Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Cuaca dingin hari ini, tapi film di bioskop tetap ramai. - The weather is cold today, but the movie at the cinema is still crowded.

Indonesian drops the copula (be-verb) in simple nominal or adjectival predicates. Instead of saying Cuaca adalah dingin or Cuaca is dingin, you just say Cuaca dingin and everyone understands it as “The weather is cold.”

Why does the adjective dingin come after the noun cuaca?

In Indonesian the standard word order is Noun + Adjective (unlike English’s Adjective + Noun). So you say cuaca dingin (“weather cold”) rather than “dingin cuaca.”

Why is the time expression hari ini placed at the end, rather than at the beginning of the sentence?

Time markers in Indonesian are flexible. You can start with Hari ini cuaca dingin or end with Cuaca dingin hari ini. Placing hari ini at the end gives a neutral, conversational tone.

What role does tapi play, and is it any different from tetapi?

tapi is an informal conjunction meaning but. tetapi is the more formal or written equivalent. They both introduce a contrast: “the weather is cold, but the movies are still crowded.”

What does tetap mean here, and how is it different from masih?

tetap means “remains/still” in the sense of “despite something changing.” It stresses continuity despite a condition (“even though it’s cold”).
masih also means “still,” but more neutrally indicates that something continues without that nuance of contrast.

Why are there no articles (like “the” or “a”) or plural markers in film di bioskop?

Indonesian has no definite or indefinite articles and does not obligatorily mark plurals. film can mean “film” or “films” depending on context. If you really need to mark plurality, you can say film-film, but here the context (crowded cinema) makes it clear.

What does ramai mean in film di bioskop tetap ramai?

ramai is an adjective meaning “crowded,” “busy,” or “lively.” So film di bioskop tetap ramai means “the movies at the cinema remain well-attended/crowded.”