Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Guru perempuan kami sangat sabar.

Indonesian usually drops a copula. With adjectives and many noun predicates you just put the predicate after the subject: Guru perempuan kami sangat sabar. Avoid inserting adalah before an adjective; adalah is mainly used before a noun phrase (e.g., Dia adalah guru), not before adjectives (so not Dia adalah sabar).

Why does perempuan come after guru?

In Indonesian, modifiers typically follow the noun they modify. So:

guru perempuan = female teacher
rumah besar = big house For “male teacher,” you can say guru laki-laki or guru pria.

What’s the difference between kami and kita, and which one should I use?

kami = we/our, excluding the listener.
kita = we/our, including the listener. If you’re talking to a classmate about a teacher you both share, say Guru perempuan kita sangat sabar. If the listener is not included, kami is correct.

Where does kami go in a noun phrase? Can I say kami guru?

Possessive pronouns follow the noun: guru kami (our teacher), not kami guru. Clitic forms exist only for singular 1st/2nd/3rd persons: guruku (my), gurumu (your), gurunya (his/her/the). There’s no clitic for “our,” so keep kami separate: guru kami.

Could guru be plural here? How do I say “our female teachers”?

Without a plural marker, guru can be singular or plural from context. To make it explicit:

Plural: Guru-guru perempuan kami or Para guru perempuan kami.
Singular and specific: add itu/ini (that/this): Guru perempuan kami itu…

How do I say “One of our female teachers is very patient”?

Salah satu guru perempuan kami sangat sabar. (clearest)
Seorang guru perempuan kami sangat sabar. (also used; reads as “a/one female teacher of ours”)

Is guru perempuan the usual way to say “female teacher”? What about guru wanita or Ibu Guru?

Both guru perempuan and guru wanita are common; perempuan feels everyday/neutral, wanita a bit more formal.
When addressing or referring respectfully to a specific female teacher, people often use a title: Ibu Guru or Bu [Name].

Can I say Guru kami perempuan? Does it mean the same thing?

It’s grammatical but different:

Guru perempuan kami… = “our female teacher” (perempuan modifies guru inside the noun phrase).
Guru kami perempuan. = “Our teacher is female” (perempuan is the predicate).
In your sentence, the predicate is sangat sabar.

How do I say “very”? What’s the difference between sangat, sekali, and banget? Can I combine them?

sangat goes before the adjective: sangat sabar (neutral).
sekali goes after: sabar sekali (neutral).
banget goes after: sabar banget (informal/colloquial). Don’t combine them (avoid sangat sabar sekali).

Does terlalu sabar mean the same as “very patient”?

No. terlalu means “too/overly.” Guru perempuan kami terlalu sabar = “Our female teacher is too patient,” implying excess.

Is sabar an adjective or a verb? Are there related forms I should know?

sabar = adjective (“patient”): Dia sangat sabar.
bersabar = verb (“to be patient”): Kami harus bersabar.
kesabaran = noun (“patience”): Kesabaran beliau luar biasa.
penyabar = a patient person: Guru perempuan kami seorang yang penyabar.

How do I say “Our female teacher is very patient with us”?

Natural options:

Guru perempuan kami sangat sabar menghadapi kami. (dealing with us)
Informal: Guru perempuan kami sangat sabar sama kami.
Also heard: … sangat sabar dengan kami.

How can I make the subject more specific, like “that our female teacher”?

Add a demonstrative:

Guru perempuan kami itu sangat sabar. (that)
Guru perempuan kami ini sangat sabar. (this)

Does gurunya mean “our teacher”?

No. gurunya usually means “the teacher” (definite) or “his/her/their teacher,” depending on context. “Our teacher” is guru kami (exclusive) or guru kita (inclusive). Avoid gurunya kami for “our teacher.”

Can I use punya or milik to show possession here?

Not in this noun phrase. Say guru kami, not guru punya kami or guru milik kami. Use punya for standalone “ours/mine”: Itu punya kami (“That is ours”). milik is formal and uncommon with people in everyday speech.