Breakdown of Beberapa turis mengatakan pemandangan gunung itu sangat menarik.
itu
that
sangat
very
beberapa
several
turis
the tourist
mengatakan
to say
pemandangan gunung
the mountain scenery
menarik
interesting
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Questions & Answers about Beberapa turis mengatakan pemandangan gunung itu sangat menarik.
What does Beberapa mean in this sentence?
Beberapa is an indefinite quantifier meaning “some” or “a few.” It precedes a countable noun to indicate an unspecified small number.
Why is turis not marked for plural?
Indonesian nouns don’t change form to indicate plural. A quantifier like beberapa or context tells you it’s plural, so turis stays the same whether singular or plural.
What does mengatakan mean, and why does it have me- and -kan?
The root is kata (“say”). Adding the active prefix me- and the suffix -kan makes mengatakan, a transitive verb “to say (something).” The -kan allows it to take a direct object (what is said).
What’s the difference between mengatakan and berkata?
Mengatakan is transitive—it must have an object (e.g. mengatakan pemandangan…). Berkata is intransitive; you can use it alone or follow it with bahwa (that) or a direct quote (e.g. dia berkata, “Halo!”).
Why is bahwa (that) omitted after mengatakan?
In Indonesian, bahwa is optional in reported speech. You can include it (mengatakan bahwa pemandangan…) but many speakers omit it, as in this sentence.
How is “of the mountain” expressed in pemandangan gunung itu?
Indonesian uses noun juxtaposition instead of a preposition: pemandangan (view) + gunung (mountain) = “mountain view.” The word itu (“that”) follows the noun it modifies.
What’s the difference between pemandangan gunung itu and pemandangan dari gunung itu?
Pemandangan gunung itu means “the view of that mountain” (the mountain’s scenery). Pemandangan dari gunung itu means “the view from that mountain” (what you see when standing on it).
Why does itu follow gunung, and can you add yang?
The demonstrative itu (“that”) typically follows the noun: gunung itu. You could say gunung yang itu, but it’s more formal and often redundant; most speakers just say gunung itu.
Can you break down the word order of the sentence?
Yes. Indonesian is usually Subject–Verb–Object–Complement. Here it is:
• Subject: Beberapa turis
• Verb: mengatakan
• Object: pemandangan gunung itu
• Complement (predicate adjective): sangat menarik
What does sangat menarik mean, and how do Indonesian intensifiers work?
Sangat means “very” and comes before an adjective; menarik means “interesting.” Together, sangat menarik = “very interesting.” Other common intensifiers:
- -sekali (neutral) goes after the adjective: menarik sekali
- -banget (colloquial) goes after: menarik banget
You can even mix them (sangat menarik sekali), though one intensifier is usually enough.