Learn Hardcore Malay: Petang ini, kami menghadiri jamuan universiti bersama rakan sekelas. - This evening, we attend a university feast with classmates.

Petang ini literally means this evening or this late afternoon. In Malay, demonstratives like ini (“this”) and itu (“that”) always follow the noun they modify. For example:

buku ini (this book)
kereta itu (that car)

Here, ini comes after petang because it’s marking “this” time period. Also, petang refers roughly to 3 p.m. until sunset, so you can choose “late afternoon” or “early evening” in English depending on context.

What is kami, and how is it different from kita?

kami = we (excluding the listener)
kita = we (including the listener)

Use kita when you want your listener to feel included in the action (e.g., kita pergi = “we, you and I, are going”), and kami when you’re talking about yourself and others but not the person you’re speaking to (e.g., kami pergi = “we – but not you – are going”).

What does menghadiri mean, and how does the meng- prefix work?

The root verb is hadir (to be present). Adding the meng- prefix turns it into menghadiri, a transitive verb meaning to attend. Malay uses a set of nasal prefixes (me-, mem-, men-, meng-, meny-) to form active verbs. With hadir, the prefix becomes meng- + hadir → menghadiri. To refer back to the root, simply drop the prefix: hadir.

What does jamuan mean, and what kinds of events use this word?

jamuan means feast, banquet, or reception—an event where guests are served food, often in a formal or semi-formal setting. Common collocations:

jamuan hari jadi (birthday feast)
jamuan sekolah (school banquet)
jamuan rasmi (official reception)

Why is it jamuan universiti instead of jamuan di universiti?

In Malay, you can form noun-noun compounds without a preposition, much like English compounds. jamuan universiti literally means university banquet (a banquet organized by or affiliated with the university). If you want to emphasize location rather than affiliation, you could say jamuan di universiti (“a banquet at the university”). Both are correct; the compound form is just more concise and common in written Malay.

What’s the difference between bersama rakan sekelas and dengan rakan sekelas?

bersama rakan sekelas = together with classmates (a bit more formal or literary)
dengan rakan sekelas = with classmates (neutral, everyday usage)

Both mean essentially the same thing. bersama often appears in announcements or formal writing, while dengan is more colloquial.

Why is it rakan sekelas and not rakan-rakan sekelas if it’s plural?

Malay nouns are not obligatorily marked for number. rakan sekelas can mean “a classmate” or “classmates” depending on context. To stress plurality, you can:

Reduplicate: rakan-rakan sekelas (“classmates”)
Add a numeral or quantifier: dua orang rakan sekelas (“two classmates”)
Specify singular: seorang rakan sekelas (“one classmate”)

In your sentence, context (the word kami, “we”) tells you there are multiple classmates.

How do you express tense in Malay since menghadiri isn’t conjugated for past or future?

Malay verbs don’t change form for tense. Instead, time is shown with adverbs or auxiliary words. For example:
• Future: akan menghadiri or a future time marker like esok (“tomorrow”)
• Present/progressive: sedang menghadiri (“is/are attending”)
• Past: telah menghadiri or sudah menghadiri, or a past time marker like semalam (“yesterday”)

In your sentence, Petang ini signals that the action is happening (or will happen) this evening.

What’s the difference between petang ini and petang tadi?

petang ini = this evening/late afternoon (upcoming or current period)
petang tadi = earlier this afternoon/late afternoon (a period that has already passed)

Use tadi when referring to a time that just passed (e.g., pagi tadi, petang tadi), and ini for the current or imminent time slot.