Mereka saling melihat.

• Mereka = they
• saling = each other / one another
• melihat = to see / to look at

So the structure is very literally:

• Mereka → subject
• saling → marks a mutual action
• melihat → the action

Together, it expresses the idea that the action goes both ways.

In Malay, saling usually comes before the verb to show that the action is reciprocal, meaning the people do it to one another.

So:

• Mereka saling melihat = they see/look at each other

This pattern is very common:

• mereka saling membantu = they help each other
• mereka saling mengenali = they know each other
• mereka saling mencintai = they love each other

So saling + verb is a standard pattern.

Yes, in this sentence it works much like each other or one another in English.

But grammatically, it behaves a little differently from English:

• In English, each other usually comes after the verb.
• In Malay, saling usually comes before the verb.

Compare:

• English: They see each other
• Malay: Mereka saling melihat

So the meaning is similar, but the sentence structure is different.

Because melihat already covers the idea of seeing or looking at someone/something directly.

In English, we often say:

• look at someone

But in Malay, melihat can take a direct object without needing a separate word like at.

So Malay says:

• melihat seseorang = see/look at someone

Not:

• melihat pada seseorang in normal usage for this meaning

So Mereka saling melihat is completely natural.

It can mean either, depending on context.

Malay verbs do not automatically show tense the way English verbs do. So melihat by itself does not tell you whether the action is:

• present
• past
• ongoing
• habitual

Context tells you.

For example:

• Sekarang mereka saling melihat. = They are looking at each other now.
• Semalam mereka saling melihat. = They saw each other yesterday.

So without extra context, the sentence is neutral about time.

Melihat comes from the root lihat, which relates to seeing or looking.

The form melihat is a verb with the meN- prefix pattern, which often forms active verbs in Malay.

Very roughly:

• lihat = see/look
• melihat = to see / to look at

For a learner, the important thing is to recognize melihat as a normal active verb meaning see/look at.

Yes. That is also correct and very natural.

• Mereka saling melihat
• Mereka melihat satu sama lain

Both mean essentially the same thing: They see/look at each other.

A useful difference to notice:

• saling goes before the verb
• satu sama lain comes after the verb

So Malay has two common ways to express reciprocity.

They are very close in meaning, but there can be a slight difference in style.

• saling + verb often feels compact and neat
• verb + satu sama lain can feel a little more explicit

For example:

• Mereka saling membantu
• Mereka membantu satu sama lain

Both are good Malay.

In many cases, saling is especially common in formal or written language, but it is also widely understood and used in everyday speech.

No. Saling implies a mutual action between at least two participants.

So it makes sense with plural subjects such as:

• mereka = they
• kami = we
• Ali dan Abu

But not with a singular subject like:

• dia saling melihat ✘

That would not make sense, because one person cannot do something to each other.

Yes. It is grammatically complete and natural.

It may sound a little neutral or literary depending on context, but it is perfectly good Malay.

In conversation, speakers might also use other verbs depending on the exact situation, for example:

• memandang = to gaze/look at
• tenung/merenung = to stare/gaze
• nampak = to see/notice

But Mereka saling melihat is absolutely fine as a standard sentence.

This is a very common learner question.

• melihat usually means to see or to look at as an action
• nampak often means to be visible, to seem, or to manage to see

Examples:

• Saya melihat dia. = I saw / looked at him.
• Saya nampak dia. = I saw him / I caught sight of him.

So in Mereka saling melihat, the focus is on the act of looking/seeing one another, not just being visible to one another.

A simple approximate pronunciation for an English speaker is:

• Mereka → muh-REH-kah
• saling → SAH-ling
• melihat → muh-LEE-haht

Very roughly together:

• muh-REH-kah SAH-ling muh-LEE-haht

A few pronunciation notes:

• Malay vowels are usually fairly clear and pure.
• The r in mereka is usually tapped or lightly rolled.
• The final t in melihat is pronounced, though often lightly.

Usually, no, not as a normal standalone sentence.

Malay often allows subjects to be omitted when they are understood from context, but saling strongly suggests multiple people, so without a clear subject, Saling melihat may sound incomplete.

The full sentence:

• Mereka saling melihat

is the safest and most natural choice for learners.