Breakdown of Penonton kaget melihat lampion itu terbang tinggi di atas panggung.
adalah
to be
itu
that
melihat
to see
tinggi
high
panggung
the stage
lampion
the lantern
penonton
the audience
kaget
surprised
terbang
to fly
di atas
above
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Questions & Answers about Penonton kaget melihat lampion itu terbang tinggi di atas panggung.
What is the subject of this sentence, and how is it marked?
The subject is penonton (“the audience”). Indonesian doesn’t require a special marker like “the” or “-s”; the first noun phrase in a simple clause is typically understood as the subject.
Is kaget a verb or an adjective here?
kaget functions as an adjective meaning “shocked” or “surprised.” In Indonesian, adjectives can directly follow the subject to form the predicate without a linking verb.
How do we know when this action happened, since there’s no tense marking on kaget or melihat?
Indonesian verbs (and adjectives acting predicatively) do not inflect for tense. The time of the action is inferred from context or added time words (e.g., kemarin “yesterday”). Here it’s understood as a past event because we picture the audience already having seen the flying lantern.
What role does melihat play in the second part of the sentence?
melihat is the verb “to see.” It introduces the subordinate (object) clause. The structure is:
Penonton kaget … main clause
melihat lampion itu terbang tinggi di atas panggung … subordinate clause (“to see that lantern flying high above the stage”).
Why can we omit bahwa before “lampion itu terbang…”?
bahwa (“that”) can introduce a clause in formal Indonesian, but it’s optional. Omitting it (more colloquial) still clearly links the seeing to what was seen.
What is the function of itu in lampion itu?
itu is a demonstrative meaning “that.” So lampion itu means “that lantern.” It distinguishes it from any other lantern.
Does the ter- in terbang indicate a passive or accidental form?
No. terbang is the base verb “to fly.” It is not a passive form here. Although ter- can form accidental verbs (e.g., terbeli “accidentally bought”), terbang is simply the root.
How does tinggi function after terbang?
tinggi is an adjective meaning “high,” used adverbially to modify the verb terbang. In English we say “fly high,” and in Indonesian you say terbang tinggi.
What does di atas panggung literally mean, and why is di used?
di atas means “on top of” or “above.” di is the preposition indicating location. panggung is “stage.” So di atas panggung = “above (or on) the stage.”