Learn Hardcore Malay: Sila semak tetapan sebelum mesyuarat bermula. - Please check the settings before the meeting begins.

sila = please (polite, neutral, often used in instructions, notices, UI text).
tolong = please (requesting someone’s help; warmer/more personal). Both are fine here: Sila semak... sounds more official; Tolong semak... sounds more interpersonal. Silakan invites someone to proceed (e.g., sit/enter); Silakan semak... is possible but less common.

Why is it the base verb semak and not menyemak?

After sila/tolong, Malay commonly uses the base verb for instructions, so sila semak is very natural. Menyemak is the active verb form used in statements (e.g., Saya menyemak tetapan). You can say Sila menyemak tetapan, but it feels a bit stiffer. Morphology tip: meN- + s → meny-, dropping s: semak → menyemak.

Does semak mean “check” or “review”? Could I use periksa?

semak: check/review/verify (very common in admin/digital contexts).
periksa: examine/inspect/test (often more thorough). In this sentence, semak tetapan is most idiomatic; periksa tetapan is acceptable but less common. Other options: tinjau (look over), kaji (study/analyze).

What exactly is tetapan? Are there other words for “settings”?

tetapan = settings/configuration (standard Malay; derived from tetap
- -an).
Alternatives: seting (loan/informal), konfigurasi (technical), setelan (Indonesian). Avoid aturan if you mean software/app settings (it leans toward “rules/arrangements”). You can specify tetapan mesyuarat = meeting settings.

How does sebelum work here? Can the clause go first?

Sebelum introduces a time clause (“before X happens”). Both orders are natural:

Sila semak tetapan sebelum mesyuarat bermula.
Sebelum mesyuarat bermula, sila semak tetapan. (Use a comma after the fronted clause.)

What’s the difference between bermula, mula, and memulakan/dimulakan?

bermula: intransitive “to begin” (the event begins). Mesyuarat bermula pukul 9.
mula: “to start/begin to”; in speech: Mesyuarat mula pukul 9 is fine; also Saya mula bekerja.
memulakan: transitive “to start something”. Pengerusi memulakan mesyuarat.
dimulakan: passive “is started”. Mesyuarat dimulakan oleh pengerusi.

Do I need itu to mean “the” meeting?

No. Malay has no articles; definiteness is inferred from context. Use mesyuarat itu or mesyuarat tersebut only when you need to single out a specific, known meeting.

Can I drop bermula and just say sebelum mesyuarat?

Yes, especially in speech: Sila semak tetapan sebelum mesyuarat. It’s slightly less precise. ...sebelum mesyuarat bermula explicitly anchors the timing to the start of the meeting.

Should I add a pronoun, like anda, to say “your settings”?

Only if needed for clarity: Sila semak tetapan anda. Register matters:

anda (formal/neutral), awak/kamu (casual), tuan/puan (very formal, to a man/woman). Often the possessor is understood from context, so it’s omitted.

Are there other natural ways to phrase the instruction?

Pastikan tetapan disemak sebelum mesyuarat bermula. (Ensure the settings are checked.)
Tolong semak tetapan sebelum mesyuarat bermula.
Sila semak tetapan sebelum bermulanya mesyuarat. (‑nya nominalizes “the beginning”; slightly more formal.) All are acceptable; the original is clear and standard.

How do I pronounce key words like mesyuarat?

mesyuarat: me-shoo-A-rat (sy = “sh”).
sebelum: sə-bə-LOOM (schwa ə in the first two syllables).
bermula: bər-MOO-la.
tetapan: tə-TA-pan. Malay generally stresses the second-to-last syllable.

Malay has no tenses—so how do we know this is about the future?

Context and time words carry the meaning. The imperative plus sebelum signals a future event relative to “now.” You can add time markers if you want: nanti (later), sebentar lagi (shortly), pada pukul..., etc.