Breakdown of Kami menikmati liburan musim hujan di pulau kecil itu.
sebuah
a
itu
that
kami
we
kecil
small
di
on
musim hujan
the rainy season
pulau
the island
menikmati
to enjoy
liburan
the holiday
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Questions & Answers about Kami menikmati liburan musim hujan di pulau kecil itu.
What does kami mean, and how is it different from kita?
Kami means we or us, but it’s exclusive—it excludes the listener. Kita also means we, but it’s inclusive—it includes the person you’re speaking to.
So when you say Kami menikmati liburan…, you’re saying “We (not you) enjoyed the vacation.”
What is the function of the prefix meN- in menikmati?
The prefix meN- (plus the suffix -i) turns the root nikmat (pleasant, enjoyable) into a transitive verb menikmati, meaning to enjoy. Note how meN- assimilates: the t in nikmat becomes n, giving menikmati.
How is the phrase liburan musim hujan constructed, and why isn’t there an article like the?
- liburan = vacation/holiday (root libur
- suffix -an)
- musim hujan = rainy season (musim = season, hujan = rain)
Indonesian doesn’t have articles (a/the), so you just place nouns together. Liburan musim hujan literally reads “vacation of rainy season.”
Can I say liburan di musim hujan instead of liburan musim hujan, and what’s the difference?
Yes. liburan di musim hujan means “vacation in the rainy season,” with di explicitly marking “in.” Omitting di (liburan musim hujan) creates a compound noun and sounds more concise and natural.
What does di indicate in di pulau kecil itu?
The preposition di marks location. Here, di pulau kecil itu = on/at that small island (di + place = at/in/on the place).
Why is itu placed after pulau kecil, and can it ever go before?
itu is a post-nominal demonstrative, so it follows the noun phrase: pulau kecil itu = that small island. You might hear itu pulau kecil in casual replies to “Which island?”, but the neutral, standard order is noun + descriptors + itu.
Why don’t pulau or musim hujan get plural markers?
Indonesian nouns aren’t inflected for number. Context tells you plural vs. singular. If you need to stress “many,” you can add words like beberapa (some), banyak (many), or use reduplication: pulau-pulau kecil.
Could I substitute kami with kita in this sentence, and what would change?
Yes. Kita menikmati liburan… would mean “We (including you) enjoyed the vacation.”
Using kami makes it “We (excluding you) enjoyed the vacation,” so pick based on whether you’re including your listener.