Mereka asyik berbual.

Yes. Mereka is the usual Malay word for they / them when talking about people.

A few useful points:

• It does not show gender. It can mean they for men, women, or a mixed group.
• It is normally used for humans, not usually for things or animals in careful standard Malay.
• It does not change form, so the same word can cover meanings that English separates into they and them, depending on context.

Malay usually does not need a present-tense verb like am / is / are the way English does.

So in a sentence like Mereka asyik berbual, Malay can simply place:

• the subject: mereka
• then the rest of the predicate: asyik berbual

This is very normal. English requires They are chatting..., but Malay does not need an equivalent of are here.

Here, asyik gives the sense that the action is going on continuously or that the people are absorbed in doing it.

In sentences like this, asyik often suggests:

• kept on
• were continually
• were engrossed in
• were busy

So it adds more than just simple ongoing action. It often implies that the activity continues for a while, sometimes so much that it stands out.

For example, it can sound like:

• they kept chatting
• they were busy chatting
• they were absorbed in chatting

Berbual comes from the root bual, which relates to chatting or talking casually.

The prefix ber- often makes a verb that is:

• intransitive
• something the subject does
• sometimes an activity done mutually or socially

So berbual means to chat / to have a conversation.

In this sentence, it works as the main verb.

Not exactly.

• berbual = to chat, have a casual conversation
• bercakap = to speak, to talk
• cakap = speak / say / talk, depending on context, often more general or colloquial

So berbual specifically gives the idea of casual chatting, often two-way and relaxed. It is a very natural choice if people are having a conversation rather than just speaking.

Malay does not mark tense the way English does. The sentence itself does not force a single tense like English present progressive.

Depending on context, Mereka asyik berbual could mean things like:

• they are busy chatting
• they were busy chatting
• they keep chatting

Time is usually understood from context or from time words such as:

• sekarang = now
• tadi = earlier
• semalam = yesterday

So Malay relies much more on context than English does.

This is a very common question.

• sedang berbual = are chatting / are in the middle of chatting
• asyik berbual = keep chatting / are absorbed in chatting / are busy chatting

So:

• sedang mainly marks an action as in progress
• asyik adds the idea of continuity, absorption, or repeated focus on the action

Compare:

• Mereka sedang berbual. = They are chatting.
• Mereka asyik berbual. = They keep chatting / They are engrossed in chatting.

Sometimes asyik can even carry a slight feeling of too much or non-stop, depending on tone and context.

It is possible in some contexts, but for a learner it is better to be careful.

• sedang berbual is very common.
• asyik berbual is also very common.
• Combining both can sound heavier and is not always necessary.

If you want simple, natural Malay, use one of these:

• Mereka sedang berbual.
• Mereka asyik berbual.

The second one is stronger in the sense of being engrossed or continuing.

In this sentence, asyik functions like an adverb-like word modifying the verb phrase, so it normally comes before the verb:

• Mereka asyik berbual.

That is the natural order.

If you move it around, the sentence may sound unnatural or may change the emphasis. For learners, the safest pattern is:

subject + asyik + verb

Usually berbual does not take a direct object the way an English verb sometimes does.

If you want to mention who someone is chatting with, Malay often uses dengan:

• Mereka berbual dengan guru itu.
  They are chatting with that teacher.

If you want to mention the topic, you can use another phrase, for example:

• Mereka berbual tentang kerja.
  They are chatting about work.

So berbual is generally used without a direct object.

No. Malay verbs do not change according to person or number the way English verbs sometimes do.

So the verb stays the same whether the subject is:

• saya = I
• dia = he/she
• mereka = they

For example:

• Saya berbual.
• Dia berbual.
• Mereka berbual.

The verb berbual does not change form.

A simple learner-friendly guide is:

• asyik ≈ ah-shik
• berbual ≈ ber-boo-al

A few notes:

• The sy in asyik sounds like sh.
• In berbual, try to pronounce both vowel sounds in bual, rather than turning it into one English-style syllable.

Malay pronunciation is usually more regular than English spelling, so once you learn the sound system, words are often pronounced close to how they are written.

Yes. This is useful to know because learners often meet it in different contexts.

Depending on context, asyik can mean things like:

• continuously
• engrossed in
• constantly
• enjoyable / fun / appealing, especially in colloquial use

But in Mereka asyik berbual, the meaning is the continuous / engrossed in type, not the fun meaning.

So always read asyik from context.

It depends on tone and context.

Asyik can be quite neutral, but it can also suggest that someone is doing something non-stop, which may sound slightly critical.

For example:

• neutral: they were absorbed in conversation
• mildly critical: they just kept chatting

So if a teacher says Mereka asyik berbual about students in class, it may imply annoyance. If a friend says it casually about people at a party, it may just describe what they were doing.