Learn Hardcore Malay: Saya memeriksa nota penting sebelum mesyuarat. - I check the important notes before the meeting.

Malay verbs are not inflected for tense. The base form memeriksa can mean check, checked, or will check depending on context. To clarify time, you add time words or aspect markers like sudah/telah for completed past, or sedang for ongoing action.

How do I show that the action is completed or ongoing in this sentence?

To show completed action, insert sudah or telah before the verb:
Saya sudah memeriksa nota penting sebelum mesyuarat.
To show ongoing action, use sedang:
Saya sedang memeriksa nota penting sebelum mesyuarat.

What does the prefix me- in memeriksa do, and what is the root word?

me- is a Malay verb-forming prefix. The root is periksa (to check/examine). Because periksa begins with p, the prefix assimilates that p into m, yielding memeriksa.

Why are there no words like “the” before nota or mesyuarat?

Malay doesn’t use articles such as “a,” “an,” or “the.” Definiteness or indefiniteness is implied by context or optionally marked with demonstratives (ini, itu) or quantifiers.

How do I indicate that nota is plural if I want to say “notes”?

Malay nouns are unmarked for number. nota can be singular or plural. To emphasize plural, you can reduplicate: nota-nota or use quantifiers like beberapa nota penting (several important notes).

Why does the adjective penting come after the noun nota instead of before?

In Malay, adjectives normally follow the noun they describe. So nota penting literally means “notes important.”

Can I insert yang between nota and penting? Does that change the meaning?

Yes. Nota yang penting is also correct and means “notes that are important.” Omitting yang makes the phrase shorter; both forms are common.

What is sebelum and how is it used in this sentence?

Sebelum means “before” in a temporal sense. It acts as a preposition placed before a noun or clause: sebelum mesyuarat = “before the meeting.”

Can I move sebelum mesyuarat to the beginning of the sentence?

Yes. Malay word order is flexible for time or place phrases. You can say:
Sebelum mesyuarat, saya memeriksa nota penting.
The meaning remains the same; this just emphasizes sebelum mesyuarat.

What kind of word is mesyuarat, and how is it pronounced?

Mesyuarat is a Malay adaptation of the English word meeting. It follows Malay orthography: sy = /s/, u = /u/, a = /a/, rat = /rat/. It’s pronounced approximately mə-sju-a-rat.

Why is saya used for “I,” and can I use aku instead?

Saya is a neutral or formal first-person pronoun suitable in most contexts. Aku is informal and intimate; using aku in formal or professional situations may sound too casual or even rude.