Learn Hardcore Malay: Guru matematik saya ramah.

So instead of saying “My math teacher is friendly”, Malay just says “My math teacher friendly”. The linking idea “is” is understood from context, so no separate word is needed.

Can I say Guru matematik saya adalah ramah to mean the same thing?

You shouldn’t say Guru matematik saya adalah ramah in normal Malay.

adalah is a kind of “to be” that is usually used before a noun or noun phrase, not before a simple adjective.
Correct: Dia adalah guru matematik saya. = He/She is my math teacher.
Natural version of your sentence: Guru matematik saya ramah. (without adalah)

So keep adalah for noun = noun sentences, not for noun = adjective.

Why is saya at the end of guru matematik saya instead of in front, like saya guru matematik?

In Malay, possessors usually come after the noun, not before it.

guru saya = my teacher
guru matematik saya = my math teacher

If you say saya guru matematik, it means “I am a math teacher”, not “my math teacher”.

Is matematik an adjective (like “math”) or a noun (like “mathematics”) here?

matematik is a noun meaning “mathematics”. In Malay, a noun can modify another noun just by being placed after it.

So:

guru matematik = math teacher (literally “teacher of mathematics”)

This is similar to English “math teacher”, but the order is teacher + math instead of math + teacher.

Why does the adjective ramah come at the end? Could I say guru ramah matematik saya?

In Malay, adjectives normally come after the noun phrase they describe. The basic order is:

[noun + modifiers] + adjective

So:

guru matematik saya ramah = My math teacher is friendly.

You should not say guru ramah matematik saya; that sounds wrong/confusing. Keep ramah at the end of the whole noun phrase.

How would I say “My math teachers are friendly” in Malay?

Malay often doesn’t mark plural nouns unless you really need to emphasize plurality. So you usually say:

Guru matematik saya ramah.

This can mean “My math teacher is friendly” or “My math teachers are friendly”, depending on context.

If you really want to show it is plural, you can say:

Guru-guru matematik saya ramah. (reduplication guru-guru shows “teachers”)

Does ramah change form for plural or to agree with guru in gender or number?

No. ramah stays the same regardless of:

singular or plural: guru / guru-guru
gender: male / female

Malay adjectives do not agree in gender or number. So:

Guru matematik saya ramah.
Guru-guru matematik saya ramah.

In both, ramah has the same form.

Is saya formal? Could I use aku instead?

saya is the default polite / neutral form of “I, me, my” and is safe in almost all situations (school, work, with strangers).

aku is more informal / intimate, used with close friends, siblings, or in casual contexts. You could say:

Guru matematik aku ramah.

This sounds more casual and might fit spoken language among friends, but (saya) is the safest choice overall.

Could Guru matematik saya ramah mean “The friendly one is my math teacher”?

Normally, no. The default reading is:

Guru matematik saya (subject) + ramah (adjective)
→ My math teacher is friendly.

To say “The friendly one is my math teacher”, you’d more naturally say something like:

Orang yang ramah itu guru matematik saya. = That friendly person is my math teacher.

So Guru matematik saya ramah is best understood as “My math teacher is friendly.”