Benih itu kecil.

that

Breakdown of Benih itu kecil.

• kecil: small
• benih: the seed

Questions & Answers about Benih itu kecil.

Why is there no word for is in Benih itu kecil?

Malay often does not use a verb like is/am/are in simple sentences with adjectives.

So:

• Benih itu kecil = The seed is small
• literally, it is closer to seed that small

This is very normal in Malay. When an adjective describes the subject, you usually do not need a separate word for is.

Other examples:

• Rumah itu besar = The house is big
• Air itu sejuk = The water is cold

What does itu mean here?

Itu usually means that, but in sentences like this it can also feel like the in English.

So benih itu can mean:

• that seed
• the seed

Malay does not have articles exactly like English a/an/the, so words like ini and itu often help show which thing you mean.

• benih ini = this seed
• benih itu = that seed / the seed

In context, English might translate itu in different ways.

Why does itu come after benih instead of before it?