Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Penjual-penjual di pasar malam membuat kerajinan sederhana dari bambu untuk anak-anak. - The sellers at the night market make simple bamboo handicrafts for the children.

In Indonesian, repeating a noun (reduplication) shows plurality or a variety of items/people. The hyphen (penjual-penjual) makes it clear you’re doubling the full word penjual (“seller”), so it means “(many) sellers.” Without reduplication, penjual could be singular or generic.

Could you just write penjual penjual without hyphens?

Yes, in informal writing you might see penjual penjual. However, the hyphens are standard to avoid confusion (so you don’t read it as two separate words by accident).

What role does the prefix meN- play in membuat?

meN- is an active-verb prefix in Indonesian. It attaches to the root buat (“make/create”) to form membuat, meaning “to make” or “to create.” The prefix shows that the subject performs the action.

How is word order organized in kerajinan sederhana? Why doesn’t it say sederhana kerajinan?

In Indonesian, adjectives typically follow the noun they modify. Here kerajinan (“craft”) comes first, then sederhana (“simple”), so kerajinan sederhana means “simple crafts.” Reversing them (sederhana kerajinan) would sound unnatural.

What does pasar malam mean, and how is it different from makan malam?

Pasar malam literally translates as “night market”—pasar (“market”) + malam (“night”). By contrast, makan malam is “eat dinner” or “dinner”—makan (“eat”) + malam (“night”). So malam can modify different words depending on context.

What does the preposition di imply in di pasar malam?

di marks location. di pasar malam means “at the night market.” In Indonesian, the preposition goes before the place noun.

Why is untuk anak-anak used, and could you use another preposition?

untuk means “for,” indicating purpose or intended recipients. So untuk anak-anak means “for the children.” You wouldn’t use dari (“from”) or ke (“to”) here, because you’re specifying the beneficiaries of the crafts.