Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Pegawai perpustakaan menutup pintu perpustakaan sebelum pulang. - The library staff closes the library door before going home.

Indonesian does not use articles such as the or a. Nouns stand on their own, and context (or additional words) tells you whether something is definite or indefinite.

Why does perpustakaan appear twice in the sentence?

The first perpustakaan modifies pegawai, giving library employee. The second modifies pintu, giving library door. In Indonesian, you put the head noun first (pegawai, pintu) and then the modifier (perpustakaan) without any connecting word.

What does pegawai mean, and how is it formed?

Pegawai means employee. It’s formed by adding the agentive prefix pe- and suffix -i to a root (here gawai, an older word for “task”), creating a noun for someone who performs that task. Other examples: penulis (writer), penerjemah (translator).

How does menutup form from tutup, and why is the prefix men- used instead of me-?

The base verb is tutup (to close). Indonesian uses the verbal prefix me- to make active transitive verbs, but that prefix changes (“assimilates”) depending on the first consonant of the root:

Roots starting with t → prefix becomes men-: me- + tutup → menutup
(For reference: c → menc–, p → mem–, k → meng–, etc.)

Why is there no preposition like of before pintu perpustakaan?

Indonesian indicates possession or association by simply placing the head noun first (pintu) and the modifier second (perpustakaan). No preposition is needed: pintu perpustakaan literally reads “door library,” i.e. library door.

What does sebelum pulang mean, and is pulang transitive?

Sebelum means before, and pulang is an intransitive verb meaning to go home/return. So sebelum pulang translates as before (going) home. There’s no object because you’re simply talking about the action of returning.

Why is there no pronoun like he or she in the sentence?

Subject pronouns (e.g. dia, ia) are optional when the subject is already explicit. Here, pegawai perpustakaan is clearly the subject, so you don’t need a separate pronoun.

What is the word order in this sentence?

It follows the standard Indonesian SVO pattern plus a time clause:

Subject: Pegawai perpustakaan
Verb: menutup
Object: pintu perpustakaan
Time clause: sebelum pulang

What’s the difference between menutup and tutup here?

Menutup is the correct active transitive form (to close something) in a neutral or formal statement.
Tutup can be used informally or as an imperative (e.g. “Close the door!”). For narrative or descriptive sentences, use menutup.

Can sebelum pulang be placed at the beginning of the sentence?

Yes. Indonesian allows movable time clauses. You can say:
Sebelum pulang, pegawai perpustakaan menutup pintu perpustakaan.