Pemandu itu mabuk.

that

Breakdown of Pemandu itu mabuk.

• pemandu: the driver
• mabuk: drunk

Questions & Answers about Pemandu itu mabuk.

What does itu do in Pemandu itu mabuk?

Itu usually means that, but after a noun it often works like the/that in English.

So:

• pemandu = driver
• pemandu itu = that driver / the driver

In real usage, noun + itu is very common when the speaker means a specific, identifiable person or thing.

Why is the word order pemandu itu mabuk instead of putting mabuk before the noun?

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

So:

• pemandu mabuk = drunken driver / driver who is drunk
• pemandu itu mabuk = that driver is drunk

This matches a common Malay pattern:

• Noun + description

Examples:

• rumah besar = big house
• budak kecil = small child
• lelaki itu marah = that man is angry

Is there a word for is in this sentence?