Cerita itu singkat.

to be

Breakdown of Cerita itu singkat.

• itu: that
• cerita: the story
• singkat: short

Questions & Answers about Cerita itu singkat.

What does "Cerita itu singkat" mean in English?

It translates to "The story is short". The sentence tells us that a particular story is brief in nature.

What are the meanings of each individual word in this sentence?

Cerita means "story". Itu is a demonstrative determiner that translates to "that" or "the," specifying a particular story. Singkat means "short," describing the story’s length or duration.

How does the sentence structure in Indonesian compare to that in English?

In Indonesian, adjectives follow the noun they modify. Here, Cerita (noun) is followed by itu (demonstrative) and then singkat (adjective). In English, adjectives typically precede the noun (as in "short story"), so the order is different.

Why is there no linking verb like "is" present in this sentence?

Indonesian often omits a copular verb in simple descriptive sentences. The relationship between the subject and its adjective is understood without needing an equivalent to "is."

What role does itu play in this sentence?

Itu acts as a demonstrative determiner, indicating that the speaker is referring to a specific story known to both the speaker and listener. It functions similarly to the words "that" or "the" in English.

Is the placement of adjectives in Indonesian a common pattern?

Yes, it is. Unlike English—where adjectives usually come before the noun—in Indonesian, adjectives typically follow the noun. This pattern, as shown by "singkat" coming after "cerita," is a standard feature of Indonesian sentence structure.