Jalan di desa itu sempit.

to be

Breakdown of Jalan di desa itu sempit.

• itu: that
• di: in
• jalan: the road

Questions & Answers about Jalan di desa itu sempit.

Why isn't there a verb like is in the Malay sentence?

Malay typically omits a copula. Adjectives can function directly as predicates, so you don’t need a separate is.

Why isn't there an article like the or a before Jalan?

Malay doesn’t use grammatical articles. Definiteness is conveyed by context or by adding a demonstrative (like itu).

What does di indicate in di desa itu?

Di is a preposition meaning in or at, marking the location of the road.

Why is the demonstrative itu placed after desa rather than before?

In Malay, demonstratives always follow the noun they modify. So desa itu literally means that village.

Can I say Jalan desa itu sempit, dropping di? What changes?

Yes, you can. Without di, desa itu becomes a possessive descriptor (“the village’s road”) rather than emphasizing “the road located in that village.”