Pengajar memeriksa pernafasan dan saluran udara.

This is the normal Malay word order:

• Pengajar = subject
• memeriksa = verb
• pernafasan dan saluran udara = object

So it follows the common pattern Subject + Verb + Object, much like English:

• The instructor checks breathing and the airway.

Malay word order is often quite straightforward in basic sentences.

Pengajar means instructor, teacher, or someone who teaches.

It comes from the root ajar, meaning to teach or to learn/teach instruction depending on context, with the prefix peng-, which often forms a person who does the action.

So:

• ajar = teach / instruction
• pengajar = teacher / instructor

Compared with other common words:

• guru = teacher, often more general and very common
• cikgu = teacher, especially in schools, more everyday and personal
• pengajar = instructor/teacher, often a bit more formal or technical

In this sentence, pengajar sounds natural if the context is training, first aid, or instruction.

The base word is periksa, meaning check, inspect, or examine.

When Malay forms an active verb, it often adds the prefix meN-. Here that gives:

• periksa → memeriksa

So memeriksa means to check / is checking / checks.

This is a very common pattern in Malay:

• baca → membaca
• tulis → menulis
• periksa → memeriksa

In sentences, the prefixed form is usually what you want for a normal active verb.

Malay changes the shape of the meN- prefix depending on the first sound of the root word.

With periksa, the root begins with p, and in this pattern the p usually drops and meN- becomes mem-:

• meN- + periksa → memeriksa

This kind of sound change is very common in Malay verb formation.

A few similar examples:

• pakai → memakai
• pilih → memilih
• pukul → memukul

So memeriksa is the expected standard form.

Pernafasan means breathing or respiration.

It is built from nafas, meaning breath.

Roughly:

• nafas = breath
• pernafasan = breathing / respiration

The pattern peN-...-an often creates a noun related to a process, activity, or result.

So here it turns the idea of breath into the process breathing.

In medical or first-aid contexts, pernafasan is a very natural word.

Literally:

• saluran = channel, passage, duct, pathway
• udara = air

So saluran udara literally means air passage or airway.

In medical or first-aid contexts, it is best understood as airway.

This is a good example of how Malay often forms terms by combining ordinary words into a clear compound phrase.

Malay does not normally use articles like a, an, or the.

So:

• pengajar can mean an instructor, the instructor, or just instructor
• saluran udara can mean an airway, the airway, or airways, depending on context

The exact meaning is understood from the situation.

That means Malay often leaves definiteness unstated unless there is a reason to make it explicit.

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

So:

• pernafasan = breathing
• saluran udara = airway / airways, depending on context

Usually the situation tells you what is meant.

If Malay really wants to show plurality clearly, it can use:

• repetition: guru-guru = teachers
• number words: dua pelajar = two students
• context words like para for people in formal usage

But in this sentence, singular/plural is simply left to context, just as often happens in Malay.

Yes, in this sentence dan means and.

It joins two things of the same kind:

• pernafasan
• saluran udara

So:

• pernafasan dan saluran udara = breathing and the airway

This is a very direct and common use of dan.

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

So memeriksa by itself does not specifically mean:

• checks
• is checking
• checked
• will check

The time usually comes from context or time words.

Without extra context, this sentence can naturally be understood as something like:

• The instructor checks breathing and the airway or
• The instructor is checking breathing and the airway

If you wanted to make the time clearer, Malay could add words such as:

• sedang = currently / in the process of
• sudah = already
• akan = will

Example:

• Pengajar sedang memeriksa pernafasan dan saluran udara. = The instructor is checking breathing and the airway.

In informal speech, Malaysians may sometimes shorten things, but standard Malay strongly prefers memeriksa here.

So the standard, grammatical form is:

• Pengajar memeriksa pernafasan dan saluran udara.

Using just periksa in a full written sentence sounds less standard, unless it is:

• a command
• note-style language
• colloquial speech

For learners, it is safest to use memeriksa in normal active sentences.

It is a correct and understandable way, especially in a medical or first-aid context.

Depending on context, you may also encounter:

• jalan udara in some medical/technical usage
• other more specialized expressions depending on region or training materials

But saluran udara is transparent and understandable because it literally means an air passage.

So for a learner, it is a useful phrase to know.

A simple pronunciation guide:

• Pengajar ≈ puh-ngah-jar
• memeriksa ≈ muh-muh-rik-sah
• pernafasan ≈ per-nah-fah-sahn
• dan ≈ dahn
• saluran udara ≈ sah-loo-rahn oo-dah-rah

A few notes:

• r in Malay is usually a tapped or lightly rolled sound
• a is usually like the a in father, not the English ay
• Malay spelling is fairly consistent, so pronunciation is often easier than in English

This sentence sounds neutral to somewhat formal.

Why?

• pengajar is a bit more formal than very everyday cikgu
• memeriksa is standard written Malay
• pernafasan and saluran udara are appropriate technical or medical words

So it sounds very suitable for:

• training materials
• first-aid instruction
• educational or medical contexts

It would be less likely in very casual conversation unless someone is specifically talking about medical checks or emergency procedure.