Questions & Answers about Kami perlu menghemat listrik di rumah.
Why is kami used instead of kita?
In Indonesian, kami means “we” excluding the person you’re talking to, whereas kita means “we” including the person you’re talking to. The speaker uses kami when they want to emphasize that the listener is not part of that group.
What’s the difference between perlu and harus?
Both perlu and harus can translate to “need to,” but perlu is milder—more like “it’s necessary to”—while harus is stronger, closer to “must” or “have to.” Here, perlu expresses a general necessity without strict obligation.
What is the root word of menghemat, and what does the prefix meng- do?
The root is hemat, which means “economical” or “to be frugal.” Adding the prefix meng- turns it into a transitive verb menghemat, meaning “to save” (e.g., energy, money).
Why isn’t there an article like “the” before listrik?
Indonesian doesn’t use articles such as “the” or “a.” Nouns stand alone, and context tells you whether they’re definite or indefinite. So listrik simply means “electricity” (with or without “the” depending on context).
What does di in di rumah indicate?