Gema itu mengganggu vokal.

In Malay, demonstratives like ini (this) and itu (that) usually come after the noun:

• gema itu = that echo
• buku ini = this book

So Gema itu is the normal Malay word order.
Putting itu before the noun would not be standard in this kind of sentence.

Also, in many contexts, NOUN + itu can sound like either:

• that + noun
• or sometimes the + noun, depending on context

So gema itu can mean that echo or sometimes something close to the echo.

Ganggu is the root word, meaning disturb, bother, or disrupt.

The prefix meng- is commonly added to make an active verb:

• ganggu = disturb/bother (root)
• mengganggu = to disturb / disturbs / disturbing

In a normal formal sentence, Malay usually prefers the prefixed form:

• Gema itu mengganggu vokal. = correct standard style

You may hear the root used without the prefix in casual speech, but mengganggu is the expected full form in standard Malay.

Mengganggu often means:

• to disturb
• to bother
• to disrupt
• to interfere with

In this sentence, it suggests that the echo is negatively affecting the vocals.
So in English, depending on context, it could be understood as:

• disturbs the vocals
• disrupts the vocals
• interferes with the vocals

Malay uses one verb here where English might choose different verbs depending on the situation.

Because in Malay, mengganggu normally takes a direct object.

So Malay says:

• mengganggu vokal = literally disturb vocals

It does not need a preposition like with.

This is very common when learning Malay: a verb may match an English verb in meaning, but the sentence pattern may be different.
So even if English uses interfere with, Malay can still use a direct object after mengganggu.

Vokal can have more than one meaning depending on context:

1. vowel in language/phonetics
2. vocal(s) in music/audio contexts

In this sentence, because of gema (echo), the likely meaning is the vocals or vocal sound, not vowels.

So this is probably about audio, recording, singing, or sound quality.

Malay verbs do not change form for tense the way English verbs do.

So mengganggu by itself does not specifically mark:

• present
• past
• future

The time is usually understood from context or from time words such as:

• sedang = in progress / currently
• telah / sudah = already / past
• akan = will / future

So Gema itu mengganggu vokal could mean things like:

• The echo is disturbing the vocals
• The echo disturbs the vocals
• The echo disturbed the vocals

Context tells you which one is intended.

Because mengganggu is already a full verb: disturbs / is disturbing.

Malay does not need a separate verb like is before another verb in this structure.

Compare:

• Gema itu mengganggu vokal. = The echo disturbs / is disturbing the vocals.

If the sentence were describing something with a noun or adjective, Malay often also leaves out is/are:

• Dia guru. = He/She is a teacher.
• Bilik itu besar. = That room is big.

So the absence of is is normal in Malay.

Yes. The basic word order is:

• Subject + Verb + Object

Here that is:

• Gema itu = subject
• mengganggu = verb
• vokal = object

So the structure is very straightforward and actually quite similar to English:

• That echo
  • disturbs
    • the vocals

This makes many basic Malay sentences easy for English speakers to follow.

Mengganggu is pronounced roughly like:

• muhng-GAHNG-goo

A more detailed breakdown:

• meng sounds roughly like meng with ng as in sing
• gang has the ng sound too
• gu sounds like goo

As for the prefix: meN- is a common active-verb prefix in Malay.
Its form changes depending on the first sound of the root word. With ganggu, it becomes mengganggu.

So learners often benefit from recognizing:

• root: ganggu
• active verb: mengganggu

Yes, in some contexts it can feel that way in translation.

Strictly speaking, itu is a demonstrative meaning that. But in natural translation, NOUN + itu is often used when the noun is already known, specific, or identifiable, so English may translate it as the.

So depending on context:

• gema itu = that echo
• or more naturally in some situations, the echo

This is why you should not always translate itu mechanically every single time. It often marks specificity as well as distance.

Yes. In Malay, nouns usually do not change form for singular vs. plural.

So vokal could refer to:

• the vocal
• the vocals
• vocal sound
• a vocal part

Context decides.

If the speaker really wants to emphasize plurality, Malay can use reduplication:

• vokal-vokal

But in many real sentences, that is unnecessary. So vokal by itself is perfectly normal.