Learn Hardcore Malay: Bos sedang memeriksa mesin baru di kilang sekarang. - The boss is inspecting the new machine at the factory now.

sedang marks the continuous aspect in Malay, equivalent to the English progressive “is …ing.” It goes before the verb to indicate that the action is happening right now. Without sedang, Bos memeriksa… could be interpreted as a habitual or simple action.

What role does the me- prefix play in memeriksa?

The prefix me- is part of Malay’s active verb system. It attaches to the root periksa (“check”) to form memeriksa, meaning “to inspect” or “to check.” Note that p in periksa drops and becomes mem- due to phonological assimilation rules.

Why is there no article like the or a before bos, mesin, or kilang?

Malay does not use definite or indefinite articles. Nouns stand on their own, and context determines definiteness. If you need specificity, you can add words like sebuah (“a” for singular countable nouns) or itu (“that/the”).

Why is the adjective placed after the noun in mesin baru rather than before it?

In Malay, adjectives usually follow the noun they modify: mesin baru literally means “machine new.” This is the default order for noun–adjective phrases.

What is the difference between di kilang and ke kilang?

di indicates a static location (“at the factory”), while ke indicates movement or direction (“to the factory”). Here, Bos is already at the factory inspecting the machine, so we use di kilang.

Can I use kini instead of sekarang? Are they interchangeable?

Both kini and sekarang mean “now,” but sekarang is more common in everyday speech, whereas kini is slightly more formal or literary. In most contexts you can use either without changing the meaning.

Could I place sekarang elsewhere in the sentence, for example at the beginning?

Yes. Time adverbs like sekarang can appear at the start—e.g. Sekarang, bos sedang memeriksa mesin baru di kilang—or just before the verb phrase. The meaning remains the same.