Pengadil itu tegas.

Pengadil means judge, referee, or umpire, depending on the context.

In everyday Malay, pengadil often refers to someone who makes decisions in a competition, game, or dispute. The exact English word depends on the situation:

• in sports: referee or umpire
• in a formal decision-making setting: judge

It comes from the root adil, which is related to fair or just.

Itu literally means that, but in sentences like this it can also function a lot like the in English.

So pengadil itu can mean:

• that referee/judge
• the referee/judge

Malay does not have a direct equivalent of English the and a/an, so words like itu and ini often help make a noun more specific.

In Malay, demonstratives such as ini (this) and itu (that) usually come after the noun.

So:

• pengadil itu = that/the referee
• buku itu = that/the book
• rumah ini = this house

This is different from English, where this and that normally come before the noun.

Malay often leaves out the verb to be in simple sentences like this.

So instead of saying something like The referee is strict, Malay simply says:

• Pengadil itu tegas

This is completely normal. In nominal and adjectival sentences, Malay usually does not need a separate word for is/am/are.

Yes. Tegas is an adjective meaning firm, strict, decisive, or authoritative, depending on context.

In this sentence, it describes pengadil:

• Pengadil itu tegas = The/That referee is strict/firm

Malay adjectives can often stand directly after the noun phrase as the predicate, without needing a verb like is.

It can mean either one, depending on context.

Because itu can act both as:

• a true demonstrative: that referee
• a marker making the noun definite: the referee

So in real use, the listener figures it out from the situation. If you are talking about a specific referee already known in the conversation, the referee may be the best translation. If you are pointing one out, that referee may fit better.

Yes. Tegas is broader than just strict.

Depending on context, it can mean:

• firm
• decisive
• clear and firm
• authoritative
• strict

So Pengadil itu tegas could suggest that the referee is not only strict, but also confident and firm in making decisions.

Yes, you can.

Pengadil itu seorang yang tegas means something like:

• That referee is a firm/strict person
• The referee is someone who is firm

This version is longer and slightly more descriptive.
But Pengadil itu tegas is simpler, more direct, and very natural.

If you say Pengadil ini tegas, it means:

• This referee is strict

So:

• pengadil itu = that/the referee
• pengadil ini = this referee

Both ini and itu usually come after the noun in Malay.

A simple approximate pronunciation is:

puh-ngah-dil ee-too tuh-gahs

A few tips:

• ng in pengadil sounds like the ng in sing
• g in tegas is a hard g, like in go
• Malay pronunciation is generally quite regular, and each vowel is usually pronounced clearly

A rough syllable breakdown:

• pe-nga-dil
• i-tu
• te-gas

Yes, Pengadil itu tegas is the normal and natural word order.

It follows this pattern:

• noun phrase
  • adjective
• Pengadil itu
  • tegas

This is the standard way to say The/That referee is strict in Malay.
Changing the order would usually sound unnatural, marked, or poetic.