mereka
Third-person Plural Mereka
Mereka is the Malay word for 'they' or 'them'. It is used for groups of people and functions as a subject, object, or possessive marker.
How It Works
In Malay, mereka is the formal way to refer to a group of third parties.
1. Usage Restrictions
While English uses 'they' for both people and objects (e.g., 'The books? They are on the table'), Malay usually reserves mereka for humans. For inanimate objects, Malay speakers typically repeat the noun, use a demonstrative like itu, or rely on context.
2. Grammatical Roles
- Subject: Mereka makan. (They eat.)
- Object: Saya kenal mereka. (I know them.)
- Possessive: Placed after the noun. Rumah mereka. (Their house.)
3. Register and Social Context
Mereka is the standard form used in writing, news, and formal speech. In casual conversation, Malaysians frequently use the colloquial contraction diorang (a combination of dia + orang). While mereka is never wrong, using it in a very informal setting might sound slightly stiff.
Examples (4)
- Mereka sedang menunggu bas di perhentian itu.
They are waiting for the bus at that stop.
Word by Word: They [progressive marker] wait bus at stop that.
Here, 'mereka' acts as the subject of the sentence.
- Cikgu memuji mereka kerana rajin belajar.
The teacher praised them because they study hard.
Word by Word: Teacher [prefix]-praise them because diligent study.
In this sentence, 'mereka' is the object receiving the action of being praised.
- Ibu bapa mereka telah pulang ke kampung.
Their parents have returned to the village.
Word by Word: Mother father their already return to village.
When placed after a noun (ibu bapa), 'mereka' indicates possession (their).
- Mereka semua sangat gembira hari ini.
They are all very happy today.
Word by Word: They all very happy day this.
Using 'mereka' with 'semua' (all) emphasizes the entire group.
Common Mistakes
Using 'mereka' for inanimate objects.
Saya beli dua buah buku. Mereka sangat mahal.Saya beli dua buah buku. Buku-buku itu sangat mahal.'Mereka' is for people. For objects, repeat the noun or use 'itu' (those).
Reduplicating 'mereka' to show plurality.
Mereka-mereka sedang makan.Mereka sedang makan.'Mereka' is already plural; it does not need to be doubled like some Malay nouns.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'mereka', a learner should first be familiar with the singular third-person pronoun 'dia' and the basic sentence structure of Malay, as 'mereka' functions as the plural counterpart in the subject or object position.
- diaThird-person Dia
Understanding the singular third-person pronoun 'dia' provides the conceptual foundation for the plural third-person pronoun 'mereka'.
Level 1 - Basic subject-verb-object order
Knowing how to place a subject pronoun within a basic sentence structure is necessary to use 'mereka' effectively.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- iaWritten Third-person Ia
A formal third-person pronoun often used for objects or abstract concepts in writing.
Level 1 - beliauRespectful Third-person Beliau
A respectful third-person singular pronoun used for honored individuals.
Level 1 - kita / kamiInclusive and Exclusive We
Other plural pronouns that distinguish between including or excluding the listener.
Level 1 - Possession by juxtaposition
The grammatical structure used when 'mereka' indicates possession.
Level 1 - Pronouns and social relationship
Explains the difference between formal 'mereka' and colloquial 'diorang'.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice mereka in Bubblegum
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