Bola boling itu besar, tetapi pin boling itu kecil.

that

Breakdown of Bola boling itu besar, tetapi pin boling itu kecil.

• kecil: small
• besar: large
• tetapi: but

Questions & Answers about Bola boling itu besar, tetapi pin boling itu kecil.

Why is it bola boling and not boling bola?

In Malay, the main noun usually comes first, and a modifying noun comes after it.

So:

• bola boling = bowling ball

  • bola = ball
  • boling = bowling

• pin boling = bowling pin

This is a very common pattern in Malay noun phrases.

What does itu mean here?

Itu literally means that, but in many sentences it can also help make a noun phrase feel specific, a bit like the in English.

So:

• bola boling itu = that bowling ball or the bowling ball
• pin boling itu = that bowling pin or the bowling pin

The exact English translation depends on context.

Why is itu placed after the noun instead of before it?

In Malay, words like ini and itu normally come after the noun they refer to.

So Malay says:

• bola itu = that ball
• pin itu = that pin

not something like itu bola for that ball.

This word order is normal in Malay.

Why is there no word for is in the sentence?