Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kami menginap dua malam di pulau kecil yang indah. - We stay two nights on a beautiful small island.

menginap means “to stay (overnight)” or “to lodge.” It’s built from the root inap (stay) with the active prefix meN-. Even though it takes a location phrase (e.g., menginap di hotel), the verb itself is intransitive—it doesn’t take a direct object, just an adjunct of place.

Why is the duration dua malam placed directly after menginap without a preposition like for or selama?

In Indonesian, you often express duration by putting the time expression right after the verb. So menginap dua malam literally is “stay two nights.” You can add selama (“for”) if you want to emphasize duration—menginap selama dua malam—but it’s not required.

Why doesn’t pulau have a plural marker, and how do you show number in Indonesian nouns?

Indonesian nouns are not marked for plural the way English nouns are. The same form covers singular and plural. When you need a specific number you simply use a numeral + noun (e.g., dua pulau = “two islands”). If you want an indefinite plural sense you can reduplicate (e.g., pulau-pulau), but it’s not needed when you already have dua.

What is the function of yang in pulau kecil yang indah?

yang is a relative‐clause marker. It links pulau kecil (“small island”) to the description indah (“beautiful”). So pulau kecil yang indah = “the small island that is beautiful.” You can think of yang as “that/which” in English.

Why does kecil come right after pulau, but indah comes after yang? Could you swap them?

In Indonesian, simple adjectives (size, color, etc.) follow the noun directly: pulau kecil (“small island”). For a full descriptive clause you need yang + adjective: yang indah. You cannot say pulau indah kecil or pulau yang indah kecil. If you want two adjectives without a full clause, you can join them with dan: pulau kecil dan indah (though that sounds slightly emphatic).

Why is the preposition di attached only once before pulau? Does it cover the whole phrase?

Yes. di is the locative preposition “in/on/at.” When you say di pulau kecil yang indah, di applies to the entire noun phrase pulau kecil yang indah. You don’t repeat di for each adjective or clause inside that phrase.

What’s the difference between kami and kita, and why is kami used here?

Both mean “we,” but:

kami excludes the listener (“we but not you”).
kita includes the listener (“we including you”).
Since the speaker presumably wasn’t including the person they’re talking to in the stay, they use kami.

Could I say menginap selama dua malam instead of menginap dua malam? If so, is there any change in meaning?

Yes. menginap selama dua malam is equally correct and often used. Adding selama simply emphasizes “for the duration of two nights,” but the core meaning remains “stay for two nights.”