Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Meja ini bersih.

Indonesian doesn’t use a copula (like is or are) in simple present tense statements. Instead, adjectives can directly follow the noun to form a predicate. So Meja ini bersih literally means “Table this clean,” but functions as “This table is clean.”

Why does ini come after Meja instead of before it like in English?

In Indonesian, demonstratives (ini, itu) normally follow the noun they modify.

Meja ini = “this table”
Mobil itu = “that car”

Placing ini before (ini meja) is possible in casual speech but feels less natural or emphatic.

Is bersih an adjective or a verb in this sentence?

Bersih is an adjective (meaning “clean”), but Indonesian adjectives can function like verbs when used as predicates. There’s no need for an extra linking verb.

How would you indicate that the table is not clean?

Insert tidak (the general negator) before the adjective:

Meja ini tidak bersih. = “This table is not clean.”

How can I turn Meja ini bersih into a yes/no question?

You have two common options:

Add Apakah at the start:
- Apakah meja ini bersih? = “Is this table clean?”
Use rising intonation only:
- Meja ini bersih?

If I want to say “very clean,” how do I modify bersih?

You can use intensifiers before the adjective:

sangat = very (formal)
banget = very (colloquial)

Examples:

Meja ini sangat bersih.
Meja ini bersih banget.

How would I express “these tables are clean,” i.e., make meja plural?

Indonesian often relies on context for plurality, but you can double the noun or add a quantifier:

meja-meja ini bersih = “these tables are clean”
semua meja ini bersih = “all of these tables are clean”