Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kami memesan empat puluh kue manis untuk pesta. - We ordered forty sweet cakes for the party.

kami means we (excluding the listener), while kita means we (including the listener). By using kami, the speaker shows that the person addressed was not part of the ordering group.

How is memesan formed and what does it mean?

memesan is the verb “to order” or “to reserve.” It’s created by adding the prefix me- to the root pesan. Because pesan begins with p, the consonant assimilates to m, giving memesan.

How do you say “forty” in Indonesian?

You place the digit word before puluh (tens). So empat (4) + puluh (tens) = empat puluh (40). The same pattern applies to dua puluh (20), tiga puluh (30), etc.

Why is it empat puluh kue manis and not kue manis empat puluh?

Numerals in Indonesian precede the noun they quantify. You always say “[number] + [noun] + [modifier]”, so it’s empat puluh kue manis (forty sweet cakes).

Why is it kue manis and not manis kue?

Adjectives follow nouns in Indonesian. kue means cake and manis means sweet, so kue manis literally “cake sweet” = “sweet cake.”

Do you need a word like buah with kue when counting?

No, classifiers aren’t required for countable nouns. empat puluh kue manis is perfectly natural. If you want, you can add buah (an optional classifier) — empat puluh buah kue manis — but it’s not mandatory.

Why is untuk pesta used instead of di pesta?

untuk indicates purpose or benefit (“for the party”), whereas di pesta would mark location (“at the party”). Since the cakes are ordered for that event, untuk pesta is correct.

Can you drop kami in this sentence?

Yes. Indonesian often omits subjects when context is clear. Memesan empat puluh kue manis untuk pesta still makes sense, though adding kami clarifies who’s doing the ordering.