with s-, the s usually changes, so:

• semai → menyemai

This is a very common sound change in Malay word formation.

Yes, this sentence follows the normal Subject–Verb–Object pattern:

• Kami = subject
• menyemai = verb
• benih = object

So the structure is:

• Kami menyemai benih
• We sow seeds

This makes basic Malay sentences feel quite familiar to English speakers.

It can mean either, depending on context.

Malay nouns usually do not change form for singular vs. plural. So:

• benih = seed or seeds

If the context is farming or planting, English will often translate it as seeds.

Malay does not use articles the way English does.

So benih can mean:

• a seed
• the seed
• seeds
• some seeds

The exact meaning comes from context, not from an article.

By itself, you usually don’t. Malay verbs do not change form for tense like English verbs do.

So Kami menyemai benih could mean things like:

• We sow seeds
• We are sowing seeds
• We sowed seeds

The time is usually understood from context, or shown with time words such as:

• semalam = yesterday
• sekarang = now
• esok = tomorrow

Malay can also use aspect markers like sedang or telah, but they are not required.

Sometimes, yes.

Malay often allows the subject to be omitted if it is already clear from context. So in the right situation, someone might just say:

• Menyemai benih.

However, using kami makes the sentence clearer and more complete, especially for learners or in neutral written examples.

They are related, but not exactly the same.

• menyemai = to sow, scatter, or start seeds
• menanam = to plant

So menyemai benih focuses specifically on sowing seeds.
If you were putting a seedling, tree, or plant into the ground, menanam might be more natural.

A simple learner-friendly pronunciation is:

• menyemai ≈ muhn-yuh-my

A few notes:

• ny sounds like the ny in canyon
• the final -ai sounds like eye
• Malay spelling is generally quite regular, so pronunciation is usually more predictable than in English

It is standard and natural Malay.

• kami is a normal standard pronoun
• menyemai is a standard verb
• benih is a normal word for seed/seeds

So the sentence works well as correct written Malay and as a straightforward spoken sentence, especially in a farming or gardening context.