Petani menjaga lembu itu.

Malay does not use articles like a, an, and the in the same way English does. So petani can mean farmer, a farmer, or the farmer, depending on context.

In this sentence, English usually translates it as the farmer or a farmer, but Malay itself does not force that distinction.

Menjaga usually means to look after, to take care of, to guard, or to tend. The exact meaning depends on context.

With lembu (cow/cattle), menjaga often suggests:

• looking after the cow
• tending the cow
• taking care of the cow

In another context, it could also mean guarding.

Jaga is the root word. Menjaga is the verb form with the prefix men- (more accurately part of the meN- system), which commonly forms an active verb.

So:

• jaga = guard / care for / watch over
• menjaga = to guard / to care for / is guarding

In a simple sentence like this, menjaga is the normal active verb form.

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

So:

• lembu itu = that cow / sometimes the cow
• rumah itu = that house
• orang itu = that person

This is normal Malay word order.

It can feel like either one in translation.

Literally, itu means that. But in many natural Malay sentences, noun + itu can also function a bit like the + noun in English, especially when the thing is already known or specific.

So lembu itu could be understood as:

• that cow
• the cow

The best English translation depends on the situation.

Yes. This is a very normal Subject-Verb-Object pattern:

• Petani = subject
• menjaga = verb
• lembu itu = object

So Malay often lines up quite neatly with English word order in basic sentences.

Not by itself. Malay verbs do not change form the way English verbs do for tense. Menjaga does not specifically mean is taking care of or took care of or will take care of on its own.

Time is usually understood from context or added words such as:

• sedang = currently
• sudah = already
• akan = will

So:

• Petani menjaga lembu itu can mean The farmer takes care of the cow or The farmer is taking care of the cow, depending on context.

Yes. Like many Malay nouns, petani does not automatically show singular or plural.

So petani can mean:

• a farmer
• the farmer
• farmers
• the farmers

Context tells you which is meant. If you want to make plurality clearer, Malay can do so in other ways, for example with para petani for farmers.

Malay often leaves out words equivalent to a or one unless they are needed.

You could say:

• Seorang petani menjaga lembu itu. This more clearly means A farmer is looking after the cow.

Without seorang, the sentence is still completely natural. It is simply less specific about whether English should use a or the.

Yes. Menjaga covers a range of meanings around watching over, guarding, and taking care of.

So possible translations include:

• The farmer is looking after that cow.
• The farmer takes care of that cow.
• The farmer is guarding that cow.

The surrounding context would tell you which is most natural.

Both relate to cow/cattle, but lembu is very common in standard Malay for cow or cattle. Sapi is also used, but usage can vary by region and register.

For a beginner, it is safe to learn:

• lembu = cow / cattle

In this sentence, lembu itu simply means that cow or the cow.

You would usually say:

Petani ini menjaga lembu itu.

Here:

• petani ini = this farmer
• lembu itu = that cow

Again, ini and itu come after the noun they describe.