Learn Hardcore Malay: Kami berkongsi pandangan yang berbeza tentang filem itu. - We share different opinions about that film.

kami = we (not including the listener)
- Used when you talk about your group, and the person you’re talking to is not part of that group.
- Example: Kami berkongsi pandangan yang berbeza tentang filem itu.
  → You and someone else had different views, but the person you’re talking to was not part of that discussion.
kita = we (including the listener)
- Used when the speaker and the listener are in the same group.
- Example: Kita berkongsi pandangan yang berbeza tentang filem itu.
  → You’re saying to someone who was also there that the two (or more) of you had different views.

So in your sentence, kami suggests the listener is outside the group that shared the views.

Why is the verb berkongsi and not just kongsi? Are both correct?

The base word is kongsi (to share). Berkongsi is the standard verb form with the prefix ber-, which often marks intransitive or “doing” verbs.

berkongsi – more standard/formal Malay, very common in writing and careful speech
- Kami berkongsi pandangan... = We share/exchange views…
kongsi (without ber-) – also used as a verb, especially in everyday or informal Malay
- Kita kongsi pandangan... (colloquial) = We share views…

In formal sentences like this, berkongsi is usually preferred, but using kongsi is not wrong in casual speech.

What is the nuance of pandangan here? Could I use pendapat instead?

Both pandangan and pendapat can translate as opinion:

pandangan
- Literally view or perspective (from the verb pandang, to look).
- Slight nuance of “the way we see something,” a point of view or perspective.
pendapat
- More like a stated opinion or standpoint.
- Very common in formal contexts too.

Your sentence with pendapat is still correct and natural:

Kami berkongsi pendapat yang berbeza tentang filem itu.
= We have different opinions about that film.

In everyday use here, pandangan and pendapat are almost interchangeable, with only a slight nuance in imagery (view vs opinion).

What is the role of yang in pandangan yang berbeza? Could I say pandangan berbeza instead?

Yang is a very important word in Malay. Here, yang introduces a describing phrase (similar to a relative clause or marker before an adjective):

pandangan yang berbeza
literally: views that are different / views which are different

Yes, you can often drop yang:

pandangan berbeza = different views

In this specific phrase:

pandangan berbeza – also correct; slightly shorter and more neutral.
pandangan yang berbeza – gives the adjective berbeza a bit more emphasis, almost like saying the views which are different.

Both are acceptable; learners often see yang used before adjectives to clearly mark them as describing the noun.

Is berbeza an adjective or a verb? How does it work in Malay?

Berbeza comes from the root beza (difference). It functions like both to be different and different, depending on position:

After a noun → behaves like an adjective
- pandangan yang berbeza = views that are different
- warna berbeza = different colours
As a predicate after the subject → like a verb phrase “to be different” or “is/are different”
- Pandangan kami berbeza.
  = Our views are different.
- Pendapat mereka berbeza.
  = Their opinions are different.

Malay doesn’t use a separate to be (am/is/are) the way English does, so words like berbeza fill that role.

Why is it tentang filem itu? What does tentang mean, and are there alternatives?

Tentang means about / regarding / concerning.

tentang filem itu = about that film

Common alternatives with very similar meanings:

mengenai filem itu – about/regarding that film (slightly more formal)
berkenaan (dengan) filem itu – concerning that film (formal/written)
pasal filem itu – about that film (very informal/colloquial)

Be careful with terhadap – it means towards / against, and it’s not used the same way as about:

pandangan tentang filem itu = opinions about the film
sikap terhadap filem itu = attitude towards the film

What is the function of itu in filem itu? Could I leave it out?

Itu means that (or the, depending on context). It indicates something specific / already known:

filem itu = that film / the film (the one we both know about)

If you say just filem:

tentang filem = about films / about a film (more general, not a particular one)

In your sentence:

Kami berkongsi pandangan yang berbeza tentang filem itu.
→ We’re talking about a particular film.

You can drop itu only if you mean films in general, not a specific one.

How do I know if this sentence is past, present, or future? There is no tense marking.

Malay usually does not mark tense with verb changes. Berkongsi stays the same. Time is shown by:

time words (yesterday, already, always, later, etc.), or
context.

Your sentence can mean:

We shared different views about that film. (past)
We share different views about that film. (present/habitual)
We will share different views about that film. (future, but less likely without a time word)

You can make it explicit:

Tadi kami berkongsi pandangan yang berbeza tentang filem itu.
= Earlier, we shared different views about that film.
Esok kami akan berkongsi pandangan yang berbeza tentang filem itu.
= Tomorrow we will share different views about that film.

So tense is mostly from context or added time expressions.

Can I change the word order, like putting tentang filem itu at the beginning?

Yes, Malay word order is fairly flexible, especially with prepositional phrases like tentang filem itu.

All of these are grammatical, with small differences in emphasis:

Kami berkongsi pandangan yang berbeza tentang filem itu.
– Neutral order; focus on what “we” do.
Tentang filem itu, kami berkongsi pandangan yang berbeza.
– Emphasis on about that film. Often used in writing or formal speech.
Kami tentang filem itu berkongsi pandangan yang berbeza.
– This sounds awkward and is not natural; the prepositional phrase normally goes as a chunk before or after the main clause, not inserted in the middle like this.

The most natural everyday version is still the original one.

Could I say Kami mempunyai pandangan yang berbeza tentang filem itu instead? Does it change the meaning?

Yes, you can say:

Kami mempunyai pandangan yang berbeza tentang filem itu.
= We have different views about that film.

Nuance:

berkongsi pandangan yang berbeza
- Literally “share different views”
- Suggests exchanging or holding different viewpoints among the group.
mempunyai pandangan yang berbeza
- Literally “have different views”
- Slightly more static, just stating that your views are different.

In most contexts, both sentences will be understood in almost the same way. Mempunyai is a bit more formal than everyday ada:

Kami ada pandangan yang berbeza tentang filem itu. (more colloquial)

Why is there no plural marker for pandangan? How do I know it’s “views” and not “view”?

Malay usually does not mark plural with an -s like English. A noun can be singular or plural depending on context.

pandangan = view / views
pandangan yang berbeza = a different view / different views
(context decides)

If you really want to emphasize plurality, you can:

Use reduplication (repeating the noun):
- pandangan-pandangan = views (emphatically plural)
Use a number or quantifier:
- banyak pandangan = many views
- beberapa pandangan = several views

In your sentence, the idea of different already strongly suggests more than one view, so pandangan is naturally understood as views.

Why is it filem and not film? Is this a spelling difference between Malay and Indonesian?

Yes, this is mainly a regional spelling difference:

In Malay (Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore):
- filem = film/movie (standard spelling)
In Indonesian:
- film = film/movie

Pronunciation is essentially the same (/film/). So:

filem is correct in Malay.
film is correct in Indonesian.

If you are learning Bahasa Melayu (Malaysian Malay), stick with filem.