Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Pemeriksaan buku baru di perpustakaan penting bagi murid. - The inspection of new books in the library is important for students.

Pemeriksaan is a noun meaning inspection or checking. It’s derived from the verb memeriksa (“to inspect/check”) by adding the prefix pe- and the suffix -an, a common way to turn verbs into abstract nouns or processes in Indonesian.

Why is there no word for “is” in the sentence?

In Indonesian, the copula is (often rendered as adalah) is frequently omitted in statements that link a subject to a predicate adjective or noun. So Pemeriksaan buku baru di perpustakaan penting bagi murid literally reads “Inspection of new books at the library important for students,” with the idea of “is” understood.

Why does baru come after buku, and how do we know which noun it modifies?

In Indonesian, adjectives typically follow the noun they describe. Because baru directly follows buku, it modifies buku (“new books”). It cannot modify perpustakaan (“library”) because that noun is separated by a prepositional phrase.

What role does di play in di perpustakaan?

The preposition di marks location and translates as “in/at.” So di perpustakaan means “at the library.” It is not a passive marker here but simply indicates where the inspection takes place.

What does bagi murid mean, and why use bagi instead of untuk?

Bagi murid means “for students,” indicating the group that benefits or for whom something is important. While untuk can also mean “for,” bagi often emphasizes the recipient or beneficiary. Penting bagi murid stresses “it matters to students,” whereas penting untuk murid can imply purpose (“important in order for students to…”).

Why aren’t buku and murid marked as plural (e.g. buku-buku, murid-murid)?

Indonesian nouns are unmarked for number by default; context tells you whether they’re singular or plural. Reduplication (e.g. buku-buku) is optional and used when you specifically want to emphasize “many books” or “all the books.” Here, buku baru naturally covers “new books” in general.

How could I rewrite this sentence using an active verb instead of a nominalization?

You can change the noun phrase pemeriksaan into a verb phrase with memeriksa. For example:
Murid perlu memeriksa buku baru di perpustakaan.
This reads “Students need to inspect new books at the library,” shifting the focus onto the students performing the action.