Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya suka lukisan seni modern yang dipajang di lantai dua museum itu. - I like the modern art paintings displayed on the museum’s second floor.

yang is the Indonesian relative pronoun equivalent to that or which in English. It links the noun phrase lukisan seni modern to the verb phrase dipajang di lantai dua museum itu, forming a relative clause: “paintings … that are displayed ….”

Why is the verb dipajang used here instead of pajang?

dipajang is the passive form of pajang (“to display”). The prefix di- marks the passive voice, so dipajang means “are displayed.” In contrast, pajang alone is active (“display”), which would require an explicit subject: e.g. Mereka memajang lukisan … (“They display the paintings …”).

How can you tell the difference between the prefix di- on verbs and the preposition di for location?

They look the same, but:

When di- attaches directly to a verb (no space), it marks passive voice: dipajang.
When di is separate (with a space) and followed by a noun, it’s a preposition meaning in, on, or at: di lantai dua (“on the second floor”).

Could we say lantai kedua instead of lantai dua? What’s the difference?

Yes, lantai kedua also means “the second floor.”

lantai dua is more colloquial and common in everyday speech.
lantai kedua uses an ordinal form (kedua) and can sound a bit more formal or written.

Why is museum followed by itu instead of being pluralized or suffixed?

itu is a demonstrative meaning that. Together, museum itu means that museum. Indonesian does not require a plural suffix on museum here because you’re referring to one specific place. If you wanted to say “the museum,” you could also say museumnya (“its/the museum”), but museum itu is more like “that museum.”

Is it necessary to include seni in lukisan seni modern? Could you just say lukisan modern?

You can say lukisan modern, and it will be understood as “modern paintings.” Adding seni (“art”) makes it more specific—literally “modern art paintings.” In practice, native speakers often shorten it to lukisan modern unless they want to emphasize the art context.

Why isn’t lukisan marked for singular or plural? How do you know if it’s one painting or several?

Indonesian nouns generally do not change form for number. lukisan can mean “painting” or “paintings.” Context tells you whether it’s singular or plural. Here, because suka often expresses preference for something in general, lukisan seni modern is understood in a broad or plural sense.

Why does the sentence use suka instead of menyukai? Do they mean the same thing?

Both suka and menyukai mean “to like,” but:

suka is more colloquial and intransitive: Saya suka X (“I like X”).
menyukai is transitive and slightly more formal: Saya menyukai lukisan seni modern … They’re interchangeable here, but suka is more common in everyday speech.