Saya rasa kereta baru itu cepat.

I feel the new car is fast.

Breakdown of Saya rasa kereta baru itu cepat.

• saya: I
• adalah: to be
• itu: that
• kereta: the car
• baru: new
• cepat: fast
• rasa: to feel

Questions & Answers about Saya rasa kereta baru itu cepat.

What does rasa mean in this sentence?

In this context, rasa acts as the main verb and translates to think (or sometimes feel). The speaker is expressing an opinion about the car.

Why is baru placed after kereta instead of before it as in English?

In Malay, adjectives like baru (new) typically come after the noun they modify. So, kereta baru literally means car new, which is understood as new car in English. This word order is a common feature of Malay grammar.

What is the role of itu in this sentence?

The word itu functions as a demonstrative marker in Malay. It is used to specify or emphasize the noun that comes before it, indicating that you are referring to a particular object—in this case, the new car or that new car.

Is it necessary to include the subject saya in every sentence, or can it be omitted?

While Malay often allows the subject to be dropped when the context is clear, including saya (I) here explicitly shows who is expressing the opinion. In casual conversation, if the context is obvious, the subject might be omitted, but including it adds clarity.

Does Malay follow a fixed subject-verb-object order like English?

Generally, Malay sentences follow a subject-verb-object structure, as seen in Saya rasa kereta baru itu cepat. Here, Saya is the subject, rasa is the verb, and kereta baru itu serves as the object (with additional descriptive elements). However, Malay word order can be flexible, especially in informal contexts or when emphasizing certain parts of a sentence.