Learn Hardcore Malay: Pemimpin wanita itu memberi cadangan di mesyuarat. - That female leader gives a suggestion at the meeting.

Itu is a demonstrative meaning that and also functions as a definiteness marker. It signals that the referent is specific/known. Without itu, the phrase is more like a/an.

Pemimpin wanita itu = that/the female leader (specific)
Pemimpin wanita = a female leader (non-specific)
You can also use ini for this: pemimpin wanita ini = this female leader.

Does itu refer only to wanita or to the whole phrase pemimpin wanita?

It scopes over the entire noun phrase. Pemimpin wanita itu means that female leader (the whole NP is definite). If you said wanita itu, that means that woman; if you said pemimpin itu wanita, that means that leader is a woman (a different structure: topic–comment).

Why is it pemimpin wanita and not wanita pemimpin?

In Malay, the head noun usually comes first and modifiers (including a noun used as a classifier/descriptor) follow. So leader (head) + woman (modifier) = pemimpin wanita. Putting wanita first would normally change the meaning or sound odd.

What’s the difference between wanita and perempuan?

Both mean woman, but:

wanita is more formal/respectful, common in news, official contexts, titles.
perempuan is everyday/neutral in many contexts, but can sound less formal and, in some regions, slightly less respectful depending on tone. In this sentence, pemimpin wanita fits a formal/neutral register.

Is memberi cadangan idiomatic, or should I use something else?

It’s acceptable, but many writers prefer collocations like:

mengemukakan cadangan (to put forward a suggestion)
mengutarakan cadangan (to voice a suggestion)
menyampaikan cadangan (to convey a suggestion) All are natural in formal contexts. Memberi cadangan is fine in general usage.

What’s the difference between memberi and memberikan?

Both mean to give and are interchangeable in many cases, but typical patterns are:

memberi [someone] [something]: memberi mereka cadangan
memberikan [something] kepada [someone]: memberikan cadangan kepada mereka Using -kan often emphasizes the object being given.

Can I just use beri instead of memberi?

Yes, beri is the base verb give and is common in speech and imperatives: Beri saya masa. In careful/formal prose, memberi/memberikan is preferred.

What exactly is cadangan? Is it singular or plural? Any synonyms?

Cadangan is a noun from the root cadang plus the suffix -an, meaning suggestion/proposal. It’s number-neutral; context decides singular/plural.

To force singular: satu cadangan
To show plural: beberapa cadangan, banyak cadangan Common synonyms: saranan (recommendation), usul (motion), idea (idea).

Why di mesyuarat? When should I use di, pada, or dalam with events like meetings?

di marks physical location: at/in (common and widely accepted): di mesyuarat
pada is often preferred in formal writing for time/occasions/events: pada mesyuarat itu
dalam emphasizes within/inside the proceedings: dalam mesyuarat All can be correct; choose based on nuance and formality.

How do I say to someone after cadangan?

Use kepada for the recipient:

memberikan cadangan kepada jawatankuasa = give a suggestion to the committee
Full example: Pemimpin wanita itu mengemukakan cadangan kepada jawatankuasa dalam mesyuarat.

Is there any tense marking here? Does it mean gave or gives?

Malay doesn’t inflect verbs for tense. Memberi is tenseless. Time is inferred from context or time words:

Past: telah/sudah, semalam, tadi
Present/progressive: sedang
Future: akan, nanti Example: Pemimpin wanita itu telah mengemukakan cadangan dalam mesyuarat.

Could I use a passive voice version?

Yes. Examples:

Cadangan itu diberikan oleh pemimpin wanita itu dalam mesyuarat.
Cadangan itu dikemukakan pemimpin wanita itu dalam mesyuarat. (oleh can be omitted) Passive emphasizes the suggestion rather than the doer.

Any honorific way to refer to the leader without repeating the noun?

Use beliau (formal respectful third-person pronoun for people of status):

Beliau mengemukakan cadangan dalam mesyuarat. Using dia is more casual; avoid it for dignitaries or formal writing.

How do I make the subject plural: the female leaders?

You can:

Use para for groups of people: Para pemimpin wanita
Or reduplicate: pemimpin-pemimpin wanita Then adjust the verb form as needed: Para pemimpin wanita mengemukakan beberapa cadangan...

Is there any spacing rule with di here?

Yes. As a preposition meaning at/in, di is written separately: di mesyuarat. As a passive prefix, di- is attached to the verb: diberikan, dikemukakan. So:

Place: di sekolah, di mesyuarat
Passive verb: diberi, dilakukan

How do I pronounce key words like mesyuarat and sy?

sy is pronounced like English sh.
mesyuarat is typically four syllables: me-syu-a-rat, with a natural stress near the end; many speakers glide syu to sound like shwa: roughly meh-shwa-rat.
pemimpin: pe-mim-pin (mim as in meme but shorter), final n is clear.
cadangan: cha-dang-an, with ng as in sing.