Gerai buku itu dibuka sekarang.

In Malay, the main noun usually comes first, and the word that describes or limits it comes after it.

So:

• gerai = stall, kiosk, shop stall
• buku = book

Together, gerai buku means book stall or bookshop.

This is different from English, where the describing noun often comes first, as in book stall.

Itu literally often means that, but after a noun it can also make the noun phrase more specific or definite, somewhat like the in English.

So:

• gerai buku itu can mean that book stall
• in many contexts it can also be understood as the book stall/bookshop

Malay does not have articles like a and the, so words like itu often help show that the speaker means a particular thing.

In Malay, demonstratives such as ini (this) and itu (that) normally come after the noun.

Examples:

• rumah itu = that house
• buku ini = this book
• gerai buku itu = that book stall

This is completely normal Malay word order.

Dibuka comes from the root verb buka, meaning open.

The prefix di- usually marks the verb as passive in standard Malay. So literally, dibuka means something like:

• is opened
• was opened
• is being opened

However, in real usage, dibuka is also very commonly used to mean that a shop, stall, office, or event is open for business.

So in this sentence, depending on context, dibuka sekarang can mean either:

• is open now, or
• is being opened now

Often the intended meaning is simply is open now.

Yes, grammatically dibuka is a passive form because of the prefix di-.

But Malay uses this form very naturally in everyday sentences, especially when talking about whether a place is open or closed. So even though it is technically passive, it may sound very normal and not especially formal.

English learners may expect a more direct equivalent like opens or is open, but Malay often uses dibuka in this kind of context.

Malay usually does not need a verb like is/am/are in many sentences.

English:

• The book stall is open now.

Malay:

• Gerai buku itu dibuka sekarang.

Malay often leaves out a separate to be verb. The meaning is understood from the sentence structure and context.

It can mean either one, depending on context.

1. is open now
   This is a very common practical meaning for shops, stalls, counters, offices, and so on.

2. is being opened now
   This is possible if the focus is on the action happening at this moment.

If there is no extra context, many learners and speakers would understand it as is open now, especially if the sentence is about whether the stall is available for customers.

Sometimes yes, especially in informal speech or on signs, but it is not quite the same in all contexts.

• buka sekarang can sound more like open now or opens now
• dibuka sekarang is more standard if you want to say the stall is opened / is open now

For businesses, Malay commonly uses both buka and dibuka in different contexts, but dibuka often sounds a bit more complete or formal in a full sentence like this one.

Sekarang means now or currently.

It tells you the time reference, since Malay verbs do not change form for tense the way English verbs do.

So:

• Gerai buku itu dibuka sekarang = The book stall is open now / is being opened now.

Without sekarang, the sentence would be less specifically tied to the present moment.

Yes. Gerai usually suggests a stall, booth, or small shop space, rather than a large formal store.

So gerai buku often means:

• book stall
• book kiosk
• sometimes small bookshop

If you want to refer to a more general bookstore/bookshop, kedai buku is also very common.

So the exact English translation depends on the situation.

The sentence does not say.

That is normal in Malay passive sentences. The focus is on the thing affected:

• gerai buku itu = the book stall

rather than on the person opening it.

If needed, Malay can add the agent, but here it is left out because it is probably unimportant or obvious from context.

No, it is not always necessary.

Compare:

• Gerai buku dibuka sekarang = A/The book stall is open now
• Gerai buku itu dibuka sekarang = That/The specific book stall is open now

Adding itu makes the noun phrase more specific. Without it, the sentence can sound more general or less clearly tied to one particular stall.