Perisai itu melindungi badan.

In Malay, demonstratives like ini and itu usually come after the noun.

So:

• perisai ini = this shield
• perisai itu = that shield

In many contexts, itu can also make the noun feel more definite, so perisai itu can be understood as that shield or sometimes the shield, depending on context.

It can mean either, depending on context.

Literally, itu is that. But in natural Malay, noun + itu often works a bit like a definite noun phrase, so perisai itu may be translated as:

• that shield
• the shield

If the shield has already been mentioned or is obvious from the situation, English may prefer the shield even though Malay uses itu.

Lindung is the root idea, related to protect / shelter / shield.

Melindungi is a verb formed from that root. It means to protect something.

A useful way to think about it is:

• lindung = root
• melindungi = protect
  • a direct object

In this sentence, the direct object is badan, so melindungi badan means protects the body.

The ending -i helps form a transitive verb, especially one that acts directly on an object.

So:

• melindungi badan = protect the body

For learners, the simplest takeaway is this: in this sentence, melindungi is the correct verb form because it is acting on something directly, namely badan.

You do not need to analyze the morphology every time, but it is helpful to notice that Malay often builds verbs with prefixes and suffixes rather than using completely different words.

Malay does not use articles like English a and the in the same way.

So badan can mean:

• a body
• the body
• body

The exact meaning depends on context.

In Perisai itu melindungi badan, English naturally uses the body, but Malay does not need a separate word for the.

Yes, it is basically the same.

The structure is:

• Perisai itu = subject
• melindungi = verb
• badan = object

So the pattern is Subject–Verb–Object, just like English:

• The shield / That shield
  • protects
    • the body

This makes the sentence fairly straightforward for an English speaker.

Badan does mean body, and in many contexts it overlaps with tubuh.

However, there can be a slight difference in feel:

• badan is very common in everyday use
• tubuh can sound a little more formal or anatomical in some contexts

In this sentence, badan sounds natural and ordinary. You could also encounter melindungi tubuh, which would also mean protect the body.

A simple learner-friendly pronunciation guide would be:

• perisai ≈ peh-ree-sigh
• itu ≈ ee-too
• melindungi ≈ meh-lin-doong-ee
• badan ≈ bah-dan

A few helpful points:

• Malay pronunciation is usually quite regular.
• Each vowel is usually pronounced clearly.
• ng in melindungi is like the ng in sing.

In standard Malay, melindungi badan is the more appropriate form here.

That is because melindungi is the normal transitive form when you are saying that something protects a direct object.

So a learner should treat this as the correct pattern:

• X melindungi Y = X protects Y

Malay often leaves possession unstated when it is obvious or not important.

So badan here just means body / the body. English may sometimes prefer:

• the body
• your body
• his body
• the body of the wearer

But Malay does not have to specify that unless the speaker wants to.

If needed, Malay could be more specific, for example:

• badannya = his/her body or the body in context
• badan anda = your body

Usually, perisai refers to a physical shield or something shield-like, especially in literal contexts.

But like shield in English, it can also be used more figuratively in some contexts, such as protection from danger, criticism, or harm.

In this sentence, though, the most natural reading is literal: a shield protecting the body.

Yes, if the meaning changes to this shield.

Compare:

• Perisai ini melindungi badan. = This shield protects the body.
• Perisai itu melindungi badan. = That shield / The shield protects the body.

So the choice between ini and itu depends on whether the thing is being presented as this or that from the speaker’s point of view.