Saya mau belanja di supermarket pagi ini.

I want to shop at the supermarket this morning.

Breakdown of Saya mau belanja di supermarket pagi ini.

• saya: I
• di: at
• mau: want
• belanja: to shop
• supermarket: the supermarket
• pagi ini: this morning

Questions & Answers about Saya mau belanja di supermarket pagi ini.

What does mau mean in this sentence?

mau is a modal verb that expresses desire or intention. It usually translates as “want to” or “going to.” In “Saya mau belanja…,” it means “I want to shop” or “I’m going to shop.”

Why is the verb belanja used here?

belanja is the Indonesian verb for “to shop.” Unlike English, Indonesian verbs do not conjugate for tense, so belanja stays the same whether it’s past, present, or future, and you rely on context or time words (like pagi ini) to clarify timing.

Could I say Saya mau berbelanja instead of belanja? What’s the difference?

Yes, Saya mau berbelanja… is also correct. Both belanja and berbelanja mean “to shop.”

• belanja is more colloquial and stripped-down.
• berbelanja uses the ber- prefix, making it look more like a “formal” intransitive verb.
  The meaning remains the same.

Why is there di before supermarket?

di is the preposition for location, equivalent to English “at” or “in.” You need it to show where the action takes place:

• belanja di supermarket → “shop at the supermarket.”

Why isn’t there an article like “the” before supermarket?

Indonesian has no definite or indefinite articles (no “the,” “a,” or “an”). Nouns stand alone; context or demonstratives (e.g., ini, itu) clarify specificity if needed.

What’s pagi ini and why is it placed at the end?

pagi ini means “this morning.” Time expressions in Indonesian are very flexible: you can put them at the beginning or end of a sentence. Ending with pagi ini is common in casual speech:

• “Saya mau belanja di supermarket pagi ini.”
  You could also say:
• “Pagi ini saya mau belanja di supermarket.”

What’s the difference between mau and akan?

Both can mark the future, but:

• mau = “want to” or near-future intention (“I’m about to…”).
• akan = simple future marker (“I will…”).
  Example:
• Saya mau pergi sekarang → I want to go now / I’m about to go now.
• Saya akan pergi besok → I will go tomorrow.

Is saya required? Can I use aku or omit it?

saya is the formal, polite first-person pronoun. Alternatives:

• aku = informal, everyday speech.
• Omit the pronoun if context is clear: “Mau belanja di supermarket pagi ini” is perfectly natural in casual conversation.

Can I use ingin instead of mau?

Yes. ingin also means “to want,” but it’s generally more formal or literary than mau.

• Saya ingin belanja di supermarket pagi ini feels a bit more polite or written.