Learn Hardcore Malay: Dia berbohong kepada saya.

Breakdown of Dia berbohong kepada saya.

Does dia mean he or she?

Yes—dia can mean either he or she. Malay does not usually distinguish gender in third-person singular pronouns the way English does.

So Dia berbohong kepada saya could mean:

You know which one is meant from context.

What does berbohong mean exactly?

Berbohong means to lie or to tell lies.

It is built from:

bohong = a lie / false / to lie
ber- = a common prefix that often forms an intransitive verb or describes engaging in something

So berbohong is the standard verb to lie.

In everyday speech, you may also hear bohong used directly as a verb, but berbohong is a more complete and standard form.

Why is kepada used here?

Kepada means to, especially when the object is a person or sometimes an abstract recipient.

So in this sentence:

Malay often uses kepada when an action is directed at someone:

In casual speech, people may sometimes leave it out or use other patterns, but kepada is a good standard choice here.