Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya menonton film terbaru di bioskop.

Past/completed: sudah, tadi, kemarin, barusan (e.g., Saya sudah menonton film terbaru di bioskop.)
Ongoing: sedang (e.g., Saya sedang menonton film terbaru di bioskop.)
Future: akan, nanti, besok (e.g., Besok saya akan menonton film terbaru di bioskop.)
Habitual: sering, biasanya (e.g., Saya sering menonton film terbaru di bioskop.)

What’s the difference between Saya, Aku, and Gue, and can I drop the subject?

Saya: neutral/formal; safe with strangers, in writing, or polite contexts.
Aku: informal/intimate; friends, family, casual speech/writing (songs, chats).
Gue/Gua: Jakarta slang; very casual. Subject-dropping is common when context is clear: (Saya) nonton film terbaru di bioskop. Keep saya in formal writing or when clarity matters.

Is menonton the same as nonton? Are there other verbs for “watch”?

menonton: standard/neutral “to watch.”
nonton: colloquial/informal; very common in speech.
Other options: melihat (to see/look; less about watching a show), menyaksikan (to witness/watch; more formal/emphatic). Grammar note: the root is tonton; adding the meN- prefix gives menonton.

What exactly does terbaru mean compared with baru?

baru = new (not old). film baru = a new film (to you, or just released, but not necessarily the newest).
terbaru = newest/latest (the most recent among a set). film terbaru = the latest release. Near-synonyms: paling baru (most new), yang terbaru (the latest one).

Is terbaru the same as terakhir?

No:

terbaru = latest/newest (most recent release).
terakhir = last/final. film terakhir can mean the final film (there may be no more after it), or the last one in a list/sequence. For “the last film I watched,” say film terakhir yang saya tonton, not film terbaru.

Why is it film terbaru (adjective after noun), not terbaru film?

Indonesian adjectives typically follow the noun: film terbaru, buku kecil, mobil merah. Preposing adjectives is rare and usually stylistic; stick to noun + adjective.

There’s no “the” or “a”—how do I show definiteness or indefiniteness?

Indonesian has no articles. Use context or markers:

Definite: film terbaru itu (that/latest film).
Indefinite: often just film; you can add sebuah film or satu film to stress “a/one film.” Counting: dua film (optionally dua buah film in careful style).

Could film be plural here? How do I say “the latest films”?

Yes—plurality is usually from context. To make it explicit:

Reduplication: film-film terbaru
Quantifiers: banyak film terbaru, beberapa film terbaru

Why is it di bioskop and not ke bioskop?

di marks location (at/in): menonton di bioskop = watch at the cinema.
ke marks movement (to): pergi ke bioskop = go to the cinema. You can combine them: Saya pergi ke bioskop untuk menonton film terbaru.

Can I omit di and say menonton bioskop?

No. menonton bioskop would literally be “watch a cinema,” which is odd. Keep di to mark the place: menonton di bioskop.

Is bioskop the same as “theater”? What about teater?

bioskop = movie theater/cinema (place to watch films).
teater = stage theater or the art form (plays, drama). You say nonton film di bioskop but nonton teater for watching a play. sinema exists but is less common in everyday speech.

Can I change the word order for emphasis?

Yes, Indonesian allows fronting:

Place focus on location: Di bioskop, saya menonton film terbaru.
Topicalize the object: Film terbaru itu saya tonton di bioskop. Note: when the object moves to the front like this, the verb often appears without the meN- prefix (tonton, not menonton).

How do I negate this sentence?

Use tidak before the verb: Saya tidak menonton film terbaru di bioskop. To negate the location specifically, you can say: Saya menonton film terbaru bukan di bioskop, tapi di rumah. (Here bukan negates the prepositional phrase.)