Breakdown of Ukuran pakaian ini terlalu besar untuk adik saya.
ini
this
adalah
to be
untuk
for
terlalu
too
besar
big
adik
the younger sibling
ukuran pakaian
the clothing size
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Questions & Answers about Ukuran pakaian ini terlalu besar untuk adik saya.
What does Ukuran mean in this sentence?
Ukuran is a noun meaning size. It refers to how big or small something is.
What does pakaian mean, and is it a general term?
Pakaian is a noun meaning clothing, clothes, or garment. It’s a general term for anything you wear. For a shirt specifically you can say baju, and for pants celana.
Why is ini placed after pakaian rather than before it?
In Indonesian the demonstrative ini (“this”) typically follows the noun it modifies. So pakaian ini literally means “this clothing.” If you put ini before a noun (e.g. ini pakaian saya), it functions as a standalone pronoun: “This is my clothing.”
How does Indonesian express “the size of this clothing” without using “of”?
Indonesian uses a noun-modifier pattern: Head Noun + Modifier. Here, ukuran (head noun) is followed by pakaian ini (modifier), so ukuran pakaian ini literally is “size clothing this,” i.e. “the size of this clothing.”
What does terlalu mean, and how is it used with adjectives?
Terlalu is an adverb meaning “too” (excessively). It always precedes an adjective:
- terlalu besar = too big
- terlalu kecil = too small
Why does the adjective besar come after terlalu, and can adjectives follow nouns in Indonesian?
Yes. The pattern for “too + adjective” is terlalu + adjective (e.g. terlalu panjang, terlalu mahal). Independently, adjectives in Indonesian usually follow the nouns they describe:
- rumah besar = big house
- anak pintar = smart child
What does untuk adik saya mean?
Untuk is a preposition meaning “for” (denoting purpose or suitability). Adik saya means “my younger sibling.” So untuk adik saya = “for my younger sibling.”
Why is it adik saya and not saya adik, and could you use a suffix instead?
- Word order: Indonesian uses possessed noun + possessor, so adik saya (“younger sibling my”) is correct.
- You can also attach the possessive suffix -ku to get adikku (“my younger sibling”). Then the phrase becomes untuk adikku with the same meaning.
Could I replace pakaian with baju in this sentence?
Yes. Baju is more colloquial for “shirt” or “top.” You can say:
- Ukuran baju ini terlalu besar untuk adik saya
It carries exactly the same meaning.
How would I ask “What size is this clothing?” in Indonesian?
You have two common options:
- Berapa ukuran pakaian ini?
- Ukuran pakaian ini berapa?
Both translate as “What is the size of this clothing?”.