Semak kemajuan itu.

Yes. In Semak kemajuan itu, semak is being used as an imperative, so the sentence is a command or instruction.

Malay often makes commands by using the base verb on its own, without a subject. So this is understood as:

• Check the progress
• Review that progress

The subject you is not stated, but it is understood.

Because Malay commonly leaves out the subject when giving commands.

In English, we usually also omit you in imperatives:

• Check the progress.
• not usually You check the progress.

Malay works similarly here. So Semak kemajuan itu naturally means Check that/the progress without needing a separate word for you.

Kemajuan is a noun meaning progress, advancement, or development depending on context.

It is formed from the root maju, which means to advance, forward, or progress. The pattern ke-...-an often turns a root into an abstract noun.

So:

• maju = advanced / to move forward
• kemajuan = progress / advancement

This is a very common Malay word formation pattern.

Itu is a demonstrative word. It often means that, but in many contexts it can also work like the, especially when referring to something already known in the conversation.

So kemajuan itu can mean:

• that progress
• the progress

The exact best translation depends on context.

Because Malay demonstratives usually come after the noun they describe.

So Malay says:

• kemajuan itu = that/the progress

not:

• itu kemajuan for this meaning

This is different from English, where that comes before the noun. This noun + demonstrative order is very normal in Malay:

• buku itu = that book
• rumah itu = that house
• kemajuan itu = that progress

Malay does not use articles the same way English does. There is no direct equivalent that must always be included for a or the.

That means kemajuan by itself could mean:

• progress
• the progress
• sometimes even some progress, depending on context

When Malay adds itu, it often makes the noun more definite, like that or the in English. So kemajuan itu sounds more specific than just kemajuan.

By itself, Semak kemajuan itu is a straightforward instruction. It is not rude by default, but it is fairly direct.

If you want to make it more polite, you can add words such as:

• Sila semak kemajuan itu. = Please check the progress.
• Tolong semak kemajuan itu. = Please help check the progress.

So the original sentence is fine for instructions, reminders, labels, or workplace communication, but sila can make it sound more polite and formal.

Yes. Semak usually means check, review, or verify, especially by looking something over carefully.

Some possible alternatives are:

• periksa = inspect, examine, check
• cek = check, more colloquial and influenced by English
• tinjau = review, survey, assess

The nuance changes a little:

• semak often suggests checking something against details or status
• periksa can sound more like examining or inspecting
• cek is casual and common in speech
• tinjau can sound more formal or analytical

So semak is a very natural choice for progress.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

• semak → seh-mak
• kemajuan → kuh-mah-joo-ahn
• itu → ee-too

A rough full pronunciation:

seh-mak kuh-mah-joo-ahn ee-too

A few helpful notes:

• e in semak and ke- is often a weak uh/eh sound
• j in kemajuan sounds like the j in jam
• Malay pronunciation is usually quite consistent and phonetic compared with English

Yes. That is very common in translation from Malay to English.

Malay itu literally points to something like that, but in many natural contexts English will translate it as the instead, because that sounds more normal.

So depending on context:

• Semak kemajuan itu could be Check that progress
• or more naturally Check the progress

This is one of those places where Malay and English do not match word-for-word perfectly.