Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kadang-kadang angin malam bertiup pelan, kadang-kadang sangat kencang, jadi kami membawa jaket untuk berjaga-jaga. - Sometimes the night wind blows gently, sometimes very hard, so we bring a jacket just in case.

The adverb kadang-kadang means “sometimes.” In Indonesian, frequency adverbs are often formed by reduplication (repeating the root). The single form kadang exists but is less commonly used; kadang-kadang is the standard way to express “sometimes.”

What does angin malam mean, and why is the modifier placed after the noun?

angin malam means “night wind.” Indonesian typically follows a noun–modifier order (head first, then descriptor). So you say angin (wind) and then malam (night) to specify that it’s the wind that comes at night.

What’s the difference between pelan and lambat?

Both can translate as “slow(ly),” but pelan often describes a gentle, quiet, or soft manner (e.g., berbicara pelan = “speak softly”). lambat focuses on lack of speed or slowness in time (e.g., jalan lambat = “walk slowly”). Here, pelan emphasizes that the wind blows lightly or gently.

What does the verb bertiup mean, and why does it have the prefix ber-?

bertiup means “to blow” (as in wind). The prefix ber- marks an intransitive verb indicating that the subject performs that action or possesses that state. In this case, angin (wind) “blows.”

Why is sangat placed before kencang, and could you also say kencang sekali?

sangat is the standard intensifier meaning “very,” so sangat kencang = “very strong/fast.” You can also say kencang sekali, where sekali (“once/very”) follows the adjective to convey the same intensity.

What is the function of jadi in this sentence?

jadi here is a conjunction meaning “so” or “therefore.” It links the description of how the wind behaves to the result or conclusion: they brought jackets.

Why use membawa jaket instead of memakai jaket?

membawa means “to bring” or “to carry,” indicating they took jackets with them for later use. memakai means “to wear,” which describes the act of putting the jacket on, not just bringing it.

What does untuk berjaga-jaga mean?

untuk introduces purpose (“in order to”). berjaga-jaga comes from jaga (“guard/attend”) with the prefix ber- and reduplication to mean “to stay alert” or “to take precautions.” So untuk berjaga-jaga = “to be prepared” or “just in case.”