Breakdown of Kicau burung itu membuat saya gampang tertidur.
itu
that
membuat
to make
saya
me
kicau burung
the birdsong
tertidur
to fall asleep
gampang
easily
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Questions & Answers about Kicau burung itu membuat saya gampang tertidur.
What is the literal meaning of kicau burung itu?
In this phrase, kicau is a noun meaning “chirping,” burung means “bird,” and itu is a demonstrative meaning “that” or “the.” So kicau burung itu = “the chirping of that bird.”
Why is membuat used here instead of menyebabkan?
Both membuat and menyebabkan translate as “to cause.”
- membuat
- object + verb/adjective is more colloquial and commonly used.
- menyebabkan is more formal.
Thus membuat saya gampang tertidur (“makes me fall asleep easily”) feels more natural in everyday speech.
What is the structure of gampang tertidur?
This is an adjectival phrase:
- gampang = “easy” (colloquial)
- ter- prefix + tidur = tertidur, meaning “to fall asleep” or “to be asleep”
So gampang tertidur literally means “easy to fall asleep.”
Could I replace gampang with mudah?
Yes. mudah tertidur is equally correct and slightly more formal. gampang is simply more colloquial.
Why is the pronoun saya included? Can it be omitted?
saya (“I/me”) clarifies who is affected. Indonesian often omits pronouns if context is clear:
- Without pronoun: Kicau burung itu membuat gampang tertidur.
- With pronoun: Kicau burung itu membuat saya gampang tertidur.
Both are correct; including saya adds precision.
How would you express the same idea using karena (“because”)?
You can rephrase the sentence as:
Saya gampang tertidur karena kicau burung itu.
This shifts from a causative verb (membuat) to a conjunction (karena), but the meaning remains the same.
What function does the prefix ter- serve in tertidur?
The prefix ter- can indicate:
- An involuntary or accidental action
- A resulting state or passive form
In tertidur, it conveys “to fall asleep” (i.e., one becomes asleep without deliberate action).
Is the word order flexible in this sentence?
With membuat, the standard order is:
subject + membuat + object + adjective/verb phrase.
To change the order, you’d typically replace membuat with karena or another conjunction.
Could I use a true passive like Saya dibuat tertidur oleh kicau burung itu?
Grammatically yes, but it sounds formal and awkward. Native speakers prefer the active causative:
Kicau burung itu membuat saya gampang tertidur.