Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya berlatih menulis cerita pendek setiap malam. - I practice writing short stories every night.

berlatih is an intransitive verb meaning “to practice” or “to train.” It’s formed by adding the prefix ber- to the root latih. In contrast, latihan is a noun meaning “practice” or “exercise.” Since the sentence describes the action of practicing, you need the verb berlatih, not the noun latihan.

Why is there no untuk before menulis when it means “to write”?

In Indonesian, when one verb directly follows another (here berlatih + menulis), the second verb is used without the infinitive marker untuk. So berlatih menulis literally translates as “practice writing,” similar to English gerund usage, without adding for or to.

What is the function of the prefix men- in menulis?

The prefix men- turns the root tulis (“write”) into the active transitive verb menulis (“to write”). It signals that the subject is performing the action. Without the prefix, tulis can be a noun (“writing”) or just the root form.

What does cerita pendek mean, and is there a shorter word?

cerita means “story” and pendek means “short,” so cerita pendek is “short story.” Indonesians often abbreviate it to cerpen (from cerita pendek) in casual speech and writing.

Why is setiap malam used here and not semalam?

setiap malam means “every night,” indicating a repeated or habitual action. In contrast, semalam means “last night” (or in some contexts “one night”). To express a nightly habit, you need setiap malam.

Can I move setiap malam to the beginning of the sentence?

Yes. Indonesian word order is flexible with time expressions. You can say:
Setiap malam, saya berlatih menulis cerita pendek.
This still conveys the same habitual meaning.

How is tense shown in this sentence since berlatih doesn’t change form?

Indonesian verbs do not inflect for tense. Time is indicated through adverbs or context (here setiap malam shows a habitual action). For past events you might add kemarin (“yesterday”), or for the future besok (“tomorrow”).

Can I omit saya and say Berlatih menulis cerita pendek setiap malam?

Yes. In informal contexts or when it’s clear from context, you can drop the subject pronoun. The sentence still implies “I practice writing short stories every night.” Including saya simply makes the subject explicit.

What’s the difference between berlatih and melatih?

berlatih is intransitive “to practice” (the subject practices something themselves). melatih is transitive “to train someone else.”

Saya berlatih menulis = “I practice writing.”
Saya melatih teman saya = “I train my friend.”

Why use saya instead of aku for “I” here?

Both saya and aku mean “I,” but saya is more formal and polite (standard Indonesian), while aku is informal, used among close friends or family. In learning materials and general statements, saya is preferred.