Licau ini berwarna biru.

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

So:

• licau ini = this licau
• rumah itu = that house

This is one of the first word-order differences English speakers notice.

Berwarna means to have a color or to be colored.

It comes from:

• warna = color
• ber- = a common prefix that often gives the sense of having, wearing, or being in a certain state

So berwarna biru literally means something like having the color blue.

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

So where English says:

• This licau is blue

Malay can simply say:

• Licau ini biru
• Licau ini berwarna biru

This is completely normal. You do not need a separate word for is here.

Yes. Licau ini biru is natural and means the same basic thing: This licau is blue.

The difference is mainly style:

• Licau ini biru = simpler, more direct
• Licau ini berwarna biru = more explicit, a bit more descriptive, sometimes slightly more formal

Both are correct.

Yes. Biru means blue, and it functions like a color adjective.

In this sentence, it is part of the predicate berwarna biru.

If you wanted to use it directly with the noun, Malay usually puts the adjective after the noun:

• licau biru = blue licau

So unlike English, Malay normally does not put the adjective before the noun.

No. Malay does not normally use articles the way English does.

That means a noun can often stand on its own, and context tells you whether it means a, an, or the.

For example:

• licau could mean a licau, the licau, or just licau(s) depending on context
• licau ini specifically means this licau

So English articles usually do not get translated word-for-word.

You can, but it changes the structure.

• Licau ini berwarna biru = This licau is blue
• Ini licau berwarna biru more naturally means something like This is a blue licau or This is the licau that is blue, depending on context

So if ini is directly modifying licau, it normally goes after the noun: licau ini.

It breaks down like this:

• Licau ini = the subject, this licau
• berwarna biru = the predicate, is blue / is colored blue

So the sentence pattern is basically:

• [noun phrase] + [description]

This is a very common Malay pattern.

A rough English-friendly pronunciation is:

LEE-chow ee-NEE ber-WAR-na BEE-roo

A few helpful notes:

• c in Malay sounds like ch
• r is usually tapped or rolled lightly
• Malay spelling is generally quite phonetic, so words are usually pronounced close to how they are written

Also, Malay stress is usually not as strong or dramatic as in English.