Breakdown of Biasanya, pintu rumah kami ditutup rapat saat malam hari untuk keamanan.
rumah
the house
malam hari
the night
untuk
for
biasanya
usually
pintu
the door
tutup
to close
rapat
tight
saat
when
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Questions & Answers about Biasanya, pintu rumah kami ditutup rapat saat malam hari untuk keamanan.
What does the word biasanya mean, and why is it placed at the beginning of the sentence?
Biasanya means “usually” and it sets the habitual context for the entire sentence. Placing it at the beginning indicates that it is common practice for the door to be closed tightly at night for security reasons.
How is possession expressed in the phrase pintu rumah kami?
In Indonesian, possession is shown by placing the possessed noun first followed by the possessor. Here, pintu means “door” and rumah kami means “our house,” so together they specify “the door of our house” or “our house door.”
Why is the passive form ditutup used instead of an active verb form in this sentence?
The passive form ditutup (from the verb tutup, “to close”) emphasizes the state of the door—the fact that it is closed—while not specifying who closes it. This is common in Indonesian when the doer of the action is either unknown, unimportant, or implied by context.
What role does the adjective rapat play in the phrase ditutup rapat?
The word rapat means “tightly” or “securely” and it modifies the verb ditutup. It emphasizes that the door isn’t just closed, but closed in a very secure manner to ensure safety.
How does the term saat malam hari function in the sentence, and why is it used instead of a simpler term for “night”?
Saat malam hari literally translates as “at night” (or “when it is night”). The inclusion of hari (day) helps clarify that it is specifically the nighttime period. Using saat emphasizes the timing of the action, anchoring it to a particular part of the day.
What is the purpose of the phrase untuk keamanan at the end of the sentence?
Untuk keamanan means “for security.” This phrase explains the reason behind closing the door tightly—it indicates that the action is taken to ensure safety or prevent unwanted intrusions during the night.
How could you rewrite this sentence in the active voice, and what would be the implication of that change?
You might rewrite it as: Biasanya, kami menutup rapat pintu rumah saat malam hari untuk keamanan. This active construction—using kami menutup (“we close”)—shifts the focus to the people performing the action (the homeowners), rather than emphasizing the state of the door itself as in the passive construction.