Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya simpan dompet di kantong tas saya. - I keep my wallet in the pocket of my bag.

In standard Indonesian grammar, the active form of the verb “to store/keep” is menyimpan. However, in everyday speech and even in neutral written style, it’s common to drop the meN- prefix and use the bare root for simple present or habitual actions. So both of these are correct and nearly interchangeable:

Saya menyimpan dompet... (more “textbook”/formal)
Saya simpan dompet... (everyday/colloquial)

The meaning doesn’t change—you’re simply using the unprefixed verb.

How do you show past or future time if the verb form never changes?

Indonesian verbs do not inflect for tense. Instead you add time markers or adverbs:

For past actions use sudah (already) or time words like kemarin (yesterday).
Example: Saya sudah simpan dompet di kantong tas saya.
For future actions use akan (will) or a time word.
Example: Saya akan simpan dompet di kantong tas saya besok.

Without these markers, the sentence simply states the action in a neutral time frame.

What function does the little word di have before kantong tas saya?

di is the locative preposition meaning “in/at/on.” In di kantong tas saya, it tells you where the wallet is placed. You can think of it as “in the pocket of my bag.” If you omit di, you’d lose the sense of location.

Why is there a second saya at the end of the sentence?

The first saya is the subject pronoun (“I”). The second saya is a possessive pronoun modifying tas (“my bag”). In Indonesian, possession is shown by putting the owner after the noun:

tas saya = “my bag”
buku kamu = “your book”

So the sentence literally reads: “I keep the wallet in the pocket of my bag.”

Could you say tasku instead of tas saya?

Yes. -ku is a possessive suffix meaning “my.” So tasku = “my bag.” The choice is stylistic:

tas saya (free pronoun) is a bit more formal or neutral.
tasku (suffix) is more colloquial and concise.

Both mean exactly the same thing and are widely understood.

What’s the difference between kantong and saku?

Both words can mean “pocket,” but they’re used in different contexts:

saku refers to pockets in clothing (shirt pocket, pants pocket).
kantong is more general and can mean any small pouch or bag, including pockets inside a bag or even plastic bags.

Since we’re talking about a bag’s internal pouch, kantong tas is more natural than saku tas.

Can you omit the subject saya at the beginning?

Yes. Indonesian often drops the subject pronoun when it’s clear from context. So you can simply say:

Simpan dompet di kantong tas saya.

The listener will still understand that you (or the implied subject) are doing the action.

Why not use ke instead of di (e.g., “simpan dompet ke kantong…” )?

ke marks direction toward a place (“to/toward”), while di marks the location where something is or is placed. With simpan (to put/place), you normally use di to show “in/inside,” not ke. Saying “simpan dompet ke kantong” sounds slightly off because you’re not emphasizing movement toward the pocket but rather the final location inside it.