Learn Hardcore Malay: Kanak-kanak itu bermain bola di taman.

Kanak-kanak is a reduplicated noun that usually means children as a group.
Malay often uses reduplication (repeating a word) to express plurality or a collective idea.

Base form: kanak (rarely used on its own in modern speech; the common everyday word is budak or anak for “child”).
Reduplicated: kanak-kanak → generally “children”.

However, Malay doesn’t strictly mark singular vs plural on the noun, so kanak-kanak itu can mean the child or the children, depending on context. To make it clearly singular or plural, you normally add a classifier and number:

seorang kanak-kanak – one child
dua orang kanak-kanak – two children

What does itu mean here? Is it the, that, or something else?

Itu is a demonstrative that literally means that. In Malay it also often functions like the English definite article the, pointing to something specific that is known in the context.

So:

kanak-kanak – a child / children (not specific)
kanak-kanak itu – that (specific) child / those (specific) children, often translated simply as the child / the children.

Word order is noun + itu:
kanak-kanak itu = that/the child(ren),
not itu kanak-kanak in this sentence pattern.

How can I tell if the sentence means the child is playing or the children are playing?

From this sentence alone, you can’t tell; Malay does not mark plural on the verb, and the noun kanak-kanak can be interpreted as singular or plural.

Both are possible:

The child is playing ball in the park.
The children are playing ball in the park.

Context normally tells you which is meant.
To make it explicit:

Seorang kanak-kanak itu bermain bola di taman. – That one child is playing ball in the park.
Beberapa orang kanak-kanak itu bermain bola di taman. – Those several children are playing ball in the park.

There is no word for is/are in the sentence. How does Malay show the present tense “are playing”?

Malay verbs do not change form for tense (no -ed, -s, -ing, etc.), and there is no separate verb for to be in this kind of sentence.

bermain simply means play / plays / is playing / was playing, depending on context.

If you want to emphasize that the action is happening right now, you can add a time-aspect word:

Kanak-kanak itu sedang bermain bola di taman. – The child/children are currently playing ball in the park.
(sedang ~= in the middle of, currently)

What is the difference between bermain and main? Both seem to mean to play.

The base word is main (“play”). Bermain is ber- + main.

bermain – more standard/formal verb form, common in writing and careful speech.
main – very common in everyday casual speech as a verb.

In a textbook or formal sentence, you’d expect:

Kanak-kanak itu bermain bola di taman.

In casual conversation, people often say:

Budak-budak itu main bola kat taman.

Both are understood, but bermain is the “correct” dictionary form of the verb.

Does bermain bola mean to play ball in general, or does it usually mean to play football (soccer)?

Literally, bermain bola means to play ball (with a ball). It’s a bit general and can refer to any game involving a ball.

In everyday speech, though, especially in Malaysia, main bola often implies playing football (soccer), because that’s the most common “ball game” people talk about.

If you specifically mean football/soccer, it’s clearer to say:

bermain bola sepak – to play football/soccer.

If you just want “playing with a ball” in a general sense, bermain bola is fine.

What does di mean in di taman? How is it different from ke or pada?

Di is a preposition meaning in / at / on when talking about a location.

di taman – in/at the park.

Compare with:

ke – to (movement towards a place)
- Kanak-kanak itu pergi ke taman. – The child/children go to the park.
pada – at / on, but used more for time or abstract targets (e.g. “on Monday”, “to someone”)
- pada hari Isnin – on Monday
- berkata pada ibu – say to (the) mother

So for a static location like “in the park”, di is the natural choice: di taman.

Does taman mean park or garden?

Taman can mean both park and garden, depending on context.

Public park: taman
- berjalan di taman – walk in the park
Decorative/house garden: also taman, especially taman bunga (flower garden).
Vegetable/fruit garden/farm: more often kebun.

In this sentence, with bermain bola, the most natural English translation is park, not garden.

Why is the word order Kanak-kanak itu bermain bola di taman and not something like Kanak-kanak itu di taman bermain bola?

The basic word order in Malay is S–V–O–(adverbials), similar to English:

Subject – Verb – Object – Place/Time
Kanak-kanak itu (subject) bermain (verb) bola (object) di taman (place).

You can move things around for emphasis or style, for example:

Di taman, kanak-kanak itu bermain bola. – In the park, the child/children play ball. (emphasis on “in the park”)

But Kanak-kanak itu bermain bola di taman is the most neutral, straightforward order.

How would I say “The child/children are playing in the park with a ball” rather than focusing on “playing ball” as a fixed phrase?

To make “with a ball” sound more like an added detail (an instrument), you can use dengan:

Kanak-kanak itu bermain di taman dengan bola.
– The child/children are playing in the park with a ball.

Compare:

bermain bola di taman – playing ball in the park (the activity itself is “playing ball”).
bermain di taman dengan bola – playing in the park, and the thing used is a ball; the focus is slightly more on the place/activity than on “ball” as the main game.

Is there any difference between Kanak-kanak itu bermain bola di taman and Kanak-kanak itu sedang bermain bola di taman?

Yes. The word sedang adds the idea of an action that is currently in progress, similar to the English continuous aspect (is/are doing).

Kanak-kanak itu bermain bola di taman.
– The child/children play ball in the park / The child/children are playing ball in the park. (tense depends on context)
Kanak-kanak itu sedang bermain bola di taman.
– The child/children are currently playing ball in the park (right now).

Without sedang, the sentence can describe a general habit or a present action; with sedang, it clearly describes an ongoing action at the moment.