Learn Hardcore Malay: Bangku kosong itu selesa untuk berehat. - That empty bench is comfortable for resting.

If you say itu bangku kosong, it is still understandable, but it sounds more like you are pointing and identifying: “that is an empty bench” (often needing extra context, e.g. Itu bangku kosong. as a full sentence).

In short:

bangku kosong itu = a noun phrase: “that empty bench”.
itu bangku kosong = typically a full sentence: “that (thing) is an empty bench.”

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

itu is a demonstrative that usually means “that” (farther from the speaker), as opposed to ini = “this” (near the speaker).

However, Malay often uses ini/itu in a way that overlaps with English “the” or “this/that” depending on context. In this sentence:

bangku kosong itu = “that empty bench” or “the empty bench (over there)”.

So:

It points to a specific, known bench.
It is placed at the end of the noun phrase: bangku kosong itu, not before it like English “that bench”.

What’s the difference between bangku and kerusi?

Both are things you sit on, but they’re different types:

bangku
- Bench or stool.
- Typically long or without a backrest.
- E.g. seats in a park, a simple wooden stool.
kerusi
- Chair.
- Usually for one person, with a backrest.
- E.g. office chair, dining chair.

So bangku kosong itu suggests a bench-like seat (e.g. in a park), not an ordinary chair.

Does kosong only mean “empty”? Can it also mean “available” in this context?

Yes, kosong literally means “empty”, but with seats or benches it naturally implies “unoccupied / available”.

bangku kosong = an empty bench → a bench with no one sitting on it → an available seat.

So in context, bangku kosong itu can be understood as “that empty/available bench”.
In many real-life situations, people use kosong to talk about:

kerusi kosong – an empty (free) chair
bilik kosong – an empty (vacant) room

Why is there no word for “is” before selesa? How do we say “is comfortable” in Malay?

Malay usually does not use a separate verb like “is/are” between the subject and an adjective.

Structure:

[Noun phrase] + [Adjective]
→ works like “[Noun phrase] is [adjective]”.

So:

Bangku kosong itu selesa
= “That empty bench is comfortable.”

selesa is an adjective meaning “comfortable” that functions directly as a predicate.
You don’t say adalah selesa in normal speech here. adalah is used in more formal or specific structures (often linking to nouns, not adjectives).

What does untuk do in selesa untuk berehat? Could we just say selesa berehat?

untuk means “for / to (do something)” and introduces a purpose.

selesa = comfortable
untuk = for / to
berehat = to rest

So selesa untuk berehat = “comfortable for resting” / “comfortable to rest”.

Without untuk, selesa berehat sounds odd or incomplete; Malay normally needs untuk to show that “resting” is the purpose or use.

Patterns like this are common:

baik untuk kesihatan – good for health
tempat yang sesuai untuk belajar – a suitable place to study

What is berehat exactly? Is rehat the base word?

Yes. rehat is the root, and berehat is the derived verb.

rehat = rest (noun-like idea)
Prefix ber-
- rehat → berehat = to rest, to take a rest

So:

Saya mahu berehat. – I want to rest.
Dia sedang berehat. – He/She is resting.

Other related forms:

rehat can appear in fixed phrases like masa rehat (break time) in schools.
merehatkan (with me- prefix) exists but is less common and more formal; used in the sense “to give (someone/something) a rest”:
- merehatkan kaki – to rest your legs.

Does bangku here mean one bench or could it mean many benches?

By itself, bangku is number-neutral. It can mean “bench” or “benches” depending on context.

In this sentence, the presence of itu (that) plus context makes it feel singular:

bangku kosong itu – that (one) empty bench.

To make it clearly plural, you might say:

bangku-bangku kosong itu – those empty benches (reduplication to show plural)
or add a number: tiga bangku kosong – three empty benches.

How is kosong pronounced, especially the ng at the end?

kosong is pronounced roughly as:

ko-song
ng = the “ng” sound in English “sing”, not “finger”.

So:

ko (like co in cola)
song (with the nasal ng at the end)

It is not ko-son; the final consonant is a single [ŋ] sound.

How do we know if this sentence is present, past, or future? There’s no tense marking.

Malay verbs generally do not change form for tense. Berehat stays the same for past, present, and future. Time is expressed with time words or context.

Same sentence structure for all:

Bangku kosong itu selesa untuk berehat.

You add time markers if needed:

Tadi, bangku kosong itu selesa untuk berehat. – Earlier, that empty bench was comfortable for resting.
Nanti, bangku kosong itu akan selesa untuk berehat. – Later, that empty bench will be comfortable for resting.

So the base sentence is time-neutral; the context makes it present, past, or future.