Cahaya lampu itu terang.

The lamp’s light is bright.

Breakdown of Cahaya lampu itu terang.

• adalah: to be
• itu: that
• terang: bright
• lampu: the lamp
• cahaya: the light

Questions & Answers about Cahaya lampu itu terang.

What does each word in Cahaya lampu itu terang mean?

• cahaya = light (the radiance or glow)
• lampu = lamp or light bulb
• itu = that (a demonstrative, marking something definite or previously mentioned)
• terang = bright (stative word meaning “to be bright”)

Why say cahaya lampu instead of just lampu?

• lampu by itself names the physical object (the lamp or bulb).
• cahaya lampu specifically refers to the light emitted by the lamp.
• Using cahaya emphasizes the beam or illumination rather than the device.

What role does itu play, and is it mandatory?

• itu is a post-nominal demonstrative (“that”).
• It adds definiteness: “the lamp’s light” becomes “that lamp’s light.”
• It isn’t always required—dropping it (“Cahaya lampu terang”) still makes sense but is less specific.

Why is terang placed after the noun, unlike English where “bright” goes before?

• Malay typically follows the pattern Noun + Adjective (or stative verb).
• Adjectives/stative verbs come after the noun they describe.
• In English we say “bright light,” but in Malay it’s literally “light bright.”

Is terang an adjective or a verb in Malay?

• In Malay there is no strict adjective category; many qualities are expressed by stative verbs.
• terang behaves like a stative verb meaning “to be bright.”
• You can negate it with tidak (e.g., Cahaya lampu itu tidak terang).

How do you form the negative of this sentence?

• Insert tidak before the stative verb:
  “Cahaya lampu itu tidak terang.”
• Alternatively, use an antonym like malap (“dim”):
  “Cahaya lampu itu malap.”

How can you turn this statement into a question?

1) Using kan as a question tag:
“Cahaya lampu itu terang, kan?”
2) With Adakah for a yes/no question:
“Adakah cahaya lampu itu terang?”

Are there synonyms or related words for terang?

• cerah – often used for weather or colors (“bright, clear”)
• bercahaya – luminous, glowing (more formal/literary)
• Antonym: malap (dim), gelap (dark)

How do you express plurality for lampu in Malay?

• Malay usually marks plurality by context or numerals, e.g., dua lampu = two lamps.
• Reduplication can be used informally/emphatically: lampu-lampu = lamps (more than one).