Learn Hardcore Malay: Saya menghadiri mesyuarat kelab malam ini.

Menghadiri means “to attend” and it is a transitive verb that takes a direct object (the thing you attend). Here, the object is mesyuarat kelab (“the club meeting”). Morphologically, it comes from the root hadir (“present/attend”) with the prefix meN- and the suffix -i, producing a verb that means “to attend (something).”

Can I use hadir instead of menghadiri?

Yes, but you must add a preposition with hadir, because hadir is intransitive by itself. Natural options include:

Saya hadir ke/pada mesyuarat kelab malam ini.
Saya hadir di/dalam mesyuarat kelab malam ini. (di = at; dalam = in/within, more “be present in”) By contrast, Saya menghadiri mesyuarat kelab malam ini needs no preposition after the verb.

Is menghadiri ke mesyuarat correct?

No. Don’t add a preposition after menghadiri. Say menghadiri mesyuarat, not menghadiri ke mesyuarat.

Does the sentence mean “I am attending” right now or “I will attend” tonight?

Malay doesn’t mark tense on the verb. The time phrase malam ini (“tonight”) supplies the timing, so it means you will attend tonight (a scheduled or planned future). You can add akan for emphasis: Saya akan menghadiri…, but it’s not required. If you mean you’re in the middle of attending right now, use sedang: Saya sedang menghadiri mesyuarat (sekarang).

Where can I put the time phrase malam ini?

Common positions:

At the end (neutral): Saya menghadiri mesyuarat kelab malam ini.
At the start (emphasis on time): Malam ini, saya menghadiri mesyuarat kelab. Avoid ini malam; the demonstrative ini normally follows the noun, so malam ini is the natural order.

Is there a risk that kelab malam will be read as “nightclub”?

Good catch. Kelab malam is a fixed compound meaning “nightclub.” In this sentence, the intended chunking is mesyuarat kelab | malam ini (“club meeting | tonight”), not mesyuarat | kelab malam (“nightclub meeting”). Context usually makes this clear, but to avoid any doubt you can:

Front the time: Malam ini, saya menghadiri mesyuarat kelab.
Insert a clearer time marker: Saya menghadiri mesyuarat kelab pada malam ini.
Specify the club: …mesyuarat Kelab Buku malam ini.

Why isn’t there a word for “the” before kelab?

Malay doesn’t have articles like “the” or “a.” Definiteness is inferred from context. If you need to make “the club” explicit, use demonstratives or determiners:

kelab itu / kelab tersebut = “that/the club (mentioned).”
kelab kami/saya = “our/my club.”

How can I specify which club?

Add a descriptor after kelab:

Possessive: mesyuarat kelab saya/kami (“my/our club meeting”).
Named club: mesyuarat Kelab Fotografi / Kelab Buku.
Type of club: mesyuarat kelab bola sepak (“football club meeting”). Word order is head-first, so mesyuarat (meeting) is modified by kelab X (club of X).

Is the sentence formal, neutral, or casual?

Neutral-leaning formal. Saya is neutral/formal for “I,” and menghadiri is a bit formal. More casual variants:

Malam ini saya pergi ke mesyuarat kelab.
Very casual: Malam ni aku pergi mesyuarat kelab. (regional/colloquial: ni for ini, aku for I)

What’s the difference between mesyuarat, perjumpaan, and pertemuan?

Mesyuarat: a formal meeting with an agenda (committee, club, office).
Perjumpaan: a meet-up/gathering (less formal).
Pertemuan: an encounter/meeting (neutral; can be planned or coincidental). Here, mesyuarat is the best choice for a club’s official meeting.

How do I negate this naturally?

Several options, depending on nuance:

Simple future negative: Saya tidak akan menghadiri mesyuarat kelab malam ini.
Casual: Saya tak akan hadir malam ini.
Can’t make it: Saya tak dapat hadir malam ini.
If you used hadir with a preposition: Saya tidak akan hadir ke/pada mesyuarat kelab malam ini.

How would I ask someone, “Are you attending the club meeting tonight?”

Formal: Adakah anda akan menghadiri mesyuarat kelab malam ini?
Neutral: Anda/Awak akan menghadiri mesyuarat kelab malam ini?
Casual: Awak datang tak ke mesyuarat kelab malam ni?
Very casual: Datang ke mesyuarat malam ni tak?

Do I need a preposition before malam ini?

No. A bare time phrase is fine: …malam ini. In more formal style, you may add pada: …pada malam ini. Don’t use di for time; di is mainly for place. For clock time, use pada/pukul: pada pukul 8 malam or pukul 8 malam.

What’s the nuance difference between menghadiri and alternatives like pergi ke, hadir, or menghadirkan?

Menghadiri: “attend (an event)” as a participant; direct object and slightly formal.
Pergi ke: “go to”; focuses on going rather than attending. More casual.
Hadir: “be present/attend,” but typically with a preposition: hadir ke/pada/di/dalam.
Menghadirkan: not “to attend”; it means “to present/bring (someone/something) into presence,” e.g., menghadirkan bukti (“to present evidence”). Don’t use this for attending an event.