Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Perlengkapan foto disimpan di tenda supaya tidak basah oleh embun pagi. - The photography equipment is stored in the tent so it does not get wet from the morning dew.

Indonesian does not use definite or indefinite articles like “the” or “a.” Nouns stand alone, and context or additional words (e.g., itu, sebuah) indicate specificity if needed.

Why is disimpan used instead of menyimpan?

Disimpan is the passive form of simpan (“store”).

menyimpan (active) = “to store (something)”
disimpan (passive) = “(something) is stored”
Here the focus is on the equipment being stored, not who stores it.

Why is the passive voice chosen in this sentence?

Passive voice:

Emphasizes the action on the object (Perlengkapan foto).
Omits or downplays the agent (the person doing the storing).
It’s common when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from context.

What does di tenda mean and why di?

di indicates location (“at,” “in,” “on”).

di tenda = “in the tent”
If you used ke tenda, it would mean movement “to the tent,” not “stored inside.”

What is supaya, and how does it function here?

supaya means “so that” or “in order to.” It introduces a purpose clause explaining why the equipment is stored in the tent:
– supaya tidak basah… = “so that it doesn’t get wet…”

Can I replace supaya with agar?

Yes. agar is a synonym of supaya meaning “so that.”
Example:
– Perlengkapan foto disimpan di tenda agar tidak basah oleh embun pagi.
Both are correct; agar sounds slightly more formal.

Why is it tidak basah instead of something like jangan basah?

– tidak negates adjectives and verbs: tidak basah = “not wet.”
– jangan is used to forbid or advise someone not to do something (“don’t get wet”), and requires an implied subject you’re addressing. Here we’re stating a condition, so tidak is correct.

How does oleh embun pagi work in passive voice?

In passives, oleh marks the agent or cause.
– oleh embun pagi = “by the morning dew” (where “embun pagi” is what would make it wet).
Even though dew isn’t a volitional agent, Indonesian uses oleh to express “caused by.”

Could I say …supaya tidak basah karena embun pagi instead?

Yes. Using karena (“because”) emphasizes cause rather than passive agency:
– …supaya tidak basah karena embun pagi.
This changes the nuance: it’s a reason clause rather than an agent in passive voice.

Why is there no repeated subject after supaya?

When the subject of the main clause and the subordinate purpose clause is the same, Indonesian often omits the second subject. It’s understood that “the photo equipment” remains the subject of tidak basah….

Is peralatan foto interchangeable with perlengkapan foto?

Yes. Both peralatan and perlengkapan mean “equipment.”
– peralatan often refers to tools or apparatus.
– perlengkapan can imply a set of gear or preparations.
In everyday use, they’re largely interchangeable here.