Kebanyakan penjual membuka lapak mereka sebelum matahari terbenam.

Most sellers open their stalls before the sun sets.

Breakdown of Kebanyakan penjual membuka lapak mereka sebelum matahari terbenam.

• sebelum: before
• matahari: the sun
• terbenam: to set
• kebanyakan: most
• penjual: the seller
• membuka: to open
• lapak: the stall
• mereka: their

Questions & Answers about Kebanyakan penjual membuka lapak mereka sebelum matahari terbenam.

What does Kebanyakan mean here, and how is it different from Banyak?

Kebanyakan means most or the majority of, indicating more than half of a group.
Banyak means many or a lot of, without implying a majority.

• Kebanyakan penjual = most sellers
• Banyak penjual = many sellers (could be 10 out of 100, not necessarily over 50)

What is the function of the prefix mem- in membuka, and what is the root verb?

The root verb is buka = open.
The prefix me- (realized as mem- before b-) turns it into an active transitive verb.
So membuka = to open (something).

What does lapak mean, and can it be replaced with another word?

Lapak means stall, stand, or booth at an open-air market.
You could also say:

• kios (small permanent shop)
• warung (small eatery or convenience stall)
• tenda (tent)
  Each has its own nuance, but lapak specifically evokes a market stall setup.

Why is mereka used after lapak, and what does it indicate?

Mereka is the third-person plural pronoun their. In Indonesian, possessive pronouns follow the noun:

• lapak mereka = their stalls

Can you omit mereka? What changes if you do?

Yes, you can say Kebanyakan penjual membuka lapak sebelum matahari terbenam.
Omitting mereka still gives the general idea that sellers open stalls. Adding mereka simply clarifies that it’s their own stalls.

What does sebelum mean, and how does it function here?

Sebelum means before. It’s a conjunction/preposition introducing a time clause:

• sebelum matahari terbenam = before the sun sets

Why is matahari terbenam used, and not matahari jatuh or matahari tenggelam?

Matahari terbenam is the standard phrase for sunset.

• Tenggelam can also work (matahari tenggelam), but terbenam is more frequent.
• Jatuh means fall, so it’s not used for describing sunset.

What is the typical word order in this sentence?

It follows Subject-Verb-Object plus a time phrase:

1. Kebanyakan penjual (Subject)
2. membuka (Verb)
3. lapak mereka (Object)
4. sebelum matahari terbenam (Adverbial time clause)

Could you move the time clause to the front? How would that look?

Yes. You can say:
Sebelum matahari terbenam, kebanyakan penjual membuka lapak mereka.
This fronting emphasizes the time frame but keeps the same meaning.