Makhluk itu kecil.

That creature is small.

Breakdown of Makhluk itu kecil.

• itu: that
• kecil: small
• makhluk: a creature

Questions & Answers about Makhluk itu kecil.

What does makhluk mean exactly?

Makhluk means creature, being, or living being. It is a fairly broad word, so it can refer to a person, an animal, a supernatural being, or a living thing in general, depending on context.

So Makhluk itu kecil is literally something like That creature is small or The creature is small.

Why does itu come after makhluk instead of before it?

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

So:

• makhluk itu = that creature / the creature
• rumah itu = that house
• buku ini = this book

This is normal Malay word order.

Does itu mean that or the here?

It most literally means that, but in many sentences it can also feel like the in English.

So makhluk itu can be understood as:

• that creature
• the creature

Which one sounds best in English depends on context. Malay does not have a direct article system like English a / an / the, so words like itu often help show that the noun is specific.

Why is there no word for is?