Pernafasannya perlahan.

It can be understood as:

• nafas = breath
• pernafasan = breathing, respiration
• -nya = his/her/their, or sometimes the in context

So pernafasannya means his/her breathing, their breathing, or sometimes the breathing, depending on context.

In this sentence, -nya most naturally marks possession, so pernafasannya means his/her breathing or their breathing.

In Malay, -nya is very common and can do several jobs, including:

• possession: bukunya = his/her book
• referring back to something already known: rumahnya = the house / his-her house
• sometimes adding a slightly more definite sense

So here, if the context is about one person, Pernafasannya perlahan usually means His/Her breathing is slow.

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

So:

• Pernafasannya perlahan literally looks like:
• His/her breathing slow

But in natural English, you translate it as:

• His/Her breathing is slow

This is completely normal in Malay. The linking verb is simply understood.

Here, perlahan is describing the breathing, so it works like slow or slowly, depending on how you think about it in English.

Malay words are often flexible. Perlahan can function as:

• an adjective: suara perlahan = a soft/quiet voice
• an adverb-like word: berjalan perlahan = walk slowly

In Pernafasannya perlahan, it describes the quality of the breathing, so English naturally says slow: His breathing is slow.

In Malay, descriptive words usually come after the noun.

For example:

• rumah besar = big house
• air panas = hot water
• nafas perlahan = slow breathing

So pernafasannya perlahan follows a very normal Malay pattern:

• noun phrase first
• description after it

This is different from English, where adjectives often come before the noun.

Not exactly.

• nafas = breath
• pernafasan = breathing, respiration

So nafas is the basic noun, while pernafasan refers more to the process or state of breathing.

Compare:

• Dia menarik nafas. = He/She takes a breath.
• Pernafasannya perlahan. = His/Her breathing is slow.

Malay -nya does not show gender, so it can mean:

• his
• her
• sometimes their, depending on context

Malay usually relies on context rather than changing the form for masculine or feminine.

So if you see Pernafasannya perlahan, you need the surrounding context to know whether it means:

• His breathing is slow
• Her breathing is slow
• possibly Their breathing is slow

Yes, in some contexts it could.

Because -nya can sometimes make a noun sound more definite, pernafasannya may sometimes be understood as the breathing or that breathing, especially if the breathing has already been mentioned.

But without special context, learners will most often interpret it as his/her breathing.

The two are related, but they focus on slightly different things:

• Pernafasannya perlahan = His/Her breathing is slow

  • focuses on the breathing as a state or condition

• Dia bernafas perlahan = He/She is breathing slowly

  • focuses more on the action of breathing

So the sentence you were given sounds a bit more descriptive or observational, while Dia bernafas perlahan sounds more verbal and action-based.

Yes, it is natural and understandable.

It has a simple descriptive structure:

• Pernafasannya = his/her breathing
• perlahan = slow

So it is a normal way to describe someone's breathing.

Depending on style and context, speakers might also say things like:

• Dia bernafas perlahan
• Nafasnya perlahan
• Pernafasannya lambat

But Pernafasannya perlahan is perfectly fine.

A simple learner-friendly pronunciation guide is:

• per-na-fa-san-nya per-la-han

Roughly:

• per as in purr but shorter
• na
• fa
• san
• nya like nyah or nya in canyon-like ny
• per
• la
• han

A helpful point:

• ny in -nya is a single sound, like the ny sound in Spanish señor or the ni sound in onion.

Malay pronunciation is generally quite regular, so once you know the sounds, words are usually pronounced as written.