Penyakit itu serius.

That disease is serious.

Breakdown of Penyakit itu serius.

• itu: that
• serius: serious
• penyakit: a disease; illness

Questions & Answers about Penyakit itu serius.

Why is there no word for is in Penyakit itu serius?

In Malay, you often do not need a verb like is/are between a noun and an adjective.

So:

• Penyakit itu serius
• literally: disease that serious
• natural English: The disease is serious / That disease is serious

This is very normal in Malay. The adjective serius can come directly after the noun phrase without a separate copula like is.

What does itu mean here?

Itu literally often means that, but in many sentences it can also function a bit like the, depending on context.

So penyakit itu can mean:

• that disease
• the disease

Which one sounds best depends on the situation.

In everyday Malay, noun + itu is a very common way to refer to something specific that both speaker and listener know about.

Why is the word order penyakit itu serius and not serius penyakit itu?