Learn Hardcore Malay: Semalam, dia hantar mesej kepada saya. - Yesterday, he/she sent a message to me.

Semalam means “yesterday.” Malay often uses time adverbs like this to set the time frame. Putting it at the start emphasizes when the action happened. You could also place it at the end—“Dia hantar mesej kepada saya semalam”—without changing the meaning.

Why is the verb hantar not conjugated for past tense like in English (“sent”)?

Malay verbs do not change form for tense. Instead of conjugation, you use time markers (e.g., semalam, “nanti,” “sudah”) or context to show when something happens. So hantar remains the same whether it’s past, present, or future.

What’s the difference between hantar and menghantar? Both seem to mean “send.”

Hantar is the root (bare) form of the verb.
Menghantar is the formal me- prefixed form used in writing or formal speech.
In everyday conversation, dropping the prefix (saying hantar) is common and perfectly acceptable.

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

Malay does not use indefinite or definite articles. Nouns stand alone, so mesej can mean “a message,” “the message,” or “messages” depending on context. If you need specificity, you can add words like itu (“that”) or ini (“this”).

What does kepada mean, and can it be omitted?

Kepada means “to” or “for,” indicating the recipient of the action.
In colloquial Malay, speakers often drop kepada and say “Dia hantar mesej saya,” but technically that blurs the role of saya (it could be read as the message being “my message”). Using kepada makes it clear: “message to me.”

Is dia gender-specific (he or she)?

No, dia is gender-neutral. It means “he,” “she,” or “it,” depending on context. If you need to specify gender, you’d add a noun or name:

Dia (lelaki) for “he”
Dia (perempuan) for “she”

Can I use other pronouns instead of saya?

Yes. Saya is the formal first-person singular pronoun. Informal equivalents include:

Aku (close friends, children)
Gue (Jakarta slang)
For plural:
Kami = “we” (excluding the listener)
Kita = “we” (including the listener)

Why is the sentence subject–verb–object, and can the order change?

Malay typically follows SVO order like English. However, word order is relatively flexible:

Time adverbials (Semalam) can move around.
You could say “Kepada saya, dia hantar mesej semalam,” but that sounds more poetic or emphatic.

How would I ask a question about the same action?

Change intonation or use question words:

Intonation: “Semalam dia hantar mesej kepada saya?”
With adakah: “Adakah dia hantar mesej kepada saya semalam?”
With siapa: “Siapa yang hantar mesej kepada saya semalam?”

Can I make the sentence passive?

Yes. A common passive form in Malay uses di-:

“Semalam, mesej itu dihantar kepada saya.”
Here, mesej itu (“that message”) becomes the subject, and dihantar is the passive verb form.