Saya harus hati-hati di jalan tol.

I must be careful on the toll road.

Breakdown of Saya harus hati-hati di jalan tol.

• saya: I
• di: on
• harus: must
• jalan tol: the toll road
• hati-hati: careful

Questions & Answers about Saya harus hati-hati di jalan tol.

What is the function of harus in this sentence?

harus is a modal verb meaning “must,” “have to,” or “need to.” It expresses obligation or necessity. In Indonesian, modals like harus always come before the predicate (verb, adjective, or verb‐like phrase)—here, hati-hati.

Why is hati-hati repeated? Is it a noun, a verb, or an adjective?

hati-hati is a verb-like or adverbial expression meaning “to be careful.” The repetition (reduplication) intensifies the root hati (“heart,” “attention”) to convey “carefulness.” Many Indonesian words use reduplication to create an adverbial or verbal nuance.

Why doesn’t the sentence use the prefix ber- as in berhati-hati?

Actually, both hati-hati and berhati-hati are correct and interchangeable. ber- is a verbal prefix, but here the bare form hati-hati already conveys the same meaning. Omitting ber- is more colloquial, while adding ber- can sound slightly more formal.

Could I say Saya harus berhati-hati di jalan tol instead? Would it change the meaning?

Yes, you can. Saya harus berhati-hati di jalan tol has the same meaning and only a minor register difference. Some speakers feel berhati-hati sounds a bit more “standard,” but everyday usage accepts both forms.

What does di jalan tol mean? Why is di used and not ke?

di is the preposition for “at” or “on” (location), so di jalan tol means “on the toll road” or “on the highway.” ke would mean “to” (direction), as in ke jalan tol (“toward the toll road”). Since you’re talking about where you need to be careful, you use di.

Why is there no article like “the” or “a” before jalan tol?

Indonesian doesn’t have definite or indefinite articles the way English does. Context tells you whether you’re talking about a specific toll road or toll roads in general. di jalan tol can mean “on the highway,” “on toll roads,” or “on the toll road” depending on context.

Can I switch the word order and say Di jalan tol, saya harus hati-hati? Is that natural?

Yes. Putting di jalan tol at the front (topic‐fronting) is perfectly natural and often used to emphasize location. The core meaning stays the same.

What’s the difference between jalan tol and jalan raya?

jalan tol refers specifically to a toll road or controlled‐access highway where you pay a fee. jalan raya literally means “main road” or “primary street” and usually refers to non‐toll major roads open to all without payment.