Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya pakai sepeda baru ke kantor setiap pagi. - I use a new bicycle to go to the office every morning.

pakai literally means “to use” and also “to wear,” and it applies to clothing, tools, devices, even vehicles. In everyday Indonesian, you’ll hear phrases like pakai motor, pakai mobil, or pakai sepeda to mean “ride/take a motorcycle, car, or bicycle.” Context makes it clear you’re riding the bike, not wearing it.

Could I use naik sepeda or mengendarai sepeda instead? What’s the difference?

Yes, all three work—differences are mostly in nuance and formality:

naik sepeda (“ride a bicycle”) is very common and neutral.
mengendarai sepeda is more formal, literally “to drive/ride a vehicle.”
pakai sepeda is colloquial, emphasizing “use.”
They all communicate the same basic idea.

Why doesn’t the sentence say sepeda baru saya to indicate “my new bike”?

In Indonesian, if ownership is clear from context, the possessive pronoun can be dropped. Here, since saya (“I”) is doing the using, it’s understood that it’s your bike. If you want to be explicit, you can say sepeda baru saya, but it isn’t mandatory.

Where do the destination and time phrases go? Can I move ke kantor or setiap pagi around?

The neutral word order is:
Subject + Verb + Object + Destination + Time
→ Saya pakai sepeda baru ke kantor setiap pagi.
You can front the time for emphasis:
→ Setiap pagi saya pakai sepeda baru ke kantor.
Or even start with the destination in casual speech, though it’s less common. Time markers often go at the beginning or end; destination phrases usually follow the object.

How do you express past or future actions? Why is there no tense marker on pakai?

Indonesian verbs don’t change form for tense. You add time indicators or auxiliaries:

Past: use sudah, kemarin, etc.
→ Kemarin saya pakai sepeda baru ke kantor. (“Yesterday I rode my new bike…”)
Future: use akan, besok, etc.
→ Besok saya akan pakai sepeda baru. (“Tomorrow I will ride my new bike.”)
Here, setiap pagi signals a habitual (present) action.

What’s the difference between setiap pagi and pagi-pagi?

setiap pagi = “every morning” (habitual).
pagi-pagi = “early in the morning,” often implying “right when the morning starts.”
Example: Saya sudah sampai kantor pagi-pagi. (“I already arrived at the office early in the morning.”)

Can you omit saya? And are there different forms of “I” in Indonesian?

Yes, Indonesian often drops the subject when it’s clear:
→ Pakai sepeda baru ke kantor setiap pagi. (in casual talk)
Pronoun choices for “I”:

Saya: polite/neutral
Aku: informal
Slang/regional: gue, beta, etc.
Pick based on formality and who you’re speaking to.

If I want to say “with my bike,” can I use dengan sepeda baru instead?

Absolutely. dengan (“with”) marks the means or instrument:
→ Saya ke kantor setiap pagi dengan sepeda baru.
This is perfectly natural and emphasizes the mode of transport almost like English.