Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya gemar makan roti hangat setiap pagi. - I am fond of eating warm bread every morning.

Gemar is a verb meaning “to be fond of” or “to really like” something in a habitual sense. You can indeed replace it with suka (“to like”) without losing the basic meaning:

Saya gemar makan roti hangat setiap pagi
Saya suka makan roti hangat setiap pagi
Using suka is more common in everyday speech, while gemar feels slightly more formal or emphasizes that it’s a regular habit or hobby.

Why is there no word like to before makan?

Indonesian verbs are used in their base form without an infinitive marker. The verb makan can mean “eat,” “to eat,” or “eating” depending on context. You simply place it after the subject or a preceding verb like gemar.

Why does hangat come after roti rather than before?

In Indonesian, adjectives follow the nouns they modify. Therefore you always say roti hangat (“warm bread”), not hangat roti.

Why aren’t there articles like a or the before roti?

Indonesian does not use definite or indefinite articles. Roti by itself can mean “bread,” “a piece of bread,” or “the bread” based on context. To specify quantity or definiteness, you add words such as:

sepotong roti (“a slice of bread”)
roti itu (“that bread”)

Is it possible to omit Saya in this sentence?

Yes. Indonesian is a pro-drop language, so you can drop pronouns when the subject is clear.

Gemar makan roti hangat setiap pagi
still clearly means “I like eating warm bread every morning,” especially in informal contexts.

What does setiap pagi mean, and can I say it differently or move it in the sentence?

Setiap pagi means “every morning” and indicates frequency. You can use other time expressions like:

pagi-pagi (“early in the morning”)
setiap hari (“every day”)
You can also place setiap pagi at the beginning or end of the sentence:
Setiap pagi saya gemar makan roti hangat
Saya gemar makan roti hangat setiap pagi
Both are grammatically correct; putting it at the end is most common.

Could we use memakan instead of makan, and would that change the meaning?

Memakan is the transitive verb form with the me- prefix, emphasizing the action upon the object. It’s correct but more formal or literary:

Saya gemar memakan roti hangat setiap pagi
In everyday conversation, the simple makan is preferred.

How do we indicate plural for roti? Do we need to say “breads”?

Indonesian nouns generally do not change form to mark plurality. Roti can be singular or plural based on context. To specify multiple pieces you can use:

Quantifiers: beberapa roti (“some breads”)
Reduplication (colloquial): roti-roti
In the example sentence, roti implies “bread” in general or multiple servings as part of the routine.