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?