Learn Hardcore Malay: Kita sambung perbualan ini selepas makan malam. - We continue this conversation after dinner.

kita means “we” inclusive (speaker + listener). kami means “we” exclusive (speaker + others, but not listener). Since the speaker is inviting you to continue the chat, kita is used.

Why is the verb sambung used instead of menyambung?

The full verb is menyambung (meN- prefix + root), but in everyday speech, Malay often drops the prefix after pronouns or in commands: kita sambung is colloquial for “let’s continue.” In formal writing you could say kita akan menyambung.

What does perbualan mean, and how do bual, berbual, and perbualan relate?

• bual: root word meaning “chat” or “talk”
• berbual: verb “to chat” (ber- prefix turns root into verb)
• perbualan: noun “conversation” (per-…-an affixes create a noun out of the root)

Why is ini placed after perbualan? Could it go before like in English?

In Malay, demonstratives (ini = “this”) follow the noun: perbualan ini = “this conversation.” Putting ini before (ini perbualan) is ungrammatical.

What does selepas mean, and can I use it elsewhere?

selepas means “after.” You can use it with any time or event: selepas kelas (after class), selepas hujan (after rain), selepas perlawanan (after the match).

Can I shorten selepas to lepas, and is there any difference?

Yes. lepas is a colloquial shortcut of selepas. Both mean “after,” but lepas is more informal, often used in speech: lepas makan malam.

Why isn’t there a future marker like akan here?

Malay often relies on context and time words rather than explicit tense markers. The phrase selepas makan malam clearly points to a future action. If you want to be extra clear or formal, you can add akan: kita akan sambung perbualan ini selepas makan malam.