Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Dia mengambil dompet dari tas di kantor. - He/She takes the wallet from the bag at the office.

Dia is the third-person pronoun meaning “he,” “she,” or even “it.” Indonesian pronouns are not gendered, so context tells you whether dia refers to a male or female (or an object).

What does mengambil mean, and how is it formed?

Mengambil means “to take” or “to pick up.” It’s made by adding the nasal prefix meng- to the root verb ambil (“take”). The prefix attaches directly (no space).

Why is the prefix meng- used instead of men- or mem-?

The nasal prefix adapts to the initial sound of the root:
• Before a vowel, you use meng- (as in ambil).
• Before p or b, it becomes mem-.
• Before t or d, it becomes men-, and so on.
Since ambil begins with a vowel a, the correct form is mengambil.

What does dompet mean?

Dompet means “wallet.” It’s a loanword from Dutch dompét and refers to any small case for money, cards, etc.

Why isn’t there an article like “a” or “the” before dompet?

Indonesian does not use indefinite or definite articles. A noun alone can mean “a/an” or “the” depending on context.

What does dari mean in dari tas?

Dari is a preposition meaning “from” or “out of.” In dari tas, it indicates that the wallet was taken from the bag.

What does di kantor mean, and how is di used here?

Di is the locative preposition “in/at.” Di kantor means “in the office” or “at the office.” It tells you where the action takes place.

How do you tell if di is a preposition or a passive-voice prefix?

– As a preposition, di stands alone and is followed by a noun (di kantor, di rumah).
– As a passive prefix, it attaches directly to a verb with no space (diambil = “was taken,” dilihat = “was seen”).

How can you show possession, like “his bag” or “her wallet”?

Add the possessive suffix -nya to the noun:
• tasnya = “his/her bag”
• dompetnya = “his/her wallet”
Alternatively, you can use tas dia or dompet dia, but -nya is more common.

How do you express past or future tense if the verb never changes?

Indonesian verbs don’t inflect for tense. You add time indicators or auxiliary words:
• Past: Kemarin, dia mengambil dompet… (“Yesterday, he/she took the wallet…”)
• Future: Nanti, dia akan mengambil dompet… (“Later, he/she will take the wallet…”)