Mereka membaca majalah sambil menunggu saya siapkan kerja.

They read a magazine while waiting for me to complete my work.

Breakdown of Mereka membaca majalah sambil menunggu saya siapkan kerja.

• saya: I
• mereka: they
• kerja: the work
• membaca: to read
• majalah: the magazine
• sambil: while
• menunggu: to wait

Questions & Answers about Mereka membaca majalah sambil menunggu saya siapkan kerja.

What does sambil mean in this sentence?

Sambil translates to "while" and functions as a conjunction linking two simultaneous actions. In this case, it connects "mereka membaca majalah" (they are reading magazines) with "menunggu saya siapkan kerja" (waiting for me to complete the work).

How is tense indicated in this sentence, given that Malay verbs don’t change form like English verbs?

Malay does not use verb conjugation to show tense. Instead, the context of the conversation or accompanying time words indicates whether the action is present, past, or future. In this sentence, both membaca and menunggu are in their base forms, but context implies that these actions are currently ongoing.

Is majalah singular or plural, and how can we tell?

In Malay, nouns are typically not marked for plurality. Therefore, majalah can mean either "magazine" or "magazines". The number is understood from the context of the situation.

What does siapkan mean and why is it used here?

Siapkan stems from the root word "siap," which means ready or complete. In this sentence, siapkan conveys the sense of "to finish" or "to complete". Thus, "menunggu saya siapkan kerja" means "waiting for me to complete the work", clearly indicating that it is the speaker who must finish the work.

Why is the subject saya explicitly stated in the clause menunggu saya siapkan kerja?

The inclusion of saya (meaning "I" or "me") clarifies who is responsible for completing the work. Even though the initial subject is mereka (they), adding saya in the subordinate clause removes any ambiguity about who is expected to finish the task.