Saya minum kopi atau teh di pagi hari.

Saya minum kopi atau teh di pagi hari.
I drink coffee or tea in the morning.

Breakdown of Saya minum kopi atau teh di pagi hari.

saya
I
minum
to drink
kopi
the coffee
teh
the tea
di
in
pagi hari
the morning
atau
or
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Indonesian grammar and vocabulary.

Start learning Indonesian now

Questions & Answers about Saya minum kopi atau teh di pagi hari.

What is the literal translation of the sentence, and does it imply a habitual action?
The sentence translates as "I drink coffee or tea in the morning." Even though Indonesian does not use verb conjugations to mark tense, the inclusion of "di pagi hari" (in the morning) implies that this is a regular or habitual action.
What are the functions of the words "saya," "minum," "kopi atau teh," and "di pagi hari" within the sentence?
  • Saya acts as the subject, meaning "I."
  • Minum is the verb, meaning "drink."
  • Kopi atau teh forms the object, with atau linking the two options ("coffee or tea").
  • Di pagi hari is an adverbial phrase that specifies the time of the action, translating to "in the morning."
Why is the verb "minum" not modified for tense or subject agreement?
In Indonesian, verbs like "minum" remain in their base form regardless of the subject or tense. The language relies on context and time markers (such as "di pagi hari") to convey when the action occurs, which simplifies the grammatical structure compared to languages that require verb conjugation.
How should the connector "atau" be interpreted in this sentence? Is it an exclusive choice?
"Atau" means "or" and is used here to present a choice between kopi (coffee) and teh (tea). Typically, in this context atau is understood to offer an exclusive option—implying that you drink either coffee or tea in the morning rather than both.
What role does the preposition "di" play in the phrase "di pagi hari", given that it is also used for indicating locations?
The preposition "di" is versatile in Indonesian. In "di pagi hari," it functions similarly to "in" in English, marking the time of the action rather than a physical location. This usage helps specify when the action takes place (in the morning) without needing additional tense markers.