Learn Hardcore Malay: Ada perbezaan kecil antara kopi pahit dan kopi manis itu. - There is a small difference between that bitter coffee and that sweet coffee.

It’s the existential “there is/are.” So Ada perbezaan kecil... = “There is a small difference...”. Ada can also mean “have/has” in other sentences (e.g., Saya ada buku = “I have a book”), but here it just marks existence.

Could I use Terdapat instead of Ada?

Yes. Terdapat perbezaan kecil... is a more formal way to say the same thing. You might also see wujud in very formal writing: Wujud perbezaan kecil....

Why is the adjective after the noun in perbezaan kecil and kopi pahit/manis?

In Malay, adjectives normally follow the noun:

perbezaan kecil = small difference
kopi pahit = bitter coffee
kopi manis = sweet coffee

Do I need yang before adjectives (e.g., kopi yang manis)?

Not in simple noun + adjective phrases. kopi manis is standard. Use yang to form a relative clause or to add emphasis/specification: kopi yang manis itu (“that coffee which is sweet”).

What does antara mean? Is di antara different?

antara covers both “between” and “among.” For contrasts like this, antara is preferred. di antara is used too, often for “among” (e.g., “Among them”), but many style guides prefer plain antara in “between A and B.”

Should it be antara … dan or antara … dengan?

Both are acceptable:

antara A dan B (very common, somewhat more formal)
antara A dengan B (also very common) Your sentence uses dan, which is fine.

Does itu at the end apply to both coffees or only the second?

As written, itu attaches to the nearest noun phrase, so it specifies only kopi manis (“that sweet coffee”). To make both definite, say:

antara kopi pahit itu dan kopi manis itu, or
antara kedua-dua kopi itu (yang pahit dan yang manis).

What’s the difference between ini and itu here?

ini = this/these (near the speaker)
itu = that/those (farther away or already known) They also mark definiteness. Without them, the noun is generic/unspecified.

Is there an article like “a” or “the” in Malay?

No. Definiteness is usually shown with ini/itu or inferred from context. perbezaan kecil can mean “a small difference” without any article.

Could I say sedikit instead of kecil?

Yes, with nuance:

perbezaan kecil = a small/minor difference
sedikit perbezaan / perbezaan sedikit = a slight/little difference
Ada sedikit perbezaan = “There’s a slight difference.”
All are natural; “kecil” leans toward “minor,” “sedikit” toward “slight.”

How would I ask “What’s the difference between bitter and sweet coffee?” in Malay?

Apa perbezaan antara kopi pahit dan kopi manis?
More casual: Apa beza kopi pahit dengan kopi manis?

If I want a yes/no question (“Is there a small difference…?”), how do I form it?

Use Adakah or just rising intonation:

Adakah terdapat perbezaan kecil antara…?
Ada perbezaan kecil antara…? (spoken)

Does kopi pahit mean “unsweetened coffee” in practice?

Literally it’s “bitter coffee.” In everyday speech, it can imply unsweetened coffee. In Malaysian kopitiam terms, you’ll also hear:

kopi O = black coffee (with sugar unless you add modifiers)
kopi O kosong = black coffee with no sugar (unsweetened)

How do I explicitly say “between the two coffees”?

antara kedua-dua kopi itu = “between those two coffees.”
You can add descriptors: antara kedua-dua kopi itu, yang pahit dan yang manis.

Any quick word-formation notes on perbezaan?

Root beza (different) → noun perbezaan (difference) via per-…-an.
Related forms:

berbeza = to be different
bezanya = the difference (with -nya, often “the difference is…”) Note: Indonesian uses perbedaan, beda/berbeda.