Dolar itu di atas meja.

that

Breakdown of Dolar itu di atas meja.

• meja: the table
• di atas: on
• dolar: a dollar

Questions & Answers about Dolar itu di atas meja.

Why is there no word for is in this sentence?

Malay often leaves out the verb to be in simple sentences like this.

So where English says The dollar is on the table, Malay can simply say:

• Dolar itu di atas meja

There is no separate word for is here. This is completely normal in Malay.

What does itu mean here?

Itu usually means that, but in many sentences it also works a bit like the in English.

So dolar itu can mean:

• that dollar
• the dollar

The exact nuance depends on context. In everyday Malay, itu is often used to make a noun feel definite or already known.

Why does itu come after dolar instead of before it?

In Malay, demonstratives like ini and itu normally come after the noun.

So Malay says:

• dolar itu = that/the dollar
• meja itu = that/the table

This is different from English, where this, that, and the come before the noun.