Anak itu melihat monyet.

Malay usually uses Subject–Verb–Object word order, just like basic English sentences.

• Anak itu = the subject
• melihat = the verb
• monyet = the object

So the structure is:

Anak itu + melihat + monyet
subject + verb + object

That makes this sentence feel very straightforward for English speakers.

In this sentence, itu is a demonstrative word. It can often mean that, but in many natural sentences it also works a lot like the in English.

So anak itu can mean:

• that child
• the child

Which one sounds best depends on context. In simple learning examples, it is often translated as the child.

In Malay, demonstratives like ini and itu usually come after the noun.

So Malay says:

• anak itu = that child / the child
• monyet itu = that monkey / the monkey

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

Lihat is the root word meaning see/look.
melihat is the normal active verb form built from that root.

The prefix meN- often marks an active verb in Malay. With lihat, it becomes melihat.

So:

• lihat = root
• melihat = to see / sees / saw, depending on context

In standard Malay, melihat is the more complete and grammatical form in a sentence like this.

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

So melihat by itself does not specifically mean:

• sees
• is seeing
• saw
• has seen

The time is normally understood from context or from time words such as:

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

So Anak itu melihat monyet could be understood as present or past depending on the situation.

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

So monyet can mean:

• a monkey
• the monkey
• sometimes even monkeys, if the context allows

In this sentence, English usually translates it as a monkey or the monkey, depending on context.

Malay often leaves this unspecified unless it needs to be made clearer.

Yes. Anak is a very common word with a broad range of meanings depending on context.

It can mean:

• child
• kid
• son
• daughter

In this sentence, child is the safest general meaning.

So anak itu could mean the child, but in a different context it might mean that son or that daughter.

Yes, you can, but the meaning changes slightly.

• Anak itu melihat monyet = the/that child sees a monkey
• Anak melihat monyet = a child / children / child sees monkey, depending on context

Without itu, the noun feels less specific.
With itu, you are talking about a particular child already known in the conversation or clearly identified.

By itself, monyet does not clearly show singular or plural.

It can mean:

• a monkey
• the monkey
• monkeys

Context decides.

If Malay wants to make plurality very explicit, it can use reduplication:

• monyet-monyet = monkeys

But in many sentences, Malay simply uses the base noun and lets context do the work.

A useful approximate pronunciation is:

• monyet ≈ mon-yet

The important part for English speakers is ny, which is pronounced like the ny sound in canyon.

So it is not pronounced like a plain English n + y separately.
It is closer to:

• mo-nyet

A simple approximate pronunciation is:

• me-li-hat

Each syllable is usually pronounced fairly clearly.
The e in the first syllable is often a light uh sound, so it may sound roughly like:

• muh-LEE-hat

Malay spelling is generally quite consistent, so once you learn the sound system, pronunciation becomes much easier than in English.

Yes, depending on the nuance.

For example, learners may also encounter nampak.

Very roughly:

• melihat = to see, to look at
• nampak = to see, to be visible, to notice

In many beginner contexts, both may translate as see, but melihat is a very standard choice for a simple transitive verb meaning to see.

So Anak itu melihat monyet is a clean, textbook-style sentence.