Learn Hardcore Malay: Buku saya berlainan.

It translates as "My books are different." Here, buku means “book(s),” saya means “my,” and berlainan describes that the books differ from each other in some way.

Why is there no linking verb (like “are”) in the sentence?

Malay typically omits the copula (linking verb). The adjective berlainan immediately follows the noun phrase Buku saya to express the state of being different, so there’s no need for an extra word equivalent to “are.”

How is possession indicated in this sentence?

Possession in Malay is shown by placing the possessive pronoun after the noun. In Buku saya, saya means “my” and directly follows buku (“book(s)”), which is different from English where the possessive precedes the noun.

What role does the prefix ber- play in berlainan?

The prefix ber- generally forms adjectives or intransitive verbs that describe a state or condition. In berlainan, it conveys that the subject is in a state of being different or varied.

Does the word buku indicate singular or plural, and how does that affect the meaning?

In Malay, nouns like buku do not change form to indicate plurality. The context (and sometimes additional words) tells you whether it’s singular or plural. In this sentence, it commonly implies multiple books differing in their attributes, even though the form is the same as for a single book.