Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Dana bantuan pemerintah membantu membangun peron baru di stasiun kecil. - Government aid funds help build a new platform at the small station.

Dana = “fund(s)”
Bantuan = “assistance”
Pemerintah = “government”
So word-for-word it’s “funds assistance government.” In natural English we’d say “government aid funds.” Notice in Indonesian the modifier follows the noun, so bantuan pemerintah = “government assistance,” and dana (“funds”) sits in front.

Why are there two words, bantuan and membantu, that look like they come from the same root?

They do share the root bantu (“help”). Indonesian uses affixes to change a root’s part of speech:

bantu (root) + -an → bantuan (noun “assistance”)
bantu (root) + mem- → membantu (verb “to help”)
So although they look similar, bantuan is a noun and membantu is the verb “help.”

How does the prefix mem- work in words like membantu and membangun?

The prefix mem- marks an active, transitive verb. It often assimilates (changes form) depending on the initial consonant of the root:

membantu: mem- + bantu (b stays b) → membantu
membangun: mem- + bangun (b stays b) → membangun
If the root starts with p, t, k, etc., you’ll see other changes (e.g. mem-
- pakai → memakai, men-
  - tulis → menulis, meng-
    - kirim → mengirim).

Why is there no word for “to” or “for” between membantu and membangun?

Indonesian doesn’t use an infinitive marker like English “to.” You can directly chain verbs:
membantu membangun = “helps build” (or “helps [to] build”).
There’s no need for untuk here. It’s understood that membantu takes membangun peron as its object.

What does peron mean, and why is it spelled that way?

Peron is a loanword from Dutch perron and means “railway platform.” Indonesian often adopts technical or colonial-era words with minimal spelling changes, so you’ll see peron at train stations.

Why doesn’t Indonesian use articles like “a” or “the” in peron baru?

Indonesian has no definite or indefinite articles. peron baru can mean “a new platform,” “the new platform,” or simply “new platform,” depending on context. You add words like sebuah (“a certain”) or itu/nya (“that/the”) if you need to specify.

Why is stasiun kecil not plural? How would you say “small stations”?

Here stasiun kecil is singular: “at a small station.” To pluralize, Indonesian usually either repeats the noun or adds a quantifier:

stasiun-stasiun kecil = “small stations” (literally “stations-stations small”)
beberapa stasiun kecil = “several small stations.”
There’s no -s plural marker like in English.