Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kereta murah biasanya berangkat dari stasiun lama. - Cheap trains usually depart from the old station.

In Indonesian, adjectives almost always follow the noun they modify. So kereta murah literally is “train cheap,” but we understand it as “cheap train.” Placing murah before (e.g. murah kereta) would sound ungrammatical.

What does kereta mean here? Do I always have to say kereta api for “train”?

Kereta on its own commonly means “train,” especially in everyday speech. Kereta api is the full term (“rail train”), but speakers often drop api. Context tells you it’s a train, not a cart or carriage.

Does kereta murah refer to one cheap train or many cheap trains?

Indonesian doesn’t require a plural marker. Kereta murah can mean “a cheap train,” “cheap trains,” or “the cheap train(s)” depending on context. If you really want to emphasize multiple trains, you could say kereta-kereta murah, but it’s optional.

What does biasanya mean, and why is it used here?

Biasanya is an adverb meaning “usually” or “generally.” It indicates that cheap trains depart from the old station most of the time, not always. It’s derived from the adjective biasa (“ordinary” or “customary”) plus the adverbial suffix -nya.

Can biasanya move around in the sentence?

Yes. Its position is flexible. For example:
• Kereta murah biasanya berangkat... (subject → adverb → verb)
• Biasanya kereta murah berangkat... (adverb → subject → verb)
• Kereta murah berangkat biasanya dari stasiun lama. (less common, but still understandable)

What does berangkat mean, and why does it start with ber-?

Berangkat means “to depart” or “to set off.” The ber- prefix turns the root angkat (“to lift” or “to raise”) into an intransitive verb indicating action or state. Here it specifically refers to a train leaving a station.

What role does dari play in this sentence?

Dari is a preposition meaning “from.” It marks the starting point or origin. So dari stasiun lama is “from the old station.” You cannot drop it—without dari, the phrase would lack a clear preposition.

Why is lama placed after stasiun, and how do I know it means “old” and not “long”?

Like other adjectives, lama follows the noun stasiun: stasiun lama means “old station.” Lama can also mean “long (time),” but because it follows a concrete noun here, Indonesian speakers interpret it as “old.” If you meant “long,” it would usually modify a verb or a duration (e.g., lama tinggal “stay long”).

Could I use stasiun tua instead of stasiun lama, and is Stasiun Lama ever a proper name?

Yes. Tua is another adjective for “old” (age-wise): stasiun tua is perfectly fine.
As for proper names, if there were an official station called Stasiun Lama, both words would be capitalized. In our sentence, the lowercase stasiun lama is descriptive, not a name.