Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya gampang lapar di pagi hari.

gampang literally means “easy,” but in colloquial Indonesian it’s often used to mean “easily” or “quick to.” Grammatically, it behaves like an adjective that modifies your tendency to do something. In gampang lapar, gampang modifies the adjective lapar (‘hungry’) to express “becoming hungry easily.”

How would you translate gampang lapar both word-for-word and as a natural English sentence?

• Word-for-word: easy hungry (“easy [to be] hungry”)
• Natural English: “get hungry easily,” or “I’m quick to get hungry.”

So Saya gampang lapar = “I get hungry easily.”

Is there a difference between gampang lapar, mudah lapar, and cepat lapar?

All three can convey “get hungry easily/quickly,” but with slight nuances:

gampang lapar – very common in conversation; casual register.
mudah lapar – slightly more neutral/formal than gampang, but still everyday language.
cepat lapar – focuses on speed (“get hungry fast”), also neutral.

You can choose based on style: gampang is most colloquial, mudah or cepat are fine in writing or more formal speech.

Is gampang considered informal or colloquial? Can I use it in formal writing?

gampang is informal and very common in spoken Indonesian. In formal writing or speeches, you’d prefer mudah. For example:
• Informal: Saya gampang lapar.
• Formal: Saya mudah lapar.

What part of speech is lapar here? Why isn’t it a verb?

lapar is an adjective meaning “hungry.” Indonesian does not use a separate “to be” verb (like am/is) when linking a subject to an adjective. You simply say Saya lapar for “I am hungry.” When you add gampang, the adjective lapar remains the descriptive core.

Why do we say di pagi hari instead of just pagi?

In Indonesian, to specify a time of day with a preposition you usually say di + time + hari.
• di pagi hari – “in the morning”
Although you can use pagi alone as an adverb (“morning”):
• Pagi saya makan nasi. (“In the morning I eat rice.”)
Adding di ... hari is more neutral and clearly marks it as a time phrase.

Can I omit hari and just say di pagi or say pagi saya lapar?

• di pagi by itself is incomplete—native speakers don’t say that.
• You can say Pagi saya gampang lapar, dropping di and hari, but it’s less common and feels clipped.
• Instead, either use di pagi hari or simply pagi at the sentence start:
◦ Di pagi hari, saya gampang lapar.
◦ Pagi, saya gampang lapar.

Where else can I place di pagi hari in the sentence? Can it go at the beginning?

Yes. Indonesian word order is flexible for time expressions. Compare:
• End position: Saya gampang lapar di pagi hari.
• Fronted: Di pagi hari, saya gampang lapar.
Both are correct; moving it to the front can add emphasis to the time.

Why is there no “to be” verb like am in Saya lapar?

Indonesian omits the copula “to be” when linking subjects and adjectives. You simply place the adjective after the subject.
• Saya lapar = “I am hungry.”
If you added adalah (“is/are”), it would be overly formal or even awkward in this context.

Why is saya used instead of aku? What’s the nuance?

Both saya and aku mean “I,” but:

saya – polite, formal or neutral register; used with strangers, in the workplace, or when you want to be respectful.
aku – informal, intimate; used with close friends, family, or in casual settings.

Choose saya for a neutral tone or aku for a more familiar tone.