Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Hadiah itu berwarna hijau dan merah.

berwarna is a stative verb meaning to be colored or to have the color. It’s formed by adding the prefix ber- to the noun warna (color). In Indonesian, ber- often turns a noun into a verb that describes a state of being.

Why is itu placed after hadiah, and what does it do?

The word itu is a demonstrative pronoun meaning that (and functions like the in English when you want to specify a noun). Placed after hadiah (gift), hadiah itu means that gift or the gift.

Can I omit itu or replace it with ini, and what changes?

Yes. Omitting itu—Hadiah berwarna hijau dan merah—is still understandable but less specific. Replacing it with ini gives Hadiah ini berwarna hijau dan merah, meaning this gift is green and red, which points to something near the speaker.

Why don’t we use an English article like a or the before hadiah?

Indonesian does not use articles like a or the. Specificity is often implied by context or added with words like itu (that/the) and ini (this).

Can I say Hadiah itu hijau dan merah without berwarna?

Yes. Hadiah itu hijau dan merah directly applies the adjectives hijau and merah to the noun. It’s perfectly natural in casual speech, though berwarna is more explicit when talking about color.

What part of speech are hijau and merah, and why do they follow berwarna?

hijau and merah are adjectives (they describe colors). In Indonesian, adjectives generally follow the verb or noun they modify—in this case, they follow the verb berwarna.

Can I swap hijau dan merah to merah dan hijau, and does the meaning change?

Yes. Hadiah itu berwarna merah dan hijau is equally correct. Changing the order only shifts which color you mention first; the overall meaning remains that the gift is both green and red.

How do you ask “What color is the gift?” in Indonesian?

You can say:

Hadiah itu berwarna apa?
Warna hadiah itu apa?
Both translate to “What color is that gift?”.