Bangunan itu sangat tinggi.

That building is very tall.

Breakdown of Bangunan itu sangat tinggi.

• itu: that
• sangat: very
• tinggi: tall
• bangunan: the building

Questions & Answers about Bangunan itu sangat tinggi.

Why is there no word for is in this sentence?

In Malay, you often do not need a verb like is when describing something.

So:

Bangunan itu sangat tinggi
literally follows the pattern:

building + that + very + tall/high

This is a completely normal Malay sentence. In everyday Malay, adjective predicates usually do not need a copula.

So English needs is, but Malay does not.

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Why does itu come after bangunan instead of before it?

Because in Malay, demonstratives like ini and itu usually come after the noun.

• bangunan itu = that building / the building
• bangunan ini = this building

This is the normal Malay word order.

So English says that building, but Malay says building that.

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Does itu mean that or the here?

Literally, itu means that.
But in real sentences, it often also makes the noun feel definite, so English may translate it as either:

• that building
• the building

Which English version sounds best depends on context.

So in this sentence, bangunan itu could be understood as a specific building already known in the conversation.

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