Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Dia suka kopi dan teh.

In Indonesian, dia is a single pronoun that can mean he, she, or even they in certain contexts. The language does not differentiate gender in its third-person pronouns.

When saying kopi and teh, why don’t we use any articles like "a" or "the"?

Indonesian does not use articles in the same way that English does. Nouns typically stand alone without words like "a" or "the." So we simply say kopi (coffee) and teh (tea).

Can suka also mean "love" or is it strictly "like"?

suka generally means "like" in a broad sense. For a stronger meaning of "love," Indonesians often use cinta (as in "Saya cinta dia") or sometimes sayang (for affection). But in casual speech, suka can occasionally convey meanings close to "love."

Is dan always used the same way as "and" in English?

Yes. dan functions like the English conjunction "and," connecting words, phrases, or clauses. It’s one of the most straightforward equivalent words between the two languages.

Do I need to change the form of dia or suka when talking about more than one person?

No. Indonesian verbs and pronouns generally do not change form based on number. Even if referring to multiple people, dia could still be used in the context of "each person," and suka remains the same. However, for a plural pronoun, you might see mereka (they) instead of dia if you need to emphasize that it's multiple people.