Learn Hardcore Malay: Saya makan nasi ketika dia minum air.

Ketika functions as a conjunction meaning “when”. It connects the two clauses—“Saya makan nasi” and “dia minum air”—to indicate that the actions occur at the same time.

How are the subjects used in each clause of the sentence?

The first clause uses “Saya” (meaning “I”) as the subject, while the second clause uses “dia”, which can mean “he” or “she” depending on context. Each clause has its own subject, clearly separating the actions.

Why do the verbs makan and minum not change form to reflect tense, unlike in English?

In Malay, verbs do not conjugate to indicate tense. Instead, time is implied through context or explicit time markers like “ketika”. Thus, makan (eat) and minum (drink) remain unchanged regardless of whether the action occurs in the past, present, or future.

How similar is the sentence structure in Malay compared to that in English?

The sentence structure is quite similar. Both languages typically follow a subject-verb-object order. “Saya makan nasi” aligns with “I eat rice”, and “dia minum air” corresponds to “he/she drinks water”.

Why are there no articles (like “a” or “the”) or explicit plural markers in the sentence?

Malay does not use articles such as “a” or “the”, and it often omits explicit plural markers. Words like “nasi” and “air” stay the same regardless of whether they refer to singular or multiple items; context helps determine the number.

If ketika were replaced with apabila, how would that affect the meaning?

Both ketika and apabila can be translated as “when”. While they are often used interchangeably, ketika tends to emphasize that actions occur simultaneously, whereas apabila might sometimes convey a more conditional or general sense of timing. In this sentence, however, the overall meaning remains very similar.