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Breakdown of Tas itu terbuat dari kulit asli.
itu
that
tas
the bag
dari
from
terbuat
to be made
kulit
the leather
asli
genuine
Questions & Answers about Tas itu terbuat dari kulit asli.
What does terbuat mean in this sentence, and how is it used?
terbuat comes from the root verb buat (to make) with the prefix ter-, forming a passive/resultative verb. It describes something that “is made” of a certain material, focusing on the result (the material composition) rather than who made it. You cannot add an agent with oleh when using terbuat.
Why do we use dari before kulit asli instead of another preposition like dengan?
dari indicates material or origin (“from” or “of” a substance). dengan means “with” (accompaniment or means), not composition. To say “made of genuine leather,” we use dari.
What role does itu play in tas itu?
itu is the demonstrative pronoun meaning “that.” Placed after the noun, it specifies “that bag” (as opposed to tas ini, “this bag”).
Why is it kulit asli and not kulit yang asli?
In Indonesian, adjectives can directly follow a noun without yang. So kulit asli (“genuine leather”) is natural. Using yang would form a relative clause: kulit yang asli (“the leather that is genuine”), which is longer and less idiomatic here.
How do you turn this statement into a question in Indonesian?
You can add Apakah at the start:
Apakah tas itu terbuat dari kulit asli?
Or simply use rising intonation:
Tas itu terbuat dari kulit asli?
Can we say tas itu berbahan kulit asli instead?
Yes. berbahan + material is another way to express composition.
Example: Tas itu berbahan kulit asli.
What’s the difference between terbuat and dibuat?
dibuat is the passive form of buat, focusing on the action of making and allowing an agent with oleh (e.g., Tas itu dibuat oleh perajin lokal). terbuat focuses on the resulting material and cannot take an agent phrase.
How do you specify the type of leather using this structure?
You simply add the type before kulit:
Tas itu terbuat dari kulit sapi asli (cowhide leather)
or
Tas itu terbuat dari kulit sintetis (synthetic leather).
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