Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Dia memakai topi hitam dan celana biru ke kantor. - He/She wears a black hat and blue pants to the office.

Both. Indonesian doesn’t mark gender in third-person singular, so dia can mean “he” or “she.” It refers to people (not things). For respectful reference to an older or high-status person, use beliau.

Can I use ia instead of dia?

Yes, but:

ia is more formal and mainly used as a subject in writing. Example: Ia memakai…
dia is neutral/common in speech and can be subject or object. Example: Saya melihat dia.
Neither dia nor ia is used for things; use itu for “it/that.”

What’s the difference between memakai, pakai, mengenakan, and menggunakan?

memakai = “to wear/use,” neutral and common: Dia memakai topi…
pakai = colloquial/short form: Dia pakai topi…
mengenakan = more formal/elegant for clothing: Dia mengenakan topi…
menggunakan = “to use (a tool/method),” not the natural choice for clothing. You’d normally avoid menggunakan topi for “wear a hat.”

Why is it memakai and not mempakai?

It’s a regular meN- prefix rule: with roots starting with p, the p drops and the prefix becomes mem-. So meN + pakai → memakai (like meN + pukul → memukul, meN + tulis → menulis with t dropping).

Is this present, past, or future?

Indonesian doesn’t mark tense by verb form. Dia memakai… can be “wears,” “wore,” or “is wearing,” depending on context. Add time/aspect words if needed:

Progressive: sedang — Dia sedang memakai…
Completed: sudah/telah — Dia sudah memakai…
Future: akan — Dia akan memakai…
Time cues: tadi pagi, kemarin, besok, biasanya

Where are “a/the”? Why no article before topi/celana?

Indonesian has no articles. topi hitam can mean “a black hat” or “the black hat.” To be specific:

“the/that”: topi hitam itu
possession: topinya (“his/her/the” hat, depending on context)
“a (single)”: sebuah topi hitam or satu topi hitam (both are fine for topi)

Why are adjectives after the noun (topi hitam, celana biru)?

Adjectives typically follow the noun in Indonesian. So it’s topi hitam (“black hat”), not “hitam topi.” With multiple adjectives: topi hitam besar (“big black hat”). You only use yang for special emphasis/contrast.

Do I need yang (topi yang hitam)?

Not in a neutral description. topi hitam is normal. topi yang hitam is used for contrast/selection (e.g., “the one that is black, not the red one”): Ambil topi yang hitam.

Is dan linking two adjectives or two objects here?

Two objects. The structure is: memakai [topi hitam] dan [celana biru]. Don’t say topi hitam dan biru if you mean “black hat and blue pants”—that would sound like one hat with two colors.

What’s the difference between ke kantor and di kantor?

ke kantor = to the office (movement/destination): “He/She wore … to the office.”
di kantor = at the office (location): “He/She wears … at the office.” Examples:
Dia memakai kemeja putih ke kantor.
Dia memakai kemeja putih di kantor.

Is it okay to use ke kantor without an explicit motion verb like pergi?

Yes. Indonesian commonly uses a destination phrase to set the occasion: Dia memakai … ke kantor = “for going to the office / on the way to the office.” You can also say Saat ke kantor, dia memakai…

Does ke kantor mean “to his/her office”? How do I show possession?

ke kantor is generic (“to the office/work”). To show possession:

ke kantornya = to his/her office (or “to the office” in context)
ke kantor saya/kamu/dia = to my/your/his/her office If it’s not an office job, you can say ke tempat kerja (“to the workplace”).

Is celana singular or plural? How do I say “a pair of pants” or “two pairs”?

celana is the word for “pants/trousers” (conceptually a pair). Number is usually understood from context.

“a pair of pants”: just celana, or explicitly sepasang celana
“two pairs of pants”: dua celana (common) or dua pasang celana (explicit) Avoid sebuah celana; use sepasang for the pair idea.

Could I say bertopi/bercelana instead?

Yes; the ber- forms mean “wearing/having (on).”

Dia bertopi hitam = He/She is wearing a black hat.
Dia bercelana biru = He/She is wearing blue pants. You can combine: Dia bertopi hitam dan bercelana biru ke kantor. This sounds a bit more descriptive/formal.

Can I move ke kantor to the front?

Yes, for emphasis or style:

Ke kantor, dia memakai topi hitam dan celana biru. Neutral order is subject–verb–object–prepositional phrase, as in the original. Fronting sounds a bit more formal or narrative.

Is ke written together with kantor (kekantor)?

No. ke is a separate preposition: ke kantor. Don’t write kekantor. Also, ke is for places; kepada is “to (a person).”