Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kami perlu menghemat listrik di rumah.

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?

Di is a preposition meaning “in,” “at,” or “on” when indicating location. Thus, di rumah means “at home.”

Why is di rumah placed at the end of the sentence?

Indonesian typically follows Subject–Predicate–Object–Adverbial order. Here, di rumah is an adverbial phrase of place, so it naturally comes after the verb and its object (menghemat listrik).

Can di rumah be omitted without changing the meaning?

Yes. If it’s clear you’re talking about home use, you can say Kami perlu menghemat listrik. Omitting di rumah still means “We need to save electricity,” but doesn’t specify location.