Breakdown of Anak kecil itu jalan pelan-pelan di jalur curam.
itu
that
jalan
to walk
kecil
small
di
on
pelan-pelan
slowly
anak
the child
curam
steep
jalur
the trail
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Questions & Answers about Anak kecil itu jalan pelan-pelan di jalur curam.
Why does kecil come after anak? In English we say “small child,” but here it’s reversed.
In Indonesian, adjectives follow the noun they modify. So anak kecil literally is “child small,” which means “small child.” This noun-then-adjective order is standard.
What’s the function of itu in anak kecil itu?
itu is a demonstrative pronoun meaning “that.” It always comes after the noun it refers to.
- anak kecil itu = “that small child.”
You can omit itu if you just mean “the small child” in general, but include it to point out “that one.”
Why isn’t the verb “walk” berjalan? Why is it just jalan?
The root jalan can function as an intransitive verb (“to walk”) in everyday Indonesian.
- jalan = walk (colloquial)
- berjalan = walk (more formal/standard)
Both are correct; using jalan is simply more casual.
Why is there a hyphen in pelan-pelan, and what does it add? Could I just say pelan?
Hyphenated reduplication (pelan + pelan) creates an adverb with a sense of gradualness or emphasis.
- pelan = slow (adjective/adverb)
- pelan-pelan = slowly / bit by bit / very slowly
You can use pelan alone, but pelan-pelan stresses the careful, gradual pace.
What does di indicate in di jalur curam, and is jalur the same as jalan?
di is the locative preposition meaning “in/at/on.” It marks where the action happens.
- jalur = track, lane, designated route (e.g. hiking trail)
- jalan = general road or street
So di jalur curam means “on a steep trail/track,” whereas di jalan curam might sound like “on a steep street.”
Why isn’t there a pronoun like dia (“he/she”) before jalan?
Once you’ve introduced anak kecil itu as the subject, you don’t repeat it with dia. Indonesian typically drops repeated subjects, so the verb follows the noun directly.
How do I express when this happened? Where is the past tense?
Indonesian verbs don’t change form for tense. You add time markers instead. For example:
- Kemarin, anak kecil itu jalan pelan-pelan di jalur curam.
(“Yesterday, that small child walked slowly on the steep path.”)
Without a time word, context tells you if it’s past, present, or future.