Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Sopir bus itu ramah dan sabar. - That bus driver is friendly and patient.

Itu is a demonstrative meaning “that,” placed after a noun phrase. In practice it often functions like English “the” (referring to something known/identifiable). So sopir bus itu ≈ “that/the bus driver (we both know or can see).” Without context, it leans toward “that.”

Where is the “is”? Why is there no verb between the subject and adjectives?

Indonesian has no linking verb like “to be” before adjectives. Adjectives can serve as the predicate by themselves. So Sopir bus itu ramah dan sabar literally reads “That bus driver friendly and patient,” which is how Indonesian says “That bus driver is friendly and patient.”

Can I replace itu with ini?

Yes, but the meaning changes:

itu = “that” (farther away or already mentioned)
ini = “this” (near the speaker) Example: Sopir bus ini ramah dan sabar = “This bus driver is friendly and patient.”

Can itu go before the noun, like English “that bus driver”?

No. In Indonesian, itu comes after the noun phrase: sopir bus itu, not ~itu sopir bus~ in this context. (Placing itu before a noun has other, less common discourse uses.)

Is it spelled sopir or supir?

Standard spelling is sopir (preferred in formal writing). Supir is very common in speech and informal text and widely understood, but less formal.

Is it bus or bis?

Standard modern spelling is bus. You’ll still see bis in older texts and informal usage. Both are pronounced with an Indonesian u (like “oo” in “food”) if spelled bus, and i (like “ee” in “see”) if spelled bis.

Why is it sopir bus and not “bus sopir”? What’s the word order?

Head-first: the head noun comes first, then the modifier. So “driver of bus” = sopir bus, “color of car” = warna mobil, etc.

Could this sentence mean “The bus drivers are friendly and patient” (plural)?

Possibly. Indonesian doesn’t mark plural on nouns. Sopir bus itu can mean “that bus driver” or “those bus drivers,” depending on context. To force plural, use:

para sopir bus itu (plural human group)
sopir-sopir bus itu (reduplication for plural)

Can I say Sopir bus itu adalah ramah dan sabar?

Unnatural. Adalah is typically used before a noun phrase, not adjectives. Use:

Sopir bus itu ramah dan sabar (natural)
Or: Sopir bus itu adalah orang yang ramah dan sabar (insert a noun: “a person who is…”)

How do I negate it?

Use tidak before the adjectives:

Sopir bus itu tidak ramah dan tidak sabar (not friendly and not patient) You can also nuance:
kurang sabar = not very patient
agak ramah = somewhat friendly

How do I intensify or compare the adjectives?

Common options:

sangat ramah, sangat sabar = very
ramah sekali, sabar sekali = very
lebih sabar = more patient; paling ramah = most friendly Examples: Sopir bus itu sangat ramah dan cukup sabar.

Can I reverse the order to sabar dan ramah?

Yes. Adjective order is flexible: ramah dan sabar = sabar dan ramah. Choose the order that matches the emphasis you want.

How do I say “the friendly and patient bus driver” (as a noun phrase)?

Use an attributive structure, often with yang:

sopir bus yang ramah dan sabar You can drop yang in many cases: sopir bus ramah dan sabar, but yang is clearer, especially with longer descriptions.

How do I say “our bus driver”?

Place the pronoun after the noun phrase:

sopir bus kami = our bus driver
sopir busnya can mean “the bus’s driver,” or “his/her/its/their bus driver,” or mark definiteness (“the bus driver (aforementioned)”) depending on context.

Is sopir gendered? How do I say female/male bus driver?

Sopir is gender-neutral. If needed, add gender:

sopir bus perempuan (female)
sopir bus laki-laki (male)

Is there a more formal word than sopir?

Yes: pengemudi bus is more formal/neutral (especially in official contexts). The sentence becomes Pengemudi bus itu ramah dan sabar.

Any common mix-ups with ramah?

Learners often confuse ramah (friendly, courteous) with ramai (crowded, busy, noisy). They’re unrelated in meaning despite looking similar.

How do I pronounce the words roughly?

sopir: so-peer (short “o” as in “so,” tapped/flapped r)
bus: boos (like “boost” without the “t”); if spelled bis, say “bees”
itu: EE-too
ramah: RAH-mah (final “h” softens the vowel; r tapped)
sabar: SA-bar (r tapped)

How do I turn this into a yes–no question?

Apakah sopir bus itu ramah dan sabar? (neutral/formal)
Or just raise your intonation: Sopir bus itu ramah dan sabar? (informal speech)

Are ramah and sabar adjectives or verbs in Indonesian?

They’re stative words that function like adjectives in English, but they can also act like verb-like predicates (no “to be”). Related forms:

bersabar = to be patient (verb)
kesabaran = patience (noun)
keramahan = friendliness (noun)