Saya membantu ibu menyiapkan sarapan.

I help my mother prepare breakfast.

Breakdown of Saya membantu ibu menyiapkan sarapan.

• sebuah: a
• saya: I
• sarapan: the breakfast
• menyiapkan: to prepare
• ibu: the mother
• membantu: to help

Questions & Answers about Saya membantu ibu menyiapkan sarapan.

How is the sentence structured in terms of subject, verb, and object?

The sentence follows a clear structure: Subject + Main Verb + Object + Secondary Verb Phrase. “Saya” is the subject (“I”), “membantu” is the main verb (“help”), “ibu” is the object (implicitly “my mother”), and “menyiapkan sarapan” is the secondary verb phrase meaning “prepare breakfast.” This mirrors the English pattern “I help my mother prepare breakfast.”

Why isn’t a possessive pronoun used before “ibu” to explicitly say “my mother”?

In Indonesian, it is common to omit possessive pronouns with close family members when the context makes the relationship clear. The word “ibu” naturally implies “mother” in a familial sense, so an explicit possessive (like “saya ibu”) isn’t needed.

What role do the prefixes in “membantu” and “menyiapkan” play?

Both verbs use active verb prefixes that are typical in Indonesian. The prefix “mem-” in “membantu” is attached to the root “bantu” (help), and “men-” in “menyiapkan” is attached to the root “siap” (ready) to form a causative verb meaning “to prepare.” These prefixes help to indicate that the actions are transitive and performed actively by the subject.

How does Indonesian express the idea of “helping someone do something” compared to English?

Indonesian uses a similar construction to English for expressions like “help someone do something.” The sentence places the person who is being helped immediately after the helping verb, followed by the verb describing the action they are assisted with. Thus, “Saya membantu ibu menyiapkan sarapan” directly corresponds to the English “I help my mother prepare breakfast.”

Since Indonesian verbs don’t change form for tense, how do we know when the action is taking place?

Indonesian verbs remain in the same form regardless of tense. The timing of the action is understood from context or by adding time markers (such as “sudah” for past or “akan” for future). In this sentence, no additional marker is present, so it is typically interpreted as a general or habitual present action.