Lembu itu sangat besar.

In Malay, itu usually comes after the noun when it means that or sometimes the.

So:

• lembu itu = that cow / the cow
• not usually itu lembu in a normal noun phrase

A simple pattern is:

• noun + itu = that/the noun
• noun + ini = this/the noun

Examples:

• rumah itu = that house
• buku ini = this book

It can feel like either one in English, depending on context.

In Lembu itu sangat besar, itu most literally means that, but in many real situations it can also be translated more naturally as the.

So this sentence could correspond to:

• That cow is very big
• The cow is very big

Malay does not use articles like a, an, and the in the same way English does, so itu often helps mark something as specific.

Malay often does not need a verb like is between the subject and an adjective.

So:

• Lembu itu sangat besar = literally something like cow that very big
• natural English: That cow is very big

This is normal in Malay. Adjectives can come directly after the noun phrase.

Compare:

• Rumah itu besar = The house is big
• Budak itu pandai = The child is clever

In this sentence, besar is not directly modifying the noun inside the noun phrase the way big does in English big cow. Instead, it is acting as the main description of the subject:

• Lembu itu = the subject
• sangat besar = the description

So the structure is roughly:

• [subject] + [adjective phrase]

If you want to say a big cow, that would usually be:

• lembu besar

But in Lembu itu sangat besar, the meaning is more like:

• That cow is very big

Sangat means very.

It intensifies the adjective that follows it:

• besar = big
• sangat besar = very big

Common pattern:

• sangat + adjective

Examples:

• sangat cantik = very beautiful
• sangat kecil = very small
• sangat mahal = very expensive

Yes, in everyday speech, besar sangat can occur and sounds natural in many contexts.

Compare:

• Lembu itu sangat besar
• Lembu itu besar sangat

Both can mean That cow is very big.

However, sangat + adjective is often the safer and more standard pattern for learners to start with.

Yes, you can, but the meaning becomes less specific.

• Lembu itu sangat besar = That/The cow is very big
• Lembu sangat besar = Cows are very big or A cow is very big, depending on context

Without itu, the noun may sound more general or less specifically identified.

So if you mean one particular cow, itu is helpful.

Not always in the narrow English sense.

Lembu can refer generally to cattle or a cow/bovine animal, depending on context. In beginner materials, it is often translated simply as cow.

If the exact sex of the animal matters, Malay can be more specific in other ways, but lembu by itself is often a general everyday word.

A simple learner-friendly pronunciation is:

• LEM-boo EE-too SAH-ngat buh-SAR

A few notes:

• lembu sounds roughly like lem-boo
• itu sounds like ee-too
• sangat sounds roughly like sah-ngat
• besar sounds roughly like buh-sar

The r in besar is usually pronounced, unlike many English accents where final r may disappear.

Very often, yes. It is a common general intensifier.

Examples:

• sangat panas = very hot
• sangat sejuk = very cold
• sangat baik = very good/kind
• sangat buruk = very bad

So sangat besar is a very normal combination.

Yes, it is both grammatical and natural.

Lembu itu sangat besar is a normal, clear sentence. It works well in:

• writing
• textbooks
• conversation

In casual speech, people might choose slightly different wording depending on tone, but this sentence itself is completely standard.

Yes.

• Lembu itu sangat besar
• Lembu itu amat besar

Both mean That cow is very big.

A rough difference:

• sangat = very common and neutral
• amat = also means very, sometimes felt as slightly more formal or emphatic

For most everyday learning, sangat is the most useful one to remember first.