Learn Hardcore Malay: Keluarga saya selalu berkumpul untuk makan malam.

Keluarga means family; saya functions as the possessive pronoun meaning my; selalu translates as always; berkumpul means to gather (with ber- as a prefix forming an intransitive verb); and untuk makan malam means for dinner. Together, the sentence translates to My family always gathers for dinner.

Why is the possessive pronoun saya placed after keluarga instead of before it, as in English?

In Malay, possessive pronouns typically follow the noun they modify. So, keluarga saya is the natural order to express my family. This differs from English word order, where the possessive appears before the noun.

What role does the prefix ber- play in the verb berkumpul?

The prefix ber- is used to form intransitive verbs in Malay. When attached to kumpul (meaning gather or collect), it creates berkumpul, which describes the act of gathering together. Importantly, this prefix does not indicate tense—it just forms the verb.

How is tense or habitual action expressed in this sentence?

Malay verbs do not change form for tense. Instead, context and adverbs like selalu (always) provide clues about the timing or habitual nature of an action. Here, selalu tells us that the family gathers for dinner on a regular basis.

Are articles or plural markers necessary in this sentence?

No articles (such as the or a) are used in Malay, and pluralization is often inferred from context. The word keluarga inherently represents the idea of family without the need for additional markers, whether referring to a single family or families collectively.

Can makan malam be seen as a verb phrase, or is it strictly a noun phrase?

Although makan can mean to eat, in the phrase makan malam it functions as a fixed expression meaning dinner. Here, it acts as a noun phrase referring to the evening meal, rather than describing the action of eating.