BrixBloks Grammar Apps

In simple sentences you can think: who + does what + to what. Example: Saya minum kopi. The subject (saya, kamu, dia, kami, kita, kalian, mereka) usually comes first, then the verb, then the object or extra information. Indonesian verbs do not change for person, so you use the same form with all subjects.

Memory tip: If you feel unsure, copy English order: subject + verb + object. Just remember that the Indonesian verb stays the same for all people.

A noun form like buku can mean 'book' or 'books'. To be clear, you can use a number or quantifier: satu buku (one book), dua buku (two books), banyak buku (many books). Sometimes the noun is repeated to show a group: buku-buku, anak-anak. In everyday speech the simple form with a number is very common.

Memory tip: As a beginner, you can usually skip repetition and just use a number or quantifier: tiga teman, banyak orang, beberapa kata.

The noun rumah can mean 'a house' or 'the house' depending on context. To say 'a certain/one', you can use sebuah or satu: sebuah rumah, satu buku. To make something more specific you can add that information after the noun: rumah itu (that house), buku ini (this book). Ini/itu after the noun work a bit like 'this/that' or 'the'.

Memory tip: Relax: you do not need to choose between 'a' and 'the'. Use ini/itu only when you really want to point to something specific.

A simple pattern is: noun + pronoun: buku saya (my book), rumah kamu (your house), mobil dia (his/her car). Another very common pattern is X punya Y: saya punya mobil (I have a car). The ending -nya can mean 'his/her/its/their' or 'that': bukunya, rumahnya. With names, you can put the owner first: rumah Budi (Budi’s house).

Memory tip: For beginners, 'buku saya', 'rumah kamu', 'teman saya' are very safe patterns. Add -nya when you want 'his/her/their': rumahnya, bukunya.

For yes/no questions, keep the statement order and raise your voice: Kamu tinggal di sini? In more formal Indonesian you can add apakah at the start: Apakah kamu tinggal di sini? Wh-questions begin with a question word: apa (what), siapa (who), di mana (where), kapan (when), kenapa/mengapa (why), bagaimana (how), berapa (how many/much). Word order after the question word is usually like a normal sentence.

Memory tip: A handy template is: [question word] + [subject] + [rest]: Di mana kamu bekerja?, Kapan kita bertemu?, Kenapa dia marah?

Use tidak before verbs and adjectives: Saya tidak makan (I am not eating), Dia tidak capek (He/She is not tired). Use bukan to say 'is not / are not' with nouns or whole statements: Dia bukan guru (He/She is not a teacher), Itu bukan rumah saya (That is not my house).

Memory tip: Quick rule: with verbs and adjectives use tidak; when you want to say 'X is not Y', use bukan.

To say 'I am a student', you simply say: Saya mahasiswa. To say 'The house is big', you say: Rumah itu besar. There is no present-tense verb between subject and complement. To talk about existence or location, use ada: Ada buku di meja (There is a book on the table), Toko itu ada di pusat kota (The shop is in the city centre).

Memory tip: If you catch yourself wanting to say 'am/is/are', try leaving it out. Just put the two parts together: Saya [job], Rumah itu [adjective].

Common ones: di (at/in/on), ke (to), dari (from), di depan (in front of), di belakang (behind), di atas (on/above), di bawah (under), di samping (next to). They come before the noun: di rumah, ke sekolah, di atas meja. For existence you often combine di with ada: Ada buku di atas meja.

Memory tip: Learn preposition + noun chunks: di rumah, di kantor, di sekolah, di atas meja, di depan pintu. They are extremely common in everyday talk.

A simple pattern is: noun + adjective: rumah besar (big house), buku baru (new book), orang tua (old person). Adjectives can also stand alone like verbs: Saya lapar (I am hungry), Dia capek (He/She is tired). The adjective form stays the same for singular and plural.

Memory tip: When you learn a new adjective, make one noun pair and one 'I am …' sentence: rumah kecil / Saya kecil, kota ramai / Kota ini ramai.

To talk about a finished action, you can add sudah before the verb: Saya sudah makan (I have eaten / I ate). Time words like tadi (earlier), tadi pagi (this morning), kemarin (yesterday), minggu lalu (last week) also show the past: Kemarin saya pergi ke Jakarta. Often you combine both: Saya sudah pergi kemarin.

Memory tip: Beginner recipe: add sudah + verb + clear time word when you mean the past: Saya sudah belajar tadi malam, Kami sudah sampai kemarin.

Often a time word is enough: Besok saya kerja di rumah (Tomorrow I work from home → I will work from home). You can also add akan before the verb: Saya akan bekerja besok (I will work tomorrow). Both are natural. Other helpful time words: nanti (later), minggu depan (next week), tahun depan (next year).

Memory tip: Keep a simple pattern in mind: [future time word] + saya/kamu/dia + (akan) + verb. Adding akan is optional but very clear for learners.

Use bisa + verb for ability: Saya bisa bicara bahasa Indonesia (I can speak Indonesian). Use harus for obligation: Saya harus bekerja (I must work). Use mau for desire or future intention: Saya mau tidur (I want to sleep / I am going to sleep). The main verb stays in the base form.

Memory tip: Practise three starters: Saya bisa…, Saya harus…, Saya mau…. Then plug in new verbs you learn: makan, belajar, pergi, bekerja.

To compare two things, use lebih (more) before the adjective, then daripada: Rumah ini lebih besar daripada rumah itu (This house is bigger than that one). For 'the most', use paling: kota paling besar (the biggest city), film paling bagus (the best film). For 'as … as' you can use sama … dengan: sama besar dengan.

Memory tip: Keep two patterns ready: lebih + adjective + daripada …, and paling + adjective. With these you can already describe a lot of comparisons.

For direct commands, use the verb: Duduk! (Sit!), Baca ini! (Read this!), Tunggu sebentar! (Wait a moment!). To be more polite, add tolong or silakan: Tolong buka pintunya (Please open the door), Silakan duduk (Please have a seat). To include yourself, use ayo or mari: Ayo pergi!, Mari makan!

Memory tip: Learn a small practical set: Ayo pergi!, Ayo belajar!, Tolong tunggu!, Jangan lupa! These will appear a lot in real conversations.