Lembu gemuk itu makan rumput.

In Malay, adjectives usually come after the noun they describe.

• lembu gemuk = fat cow / fat cattle
• literally: cow fat

This is a very common pattern:

• rumah besar = big house
• budak kecil = small child

So lembu gemuk itu means that/the fat cow.

Itu is a demonstrative word. It often means that, but in natural translation it can also function a bit like the, depending on context.

In Malay, demonstratives usually come after the whole noun phrase:

• lembu itu = that cow / the cow
• lembu gemuk itu = that fat cow / the fat cow

So the order is:

noun + adjective + itu

not like English that fat cow, but more like cow fat that.

It can be understood as either, depending on context.

Malay does not always separate that and the as strictly as English does in simple sentences. Itu often points to something definite and known, so English may translate it as:

• that fat cow
• the fat cow

Both can be correct depending on the situation.

Malay verbs do not change form the way English verbs do. Makan can mean:

• eat
• eats
• am eating / is eating / are eating

The exact time is usually understood from context, or shown with extra words if needed.

For example:

• Lembu gemuk itu makan rumput. = The fat cow eats grass / is eating grass.
• Lembu gemuk itu sedang makan rumput. = The fat cow is eating grass.
• Lembu gemuk itu sudah makan rumput. = The fat cow has already eaten grass.

So makan stays the same.

No. Malay verbs do not agree with the subject.

So makan stays makan with all subjects:

• saya makan = I eat
• dia makan = he/she eats
• mereka makan = they eat

This is one of the simpler parts of Malay grammar for English speakers.

Malay often uses bare nouns without articles. There is no exact equivalent of English a/an/the in many ordinary sentences.

So rumput can simply mean:

• grass
• the grass
• some grass

The context tells you which one sounds best in English.

That is why makan rumput is perfectly normal for eat grass or is eating the grass.

Lembu is often used broadly for cow or cattle. In many beginner examples, it is translated simply as cow.

Depending on context, it can be somewhat general, so English translation may vary:

• lembu = cow
• sometimes more broadly = cattle

In this sentence, cow is the most natural learner-friendly translation.

It can also be used as the main description in a sentence.

For example:

• Lembu itu gemuk. = The cow is fat.

So gemuk can work:

1. after a noun as an adjective

   • lembu gemuk = fat cow

2. as the predicate

   • lembu itu gemuk = the cow is fat

Notice that Malay usually does not need a word like is in sentences like The cow is fat.

For a normal noun phrase, lembu gemuk itu is the standard order.

The usual pattern is:

noun + adjective + demonstrative

So:

• lembu gemuk itu = correct
• itu lembu gemuk = not the normal way to say that fat cow

You may sometimes see unusual word orders in special contexts, but for standard beginner Malay, stick with lembu gemuk itu.

Because Malay commonly uses a straightforward Subject + Verb + Object order.

Here:

• Lembu gemuk itu = subject
• makan = verb
• rumput = object

So the sentence structure is:

Lembu gemuk itu makan rumput.
= The fat cow eats grass.

This basic pattern is very common in Malay.

By context, or by adding time/aspect words.

Without extra markers, makan can describe either:

• a general habit: The fat cow eats grass
• a current action: The fat cow is eating grass

If you want to make it clearer, Malay often adds words such as:

• sedang = in the middle of doing something
  
  • Lembu gemuk itu sedang makan rumput.
• selalu = always / usually
  
  • Lembu gemuk itu selalu makan rumput.

So the short sentence is natural, but slightly open-ended in time.

Malay nouns often do not have to show singular or plural overtly. The context usually makes it clear.

Here, lembu gemuk itu is most naturally understood as that/the fat cow, singular, because it refers to one specific animal.

If you wanted to make plurality clearer, Malay could use:

• context
• a number
• reduplication in some cases

For example:

• dua ekor lembu = two cows
• lembu-lembu = cows

But in this sentence, singular is the normal reading.

Itu usually means that, while ini usually means this.

So:

• lembu gemuk itu = that fat cow
• lembu gemuk ini = this fat cow

Both normally come at the end of the noun phrase in Malay.

Yes, that is grammatically possible.

Without itu, the phrase becomes less definite:

• Lembu gemuk itu makan rumput. = The/that fat cow eats grass.
• Lembu gemuk makan rumput. = A fat cow / fat cows eat grass, depending on context.

Adding itu makes the animal sound more specific and identifiable.