Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Sambungan listrik terputus karena hujan deras. - The electricity connection is cut off because of heavy rain.

sambungan comes from the root sambung (“to join/connect”) plus the suffix -an, meaning “a connection.” listrik means “electricity.” Together, sambungan listrik refers to an electrical connection or power line.

Why is terputus used here? What does the prefix ter- indicate?

The prefix ter- on a verb often marks a passive or involuntary event or state. putus means “to break” or “to cut.” terputus therefore means “becomes broken” or “is cut off,” emphasizing that it happened (often unexpectedly or without a deliberate agent).

Could we use diputus instead of terputus, and what would change in meaning?

diputus is the passive formed with di-, implying an agent who performs the action (e.g. Sambungan listrik diputus oleh petir – “The power line was cut by lightning”). terputus omits the agent and highlights the event or its accidental nature, so it’s more natural when you don’t want to mention who or what did it.

What does karena mean in this sentence, and what part of speech is it?

karena is a subordinating conjunction meaning “because.” It introduces the clause that states the reason for something.

Why is karena hujan deras placed at the end of the sentence? Can it be moved elsewhere?

In Indonesian, adverbial clauses of cause introduced by karena may appear at the beginning or end of a sentence. You could also say Karena hujan deras, sambungan listrik terputus without changing the meaning.

What does hujan deras mean, and why does the adjective deras follow the noun hujan?

hujan means “rain” and deras means “heavy” or “intense.” In Indonesian, descriptive adjectives generally follow the noun they modify (noun + adjective).

Do we need an article like “a” or “the” before sambungan listrik?

No. Indonesian does not use articles such as “a” or “the.” Nouns stand alone, and definiteness is inferred from context or added words like ini (“this”) or itu (“that”) if needed.

Could we say listrik padam instead of sambungan listrik terputus? What’s the difference?

Yes. listrik padam (“the electricity goes out”) is a common, colloquial way to say “the power is out.” sambungan listrik terputus is more formal or technical, literally “the electrical connection has been severed.”