Learn Hardcore Malay: Perbualan mereka di taman sangat tenang. - Their conversation in the park is very calm.

Perbualan is a noun formed from the verb berbual (“to chat”). The prefix per- turns the action into a thing, so perbualan means “conversation” or “chat.”

Why is there no article like “the” or “a” before perbualan or taman?

Malay does not have definite or indefinite articles (no “the”/“a”). Nouns stand alone, and specificity is understood from context or extra words if needed.

Why is there no linking verb like “is” in this sentence?

In Malay, the copula adalah (“is/are”) is often dropped in everyday speech. You directly place the adjective phrase (sangat tenang) after the subject and location to state its condition.

What does mereka represent in this sentence?

Mereka is the third-person plural pronoun “they/them.” In perbualan mereka, it means “their conversation.”

Why is di used before taman, and what would ke taman mean?

Di marks a static location (“in/at”), so di taman means “in the park.” If you use ke instead, ke taman would mean “to the park” (movement toward).

What is the function of sangat in sangat tenang?

Sangat is an adverb meaning “very.” It intensifies the adjective tenang (“calm”), so sangat tenang means “very calm.”

Is the word order flexible? Could I say Perbualan mereka sangat tenang di taman?

Malay word order is somewhat flexible, but the most natural here is Subject-Location-Predicate:
Perbualan mereka | di taman | sangat tenang.
Moving di taman to the end isn’t wrong, but it sounds less typical.

Can taman mean something other than “park”?

Yes. Taman can refer to a private “garden” or a public “park.” Context tells you which—here it’s understood as the public park where their conversation took place.