Penyanyi itu sangat popular.

That singer is very popular.

Breakdown of Penyanyi itu sangat popular.

• adalah: to be
• itu: that
• sangat: very
• penyanyi: the singer
• popular: popular

Questions & Answers about Penyanyi itu sangat popular.

Where is the word “is” in this sentence? Why doesn’t Malay use it?

Malay often doesn’t use a separate verb like “is / am / are” when linking a noun and an adjective.

In Penyanyi itu sangat popular:

• penyanyi itu = that / the singer
• sangat popular = very popular

Malay simply puts the parts together without a linking verb:

• Penyanyi itu sangat popular = That/The singer is very popular.

A linking word like adalah can sometimes be used, but not in this kind of simple noun + adjective sentence in everyday speech.
You would not normally say Penyanyi itu adalah sangat popular in standard modern Malay; it sounds awkward or too bookish.

What exactly does itu mean here? Does it mean “that” or “the”?

Literally, itu means that (as a demonstrative, like “that one”).

In real usage, itu often works like “that” or a kind of definite “the”, referring to something known in context:

• Penyanyi itu
  
  • can be that singer (physically there or previously mentioned), or
  • can function like the singer (the one we both know about).

Malay doesn’t have a separate word that only means “the”, so itu often covers that role in context.

Why is it penyanyi itu and not itu penyanyi?

Word order changes the meaning:

• penyanyi itu

  • noun + itu after it
  • means that singer / the singer (demonstrative after the noun)

• itu penyanyi

  • itu before the noun
  • usually means that is a singer (a whole clause: itu = “that”, penyanyi = “a singer”)

So:

• Penyanyi itu sangat popular.
  = That/The singer is very popular.

• Itu penyanyi.
  = That is a singer. (just identifying what “that” is)

Is penyanyi singular or plural? How would I say “The singers are very popular”?

On its own, penyanyi is number-neutral; it can mean singer or singers depending on context.

Penyanyi itu sangat popular could be:

• That/the singer is very popular.
  or, in the right context,
• Those/the singers are very popular.

If you want to make the plural idea clear, you can say:

• Para penyanyi itu sangat popular.
  = Those / the singers are very popular. (more formal)
• Penyanyi-penyanyi itu sangat popular.
  = The singers are very popular. (reduplication = explicit plural)

In everyday speech, many people still just say penyanyi itu and let context show whether it’s one or more.

Does penyanyi come from a verb? What is its structure?

Yes. Penyanyi is derived from the verb nyanyi (to sing).

Morphology:

• nyanyi = sing
• peN- + nyanyi → penyanyi = singer (the person who sings)

The prefix peN- often turns a verb into a person noun:

• ajar (to teach) → pengajar (teacher / instructor)
• tulis (to write) → penulis (writer)
• nyanyi (to sing) → penyanyi (singer)

Can I omit itu and just say Penyanyi sangat popular?

You can say Penyanyi sangat popular, but the nuance changes slightly.

• Penyanyi itu sangat popular.
  = That singer / the (specific) singer is very popular.
  (Refers to a particular singer already known in the context.)

• Penyanyi sangat popular.
  = Singers are very popular. / A singer is very popular.
  (More general or vague; could sound like you’re talking about singers as a group or profession rather than one specific person.)

In most real situations where you mean one particular person, you’d keep itu (or ini, “this”).

Is sangat just “very”? How strong is it compared to other words?

Sangat is the standard word for “very”:

• sangat popular = very popular

In strength and formality:

• sangat – neutral, common in speech and writing.
• amat – often a bit more formal or literary; also means very.
• terlalu – usually too (excessive), e.g. terlalu popular = too popular.

So:

• Penyanyi itu sangat popular. = That singer is very popular.
• Penyanyi itu terlalu popular. = That singer is too popular. (implies “more than is good/normal”)

Where does sangat go in the sentence? Can I say popular sangat?

In standard Malay, sangat goes before the adjective:

• sangat popular ✅
• popular sangat ❌ (non‑standard / very colloquial)

So the natural standard order is:

• Penyanyi itu sangat popular.

In casual speech, especially in some dialects, you might hear popular sangat, but if you’re learning standard Malay, keep sangat before the adjective.

Is popular borrowed from English? Are there other Malay words I could use?

Yes, popular is a loanword from English, and it’s very common and natural in Malay.

Other options:

• terkenal = well-known, famous
  
  • Penyanyi itu sangat terkenal. = That singer is very famous.
• masyhur = famous, renowned (more formal/old-fashioned)
• glamor / glamor (often spelt glamour or glamor in Malay usage) = glamorous, widely known in showbiz contexts

In everyday modern Malay, popular and terkenal are the most common.

How do I say “This singer is very popular” instead?

Use ini (“this”) instead of itu (“that”):

• Penyanyi ini sangat popular.
  • = This singer is very popular.

Pattern:

• Noun + itu → that / the [noun]
• Noun + ini → this [noun]

How do I pronounce penyanyi and sangat?

Approximate pronunciation (using English-like spelling):

• penyanyi: puh-NYAH-nee

  • Syllables: pe-nyan-yi
  • The ny is like the ny in “canyon” or ñ in Spanish “señor”.

• sangat: SUNG-uht (more exactly SAHN-gaht)

  • Syllables: sang-at
  • Final t is usually released clearly.

In IPA (for precision):

• penyanyi = /pəˈɲaɲi/
• sangat = /ˈsaŋat/

If I want to say “That singer was very popular” (past tense), do I change the verb?

No verb change is needed; Malay doesn’t change word forms for tense.

You keep the same structure and add a time word if needed:

• Dulu, penyanyi itu sangat popular.
  = In the past / before, that singer was very popular.
• Pada tahun 1990-an, penyanyi itu sangat popular.
  = In the 1990s, that singer was very popular.

The sentence Penyanyi itu sangat popular by itself can mean is/was depending on context.