Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Adik saya belajar di kebun ketika matahari terbenam. - My younger sibling studies in the garden at sunset.

Adik means “younger sibling” and saya means “I” or “my.” Indonesian uses the pattern Noun + Possessor, so Adik saya literally is “sibling of mine,” i.e. “my younger sibling.” For an older sibling you’d say Kakak saya.

Why aren’t there any words for “a” or “the” before kebun? How do I know if it’s “a garden” or “the garden”?

Indonesian doesn’t use articles like “a” or “the.” Context tells you whether di kebun means “in a garden” or “in the garden.” If you need to specify, you can add demonstratives (e.g. di kebun itu = “in that garden”) or quantifiers.

How can I tell whether belajar is present, past, or future tense?

Verbs in Indonesian don’t change form to mark tense. You rely on time words or context: here ketika matahari terbenam (“when the sun sets”) tells you when it happens. To emphasize the ongoing action you can insert sedang before the verb: Adik saya sedang belajar… (“My younger sibling is studying…”).

What is di in di kebun? How do I know it’s not the passive prefix?

As a separate word before a noun, di is a preposition meaning “in/at/on.” When di- is attached directly to a verb (no space), it marks passive voice (e.g. dilihat, “is seen”). Here it stands alone, so di kebun simply means “in the garden.”

What’s the difference between ketika, saat, and waktu when they mean “when”?

All can introduce a time clause:

Ketika is more formal or written.
Saat is common in speech and writing.
Waktu is literally “time” and can be used as waktu matahari terbenam, though it’s less typical.
In casual talk people also say pas matahari terbenam (“just as the sun sets”).

What does matahari terbenam literally mean? Can I just use senja?

Matahari = “sun”; terbenam is “is/gets sunk” (passive/resultative of benam, “to sink”). Together they mean “the sun sets.” Senja means “twilight” or “dusk”—the period of fading light—rather than the action of the sun setting. You could say waktu senja, but it’s not exactly the same as the moment matahari terbenam.

Is it okay to start the sentence with the time clause, like Ketika matahari terbenam, adik saya belajar di kebun?

Yes. Indonesian is flexible: you can place the time expression at the beginning or end. Both versions sound natural.

What role does the prefix ter- play in terbenam?

The prefix ter- often marks a passive, accidental, or resultant state. In terbenam, it indicates that the sun has “become sunk” (i.e. has set). Without ter-, benam is transitive (“to immerse” something).