Tulang itu patah.

• tulang = bone
• itu = that, and in many contexts it can also work like the
• patah = broken, snapped, or to break/snapped off

So the whole sentence means something like:

• That bone is broken
• The bone is broken

The exact English translation depends on context.

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

So:

• tulang itu = that bone / the bone
• rumah itu = that house / the house
• orang itu = that person / the person

This is a very normal Malay pattern. English says that bone, but Malay says bone that, literally.

It can feel like either one in English.

Malay does not have a direct article system like English the and a/an. Because of that, itu often helps make a noun more definite. Depending on context, tulang itu may be translated as:

• that bone
• the bone

If the speaker is pointing something out or contrasting it with another bone, that bone may sound better. If it is just a known or already-mentioned bone, the bone may sound more natural.

Malay often does not use a verb like is/am/are in simple sentences like this.

So:

• Tulang itu patah literally looks like bone that broken

But in natural English, we translate it as:

• The bone is broken
• That bone is broken

This is very common in Malay. The language often leaves out the copula (is) where English requires it.

It can behave a bit like both, which is something English speakers often notice.

In Tulang itu patah, patah describes the condition of the bone, so in English it is often best translated with an adjective:

• The bone is broken

But patah can also refer to the event of breaking/snapping, depending on context.

Malay words are often more flexible than English categories suggest, so trying to force every word into one single English part of speech is not always helpful.

It most naturally describes the bone’s state: The bone is broken.

However, depending on context, Malay can sometimes leave tense and aspect unstated, so a listener may understand something close to The bone broke.

If you want to make the completed event clearer, Malay often adds words such as:

• sudah = already
• telah = already / has

For example:

• Tulang itu sudah patah. = The bone is already broken / The bone has broken.

So the basic sentence usually sounds more like a description of condition than a fully time-marked past event.

No. Malay uses different words for different kinds of breaking.

patah is used for things that snap or break into pieces by bending or force, such as:

• bones
• sticks
• branches

So tulang itu patah is exactly the right kind of broken for a bone.

Compare:

• pecah = broken/shattered/burst, often for glass, balloons, eggs, etc.
• rosak = damaged, spoiled, not working

Examples:

• Cermin itu pecah. = The mirror is shattered.
• Telefon itu rosak. = The phone is broken/not working.

So for a bone, patah is the natural choice.

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

So tulang can mean:

• bone
• bones

Context usually tells you which one is meant.

In Tulang itu patah, English often translates it as singular: The bone is broken or That bone is broken. But in another context, it could refer to bones more generally.

If a speaker wants to make plurality very clear, they may use context, a number, or reduplication:

• tulang-tulang = bones

Malay does not have articles like English a/an and the.

That means a bare noun like tulang can mean:

• a bone
• the bone
• bone

depending on context.

When Malay uses itu, it often gives a more definite feeling, which is why tulang itu is commonly translated as the bone or that bone.

The pattern is:

• Noun phrase + predicate

So:

• Tulang itu = the subject / topic-like noun phrase
• patah = the predicate describing it

This is a very common Malay structure. Another few examples:

• Rumah itu besar. = The house is big.
• Budak itu sakit. = The child is sick.
• Pintu itu terbuka. = The door is open.

So Tulang itu patah follows a very basic and useful Malay sentence pattern.

A simple approximate pronunciation is:

• too-lang ee-too pah-tah

A few helpful notes:

• tulang has two syllables: tu-lang
• itu has two syllables: i-tu
• patah has two syllables: pa-tah
• Malay pronunciation is usually quite phonetic compared with English

A rougher English-friendly guide would be:

• TOO-lahng ee-TOO PAH-tah

But it is best to listen to native audio if possible, especially for the final h in patah, which is lightly pronounced.

Yes, but the meaning changes slightly.

• Tulang itu patah = The/that bone is broken
• Tulang patah can sound more general, less definite, or like part of a larger phrase

For example:

• tulang patah can mean a broken bone in a noun phrase
• Dia mengalami tulang patah is not the most natural wording, but tulang patah can appear in medical or descriptive contexts

As a full sentence, Tulang itu patah is clearer if you mean one specific bone.