Breakdown of Sarung tradisional dipakai pemandu untuk melindungi tubuh dari udara dingin.
untuk
to
dari
from
dingin
cold
udara
the air
pemandu
the guide
sarung
the sarong
tradisional
traditional
dipakai
to be worn
melindungi
to protect
tubuh
the body
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Questions & Answers about Sarung tradisional dipakai pemandu untuk melindungi tubuh dari udara dingin.
Why is this sentence in the passive voice, and how do you form passive verbs in Indonesian like dipakai?
In Indonesian, the passive is created by attaching the prefix di- to the verb root (and sometimes a suffix, though in pakai the -i is part of the root). So pakai (“to use/wear”) becomes dipakai (“is used/worn”). This shifts the focus to the object (sarung tradisional) rather than the doer.
Why doesn’t the agent pemandu have the preposition oleh before it?
In Indonesian passive constructions, the agent can be introduced by oleh (“by”) or appear without it. Omitting oleh is common and sounds more natural, so pemandu directly follows the verb.
What exactly does dipakai mean? What’s the difference between pakai, memakai, and dipakai?
- pakai is the root verb meaning “to use” or “to wear.”
- memakai is the active form when the subject performs the action (e.g., Saya memakai jaket = “I wear a jacket”).
- dipakai is the passive form, meaning “is used/worn,” highlighting the object receiving the action.
Why is sarung tradisional at the beginning of the sentence, and why does tradisional come after sarung?
Indonesian typically follows a noun + adjective order: sarung tradisional (“traditional sarong”). Also, there are no articles (“a” or “the”) in Indonesian; context tells you whether something is definite or indefinite.
What is the function of untuk in untuk melindungi tubuh, and can we use other words to express purpose?
untuk + verb (in its me- form) indicates purpose: “in order to.” You could also use agar or supaya (“so that”), but untuk + infinitive is the most direct way to express “to do something.”
Why is melindungi used instead of just lindungi or lindung?
melindungi is formed with the active verb prefix me- and the suffix -i, turning the root lindung (which by itself isn’t a verb) into a transitive verb meaning “to protect.”
What role does dari play in dari udara dingin, and why not use karena?
dari means “from,” indicating the source or cause against which protection is needed—“from cold air.” karena means “because,” which would focus on the reason rather than the source you’re protecting against.
How would you say this in active voice if you wanted to emphasize the guide doing the action?
You can switch to active:
Pemandu memakai sarung tradisional untuk melindungi tubuh dari udara dingin.