Breakdown of Saya bisa belajar lebih cepat kalau saya minum kopi di pagi hari.
saya
I
minum
to drink
kopi
the coffee
di
in
pagi hari
the morning
belajar
to learn
bisa
can
lebih cepat
faster
kalau
if
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Questions & Answers about Saya bisa belajar lebih cepat kalau saya minum kopi di pagi hari.
What is the meaning and function of bisa in this sentence?
bisa means “can” or “to be able to.” It’s a modal verb expressing ability or permission. In Indonesian, modals like bisa don’t change for person or number and are always followed by the base form of the main verb (belajar here).
Why is belajar in the base form and not conjugated?
Indonesian verbs don’t conjugate for tense, person, or number. They stay in the base form. After a modal like bisa, you always use the base verb (belajar means “to study/learn”).
What does lebih cepat mean, and how is it formed?
lebih means “more” and cepat means “fast” or “quick.” Together, lebih cepat means “faster” or “more quickly.” Placing lebih before an adjective or adverb creates the comparative form.
How does kalau function here, and could I use jika instead?
kalau means “if” (or colloquially “when”) and introduces a condition. You can use jika or apabila for a more formal tone, but kalau is very common in everyday speech.
Why repeat saya before minum kopi? Is it necessary?
Repeating the subject (saya) in each clause is optional but helps clarity. Indonesian allows dropping the subject, but repeating it makes it clear who is performing each action.
What does minum kopi literally mean, and why isn’t there an article like “the” or “a”?
minum means “to drink” and kopi means “coffee.” Indonesian doesn’t have articles like “the” or “a.” Nouns stand alone, and context tells you whether they’re definite or indefinite.
What is the structure of di pagi hari?
di is a preposition meaning “in/at,” pagi means “morning,” and hari means “day.” Together, di pagi hari literally translates to “in the morning.”
Could I rearrange the sentence, for example, “Saya bisa lebih cepat belajar kalau saya minum kopi di pagi hari”?
Yes. Indonesian word order is flexible. Putting lebih cepat before belajar (making bisa lebih cepat belajar) is also correct but slightly shifts emphasis to “learning quickly.” Both versions are natural.