Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Pakaian basah dijemur di halaman belakang setiap sore. - Wet clothes are dried in the backyard every afternoon.

In Indonesian, you add the prefix di- to a verb to form the passive voice, meaning “is/are …-ed.” So dijemur translates to “is dried,” showing that the clothes receive the action rather than performing it.

I see two dis in dijemur di halaman belakang. Are they the same?

They look identical but serve different roles:

The first di- is a verb prefix marking passive voice.
The second di is a preposition meaning “in” or “at,” specifying location.

Why is it pakaian basah and not basah pakaian?

In Indonesian, adjectives usually follow the nouns they modify. So you say pakaian basah (“clothes wet”) rather than flipping the order.

Where else could I place setiap sore in the sentence?

Time expressions like setiap sore can appear at the beginning or end without changing meaning:

Setiap sore pakaian basah dijemur di halaman belakang.
Pakaian basah dijemur di halaman belakang setiap sore.

Can I add who dries the clothes?

Yes. Introduce the agent with oleh (“by”):

Pakaian basah dijemur oleh Ibu di halaman belakang setiap sore.

Why aren’t there words for “the” or “a” in this sentence?

Indonesian does not use definite or indefinite articles like “the” or “a.” Nouns stand alone, and context tells you if they’re specific or general.

What’s the difference between setiap sore, setiap petang, and setiap malam?

Sore: late afternoon (roughly 3–6 p.m.)
Petang: early evening/dusk
Malam: night
Choose based on when the action actually takes place.

How would I express this sentence in the active voice?

Switch to an active verb form and add a subject (doer):

Setiap sore Ibu menjemur pakaian basah di halaman belakang.
Here, menjemur is active (“to dry”) and Ibu is the one doing it.