Learn Hardcore Malay: Bos menilai maklumat itu sebelum mesyuarat. - The boss assesses that information before the meeting.

Past/completed: add sudah or more formal telah. Example: Bos telah menilai maklumat itu sebelum mesyuarat.
Ongoing: add sedang. Example: Bos sedang menilai maklumat itu sebelum mesyuarat.
Future: add akan or a time word. Example: Bos akan menilai maklumat itu sebelum mesyuarat.

What exactly does menilai mean here? Is it “to check,” “to judge,” or “to evaluate”?

Menilai primarily means “to evaluate/assess/appraise,” i.e., to form a judgment of value or quality. Nuance comparisons:

menilai: evaluate/assess (often more analytical than just checking)
meneliti: examine/scrutinize in detail
menyemak/semak: check/review for errors or correctness
mengkaji: study/analyze (often deeper/academic)

Why is itu after the noun (maklumat itu), not before like “that information”?

In Malay, demonstratives come after the noun:

maklumat itu = that/the information (definite, often previously mentioned)
maklumat ini = this information A more formal equivalent is maklumat tersebut (also post-nominal).

Should I also put itu after mesyuarat to mean “before that (specific) meeting”?

Use mesyuarat itu if you mean a particular meeting:

General: sebelum mesyuarat (before the meeting, context will clarify)
Specific: sebelum mesyuarat itu (before that particular meeting)

Can I move sebelum mesyuarat to the front?

Yes. Both are correct:

Bos menilai maklumat itu sebelum mesyuarat.
Sebelum mesyuarat, bos menilai maklumat itu. (Add a comma when fronted.)

Do I need an article for bos? How do I say “a boss” vs “the boss”?

Malay has no articles. Interpretation depends on context:

bos often reads as “the boss” if there’s a known boss in context.
bos itu = that specific boss.
seorang bos = a boss (introducing one, non-specific).

Is the spelling bos correct? Why not “boss”? What about capitalization?

The standard Malay spelling is bos (loan from English). Boss is not standard in Malay. Capitalization: Bos is capitalized only because it begins the sentence; otherwise it’s bos.

Is bos formal? What are more formal alternatives?

bos is informal/neutral. Alternatives, depending on role:

ketua (leader/head), pengurus (manager), penyelia (supervisor), majikan (employer). In a very formal sentence you might write: Ketua menilai maklumat itu sebelum mesyuarat.

How do I make a passive version?

Use the di- passive:

Maklumat itu dinilai (oleh) bos sebelum mesyuarat. The agent oleh bos is optional; omit it if the doer isn’t important: Maklumat itu dinilai sebelum mesyuarat.

Can I say menilai terhadap maklumat itu?

No. Menilai takes a direct object without a preposition: menilai maklumat itu. If you use the noun form, then use terhadap: penilaian terhadap maklumat itu (“evaluation of the information”).

How do I say “has not yet evaluated” vs “did not evaluate”?

“Not yet”: belum — Bos belum menilai maklumat itu.
Simple negation: tidak — Bos tidak menilai maklumat itu sebelum mesyuarat. Use belum when the action is expected/possible later; tidak when it simply didn’t happen.

Is maklumat countable? How do I say “some pieces of information” or plural?

Maklumat is usually a mass noun (like “information”), so plural marking isn’t needed. To emphasize multiplicity:

beberapa butir maklumat / beberapa perkara maklumat (some items of information)
pelbagai maklumat (various information) You may see maklumat-maklumat, but many writers avoid reduplicating mass nouns.

Any quick pronunciation tips for these words?

mesyuarat: “me-shu-a-rat” (sy = “sh”; u = “oo” but short)
menilai: “mə-nee-lai” (ai = “eye”)
maklumat: “mahk-loo-mat”
bos: like English “boss” but shorter vowel

Could I use a verb for “to meet” instead of the noun mesyuarat?

Yes:

sebelum bermesyuarat = before meeting (verb)
sebelum mesyuarat bermula = before the meeting starts All are natural; choose based on style.

What’s the difference among sebelum ini, sebelum itu, and sebelumnya?

sebelum ini: previously (relative to now), often nearer in time.
sebelum itu: before that (relative to a past reference just mentioned).
sebelumnya: previously/earlier; can function like a sentence adverb. Example: Sebelumnya, bos menilai maklumat itu.

How do I refer to the boss respectfully with a pronoun?

Use beliau (respectful third-person singular) instead of dia:

Beliau menilai maklumat itu sebelum mesyuarat. Reserve beliau for respected persons in formal contexts; otherwise dia is fine.