Dia mengempelas dan menggilap meja itu sebelum menyapu varnis.

Malay verbs do not usually change form for tense the way English verbs do. So mengempelas, menggilap, and menyapu do not mean specifically past or present by themselves.

The time reference comes from:

• context
• time words such as semalam (yesterday), esok (tomorrow), sedang (in progress), akan (will), and so on

So this sentence could be understood as past, habitual, or even procedural, depending on context. In many contexts, it will naturally be understood as a completed sequence of actions.

These are forms of the active verb prefix usually written as meN- in grammar explanations. It is a very common Malay prefix used to form active verbs.

In this sentence:

• mengempelas = to sand
• menggilap = to polish
• menyapu = to apply/spread/brush on

So the prefix helps mark these as active actions done by the subject, dia.

Because the meN- prefix changes depending on the first sound of the base word.

Here are the relevant patterns in this sentence:

• gilap → menggilap
• sapu → menyapu
  The initial s of sapu drops, and meN- becomes meny-.
• empelas → mengempelas

So this is not random spelling. It is a regular sound pattern in Malay word formation.

Malay demonstratives normally come after the noun, not before it.

So:

• meja itu = literally table that
• in natural English, this is often that table or sometimes the table, depending on context

This word order is normal in Malay:

• rumah itu = that house
• orang itu = that person

Because the subject is understood to be the same person.

In Dia mengempelas dan menggilap meja itu sebelum menyapu varnis, the understood meaning is that the same person did all three actions. Malay often omits a repeated subject when it is already clear.

You could say sebelum dia menyapu varnis, but it is not necessary here. Leaving dia out sounds more natural and less repetitive.

Sebelum means before and introduces an earlier/later relationship between actions.

Here it shows the order:

1. sanding
2. polishing
3. applying varnish

So the sanding and polishing happened before the varnish was applied.

Yes. Dan means and, and here it links two actions done by the same subject:

• mengempelas
• menggilap

This is completely normal in Malay. The subject does not need to be repeated:

• Dia makan dan minum = He/She ate and drank
• Dia membaca dan menulis = He/She read and wrote

Sapu has a broader range than English sweep. Depending on context, it can mean things like:

• sweep
• wipe
• spread
• brush on
• apply

So menyapu varnis means applying or brushing on varnish. In a woodworking or finishing context, this is a very natural use.

Here varnis is a noun: varnish.

The verb is menyapu, so the phrase means literally something like apply varnish. Malay often uses a general action verb plus a noun:

• menyapu cat = apply paint
• menyapu krim = apply cream
• menyapu varnis = apply varnish

Yes, that is the natural interpretation. The sentence first mentions meja itu, and then the final action menyapu varnis is understood as being done to that same table.

Malay often leaves this kind of repeated information implicit when it is obvious from context. If you wanted to make it fully explicit, you could add more words, but the shorter version is natural and clear.