Baca tanda itu.

Yes. In Malay, commands often omit the subject, just like English Read that sign omits you.

So Baca tanda itu is a normal imperative sentence, meaning it is giving an instruction or command. The understood subject is you.

Because this is a command.

In Malay, imperatives commonly start with the verb:

• Baca = read
• Tanda itu = that sign / the sign

So the structure is basically:

Verb + object

That is very common in Malay commands.

No, not in the same way English does.

Malay verbs usually do not change form for:

• person
• number
• tense

So baca stays baca whether the meaning is:

• read
• reads
• reading
• will read

Time is usually understood from context or shown with extra words such as:

• sudah = already
• sedang = in the process of
• akan = will

But in a command like Baca tanda itu, plain baca is exactly what you would expect.

Itu is a demonstrative, usually meaning that.

So:

• tanda itu = that sign

In many contexts, though, itu can also feel a bit like the, depending on the situation. So learners may see tanda itu understood as:

• that sign
• sometimes the sign in context

But its core meaning is still that rather than a true English-style article.

Because Malay demonstratives normally come after the noun.

So:

• tanda itu = that sign
• buku ini = this book

This is the opposite of English, where we say:

• that sign
• this book

A useful pattern to remember is:

noun + ini/itu

• ini = this
• itu = that

They are both demonstratives, but they differ in distance:

• ini = this
  usually something near the speaker
• itu = that
  usually something farther away, or less immediate

So:

• Baca tanda ini = Read this sign.
• Baca tanda itu = Read that sign.

In real usage, the difference can also be about what is already known in the conversation, not only physical distance.

Tanda has a fairly broad meaning. It can mean:

• sign
• mark
• symbol
• indication

In Baca tanda itu, it is naturally understood as sign, because that fits well with the verb baca (read).

But in other contexts, tanda might mean something more like:

• a mark on something
• a sign or indication of something

So the exact translation depends on context.

It is grammatical and understandable, but whether it sounds fully natural depends on context.

Malay speakers might also say:

• Baca papan tanda itu = Read that signboard / street sign
• Lihat tanda itu = Look at that sign

Why? Because tanda by itself can be broad, and sometimes a more specific noun is preferred:

• papan tanda = signboard
• tanda amaran = warning sign

Still, Baca tanda itu is a perfectly useful learner sentence for showing how the structure works.

A plain imperative like Baca tanda itu can sound direct. That is fine in some situations, but to be more polite, Malay often adds words such as:

• sila = please
• tolong = please / helpfully, softer request

Examples:

• Sila baca tanda itu. = Please read that sign.
• Tolong baca tanda itu. = Please read that sign.

A very direct bare verb is common, but politeness markers are often useful, especially with strangers or in formal situations.

A simple learner-friendly pronunciation is:

• baca ≈ BA-cha
• tanda ≈ TAHN-da
• itu ≈ EE-too

A few helpful notes:

• c in Malay is pronounced like English ch
• vowels are usually pronounced clearly
• stress is generally not as strong or dramatic as in English

So the whole sentence sounds roughly like:

BA-cha TAHN-da EE-too

Not normally if you are giving a command.

Baca is the basic verb form and is what you usually use for an imperative:

• Baca tanda itu.

Membaca is a marked verb form often used in statements, for example:

• Dia membaca tanda itu. = He/She is reading that sign.

So for a direct instruction, baca is the natural choice.

No. Malay does not have articles that work exactly like English a/an/the.

That means nouns can appear without an article:

• tanda could mean a sign, the sign, or just sign depending on context

When you add itu, you make it more specific:

• tanda itu = that sign, and sometimes effectively the sign in context

So English articles often have to be supplied in translation, even though they are not present as separate words in Malay.