Tikus itu kecil.

Itu usually means that. In Tikus itu kecil, it points to a specific mouse: that mouse or the mouse.

In natural English, this sentence is often translated as The mouse is small even though Malay uses itu, which literally feels closer to that.

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

So:

• tikus itu = that mouse / the mouse
• buku ini = this book

This is different from English, where we say that mouse with that before the noun.

Malay adjectives usually come after the noun they describe.

So:

• tikus kecil = small mouse
• rumah besar = big house

In Tikus itu kecil, kecil comes after tikus itu because it describes the mouse.

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

So:

• Tikus itu kecil literally looks like mouse that small
• but it means That mouse is small or The mouse is small

This is very normal in Malay. You do not need a separate word for is here.

It can mean either, depending on context.

• that mouse when you are pointing it out or contrasting it with something else
• the mouse when you simply mean a specific known mouse

Malay does not always make the same the/that distinction that English does in translation.

Yes. In everyday Malay, tikus can refer broadly to a mouse or a rat, depending on context.

If the meaning shown to you is mouse, then that is the intended meaning here. But in other situations, tikus might also be translated as rat.

Yes, it is a complete and natural sentence.

Malay can form a full sentence with:

• a subject: Tikus itu
• a description: kecil

So Tikus itu kecil is a complete statement meaning The mouse is small.

Yes, but it means something slightly different.

• Tikus itu kecil = That mouse is small
• Tikus kecil itu = That small mouse

In the first sentence, kecil is the main description in the sentence. In the second, kecil is part of the noun phrase describing which mouse you mean.

A simple learner-friendly pronunciation is:

tee-koos ee-too ke-chil

A few notes:

• tikus: ti sounds like tee
• itu: both vowels are clearly pronounced, ee-too
• kecil: the c in Malay is usually pronounced like ch

Malay pronunciation is generally more regular than English spelling.

Yes, but the meaning changes.

• Tikus itu kecil = That/The mouse is small
• Tikus kecil = small mouse / mice that are small, depending on context

Without itu, it often sounds more like a noun phrase than a full sentence, unless the context makes it clear.

No. Tikus itu kecil is understood as singular from context, but Malay nouns usually do not have a special ending like English -s.

So:

• tikus can mean mouse, a mouse, or sometimes mice, depending on context

Here, because of the meaning given and the sentence structure, it is understood as the mouse or that mouse.

You would say:

Tikus ini kecil.

Here:

• ini = this
• itu = that

So:

• Tikus ini kecil = This mouse is small
• Tikus itu kecil = That mouse is small