Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Indonesian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Saya makan dulu sebelum belajar.
What does saya mean here?
Saya is the Indonesian first-person singular pronoun equivalent to I in English. It’s considered neutral to polite in most contexts.
Can I use aku instead of saya?
Yes. Aku is the informal counterpart of saya, used in casual conversations among friends or family. In formal or respectful situations, stick with saya.
What is the role of dulu in this sentence?
Dulu is an adverb meaning first or beforehand. It indicates that the action of eating happens prior to the next action (learning).
Why is dulu placed after makan and not at the beginning?
In Indonesian, adverbs like dulu typically follow the verb they modify (Verb + adverb). So makan dulu literally means “eat first.”
What does sebelum mean and how is it used here?
Sebelum is a subordinating conjunction meaning before. It links two clauses and shows that the action in the first clause precedes the action in the second clause.
Why isn’t there an explicit past or future tense marker in this sentence?
Indonesian verbs are not conjugated for tense. Temporal relations are shown through time adverbs (like dulu, nanti) or context. Here, dulu and sebelum establish the sequence of events.
Can I rearrange the order, for example Sebelum belajar, saya makan dulu?
Yes. Indonesian allows flexible word order for adverbial clauses. Both
“Saya makan dulu sebelum belajar.”
and
“Sebelum belajar, saya makan dulu.”
are perfectly natural.
Why don’t we use untuk before belajar (e.g., untuk belajar)?
When you use sebelum as a conjunction, it directly takes a verb phrase, so you don’t need untuk (which would add a “for” meaning).
Can I omit saya in spoken Indonesian?
Absolutely. If the subject is clear from context, Indonesians often drop it:
Makan dulu sebelum belajar.