Kucing itu mengejar tikus.

Here, itu points to a specific cat. In many contexts, kucing itu is like that cat or sometimes the cat, depending on the situation.

So:

• kucing = cat
• kucing itu = that cat / the cat

Malay often uses itu after a noun to make it more specific.

In Malay, words like ini and itu usually come after the noun they describe.

So Malay says:

• kucing itu = that cat
• rumah itu = that house

This is different from English, where that comes before the noun.

The basic root is kejar, which means chase.

The full verb mengejar is formed from:

• kejar = chase
• mengejar = to chase / chases / is chasing

The prefix meN- is a very common Malay verb-forming prefix. It often makes a root into an active verb.

Kejar is the root word, but in a normal sentence with an active verb, Malay often uses the meN- form, so mengejar sounds more natural and standard here.

So:

• kejar = root, dictionary form
• mengejar = active verb used in the sentence

A learner can think of mengejar as the regular sentence form for to chase in this kind of structure.

No. Malay verbs usually do not change for tense the way English verbs do.

So mengejar could mean:

• chases
• is chasing
• was chasing

The exact time usually comes from context or from time words such as:

• semalam = yesterday
• sekarang = now
• esok = tomorrow

Without extra context, Kucing itu mengejar tikus is often understood as The cat is chasing the mouse or The cat chases the mouse.

Malay usually uses subject–verb–object word order, just like English.

So in:

• Kucing itu = subject
• mengejar = verb
• tikus = object

That means:

The cat chases the mouse.

Word order does a lot of the work here.

Malay does not use articles like English a, an, and the in the same way.

So tikus can mean:

• a mouse
• the mouse
• mice in some contexts

The exact meaning depends on context.

In this sentence, English might translate it as the mouse or a mouse, depending on what has already been mentioned.

By itself, tikus does not clearly show singular or plural. Malay nouns often do not change form for number.

So tikus can mean:

• mouse
• mice

Context tells you which is meant.

If someone wants to make plurality clearer, they can use repetition:

• tikus-tikus = mice

But in ordinary speech, Malay often leaves number unstated unless it matters.

Yes. Kucing mengejar tikus is grammatical.

The difference is mainly specificity:

• Kucing itu mengejar tikus = that/the cat is chasing a/the mouse
• Kucing mengejar tikus = cats chase mice or a cat is chasing a mouse, depending on context

Adding itu makes the cat more definite and specific.

Yes, in practice it often can.

Its core meaning is closer to that, but in natural translation it is sometimes best rendered as the when English sounds more natural that way.

So kucing itu might be understood as:

• that cat if you are pointing it out or contrasting it with another cat
• the cat if it is already known in the conversation

A simple learner-friendly pronunciation is:

koo-ching ee-too meng-uh-jar tee-koos

A few helpful notes:

• c in kucing sounds like ch
• ng sounds like the ng in sing
• j in mengejar sounds like English j in jar
• u usually sounds like oo

Malay pronunciation is generally quite regular compared with English.

No. Malay verbs do not change to match the subject the way English verbs do.

So the verb stays the same:

• Saya mengejar tikus = I chase / am chasing a mouse
• Kucing itu mengejar tikus = The cat chases / is chasing a mouse

There is no special -s ending like English he chases.

Yes. Malay often leaves definiteness to context.

So tikus could already mean the mouse if the listener knows which mouse is meant.

If you want to make it more specific, you could say:

• Kucing itu mengejar tikus itu = The cat is chasing that mouse / the mouse

But Malay does not always need this if the context is already clear.