Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Celana itu terlalu besar, jadi dia pakai sabuk. - Those pants are too big, so he/she wears a belt.

In Indonesian, demonstratives typically come after the noun: noun + ini/itu (this/that). So celana itu means “that/the pants (we’ve been talking about).” If itu comes before the noun, it usually acts as a standalone “that” starting a clause, e.g., Itu celana saya = “That is my pants.”

Does celana refer to one pair or multiple pairs? How do I make it plural?

Celana refers to a single pair of pants by default. Indonesian doesn’t mark plural the way English does.
To refer to multiple pairs, you can use context or markers:
- banyak celana = many pairs of pants
- beberapa celana = several pairs of pants
- celana-celana = pants (multiple pairs), with reduplication for emphasis on plurality (more formal/written).
If you need to count: satu (buah) celana or specify type: satu celana panjang. Don’t use sepasang with pants; that’s for things that truly come in pairs, like sepatu (shoes).

Could I also say Celana itu kebesaran? How does that differ from terlalu besar?

Yes.

Terlalu besar = “too big,” emphasizing degree (excessive size).
Kebesaran (ke- -an form) = “(is) too big” as a state/condition, and it’s very idiomatic for ill-fitting clothes. Both are correct. For clothing sizes, kebesaran/kekecilan sounds especially natural.

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

All can work with clothing:

pakai: very common, casual/speechy. dia pakai sabuk
memakai: neutral and a bit more formal. dia memakai sabuk
mengenakan: rather formal/literary. dia mengenakan sabuk They all mean “wear” here. For tools/devices rather than clothing, menggunakan (“to use”) is more typical, but it’s not the best choice for clothes.

Is sabuk the only word for “belt”? What about ikat pinggang?

Both are fine:

sabuk: common and short; also used in compounds like sabuk pengaman (seat belt).
ikat pinggang: literally “waist tie,” also very common. Colloquially, some people say gesper (originally “buckle”) to mean “belt” in some regions.

Do I need an article like “a” before sabuk?

No. Indonesian has no articles. dia pakai sabuk already means “he/she wears a belt.” You’d only add a numeral if you must count: dia pakai satu sabuk (rare, unless counting).

Is dia male or female? Are there alternatives?

Dia is gender-neutral: “he” or “she.” Alternatives:

ia: subject-only, more formal/literary (e.g., Ia memakai sabuk).
beliau: honorific “he/she” for respected figures.
mereka: “they” (plural), not gendered.

Can I drop the subject dia in the second clause?

Yes, in casual speech/writing when the subject is clear:
Celana itu terlalu besar, jadi pakai sabuk.
In careful/formal writing, keep dia for clarity.

Does jadi always mean “so”? I’ve also seen it as “become.”

As a conjunction, jadi = “so/therefore”: … terlalu besar, jadi …
As a verb, jadi = “become”: Dia jadi marah (He/She became angry). Context tells which meaning is intended.

How is tense handled? Could this mean “were too big, so he wore a belt”?

Indonesian doesn’t inflect verbs for tense. Dia pakai sabuk can be present or past. Add time words if needed:

Past: tadi, kemarin, dulu (e.g., Kemarin dia pakai sabuk)
Present: sekarang
Future: nanti, besok

What’s the nuance of terlalu compared to sangat or sekali?

terlalu = “too, excessively” (often negative/excess): terlalu besar
sangat = “very,” before the adjective: sangat besar
sekali = “very,” after the adjective: besar sekali
begitu = “so,” often neutral: begitu besar Using terlalu implies it’s more than desirable/appropriate.

Could I use makanya instead of jadi?

Yes, colloquially: Celana itu terlalu besar, makanya dia pakai sabuk.
Makanya = “that’s why,” slightly more conversational. More formal connectors: oleh karena itu, maka.

Is the comma before jadi correct?

Yes. When jadi links two independent clauses, a comma is standard:
…, jadi …
You can also front the reason: Karena celana itu terlalu besar, dia pakai sabuk. Don’t use both karena and jadi in the same sentence to connect the same clauses.

Are there alternative structures with the ber- prefix?

Yes, for “wearing (having on)” as a state:

Dia bercelana pendek. = He/She is wearing shorts.
With a belt, bersabuk exists but is rare in everyday speech. You’d typically stick to pakai/memakai sabuk.

How do I pronounce the sentence?

Approximate guide:

celana = che-LAH-nah
itu = EE-too
terlalu = tuhr-LAH-loo (the first e is a schwa)
besar = buh-SAR
jadi = JAH-dee
dia = DEE-ah
pakai = PA-kai (ai like “eye”)
sabuk = SA-book (final k is unreleased)