Sebelum mesyuarat, saya menulis semula laporan itu.

Before the meeting, I rewrite the report.

Breakdown of Sebelum mesyuarat, saya menulis semula laporan itu.

• saya: I
• itu: that
• sebelum: before
• laporan: the report
• mesyuarat: the meeting
• menulis semula: to rewrite

Questions & Answers about Sebelum mesyuarat, saya menulis semula laporan itu.

What does sebelum mean and how is it used in this sentence?

Sebelum means “before.” It introduces a time-clause that something happened prior to another event. Here, sebelum mesyuarat = “before the meeting.” You form it as sebelum + noun/noun phrase.
Example: Sebelum tidur, saya membaca buku. (“Before sleeping, I read a book.”)

Why is there a comma after mesyuarat? Do I always need it?

The comma separates the fronted adverbial (time) phrase from the main clause, clarifying that sebelum mesyuarat modifies the whole clause. In informal Malay it’s optional, but in writing it’s recommended whenever you start a sentence with a time-phrase to avoid ambiguity.
Without comma: Sebelum mesyuarat saya menulis… might read as “My meeting…,” so the comma helps signal the pause.

How do you show past tense in Malay? Why isn’t there a past-tense verb here?

Malay verbs do not change form for tense. Instead you rely on time-markers (like sebelum, sudah, telah) or context. In our sentence, sebelum already tells you the action happened earlier, so no extra tense marker is needed. You could add sudah or telah for emphasis:
Sebelum mesyuarat, saya sudah menulis semula laporan itu.

What exactly does menulis semula mean? How is it built?

Menulis = “to write,” where me- is a verb prefix on the root tulis (“write”). Semula = “again.” Together, menulis semula means “to rewrite” or “to write again.”

Why is semula placed after menulis? Could it go before?

In Malay, adverbs (including semula) typically follow the verb they modify. So you say menulis semula, not semula menulis. Placing semula before the verb would sound unnatural.

Can I use kembali instead of semula (i.e., menulis kembali laporan itu)?

Yes. Kembali also means “again.” Menulis kembali laporan itu is grammatically correct and conveys the same idea.
Subtle nuance: semula is slightly more formal/pure Malay, whereas kembali has Sanskrit roots but is common in formal registers too.

Why is saya (I) used here? Can I omit it?

Saya is the subject pronoun “I.” Malay allows dropping the pronoun if context is clear, but in written or formal contexts you usually include it.
Omitting it: Sebelum mesyuarat menulis semula laporan itu. sounds like an instruction (“Before the meeting, rewrite the report”) rather than a statement about yourself.

Why isn’t there a word for “the” before mesyuarat or laporan?

Malay does not use articles (the/a) like English. Definiteness is shown by context or by adding demonstratives (ini, itu) or words like tersebut. Here, context makes it clear you mean a specific meeting and a specific report.

What’s the difference between laporan itu and laporan tersebut?

Both mean “that report.”

• laporan itu (“itu” = “that”) is neutral and common in speech.
• laporan tersebut is more formal, often in writing, and also means “the aforementioned report.”

Can I reorder the sentence to Saya menulis semula laporan itu sebelum mesyuarat?

Yes. Malay is flexible with time-phrases. Saya menulis semula laporan itu sebelum mesyuarat. is equally correct. When the time-phrase is at the end, the comma is usually dropped.