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Di meja, ada sendok dan garpu bersih.

Di meja, ada sendok dan garpu bersih.
On the table, there are clean spoons and forks.
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Questions & Answers about Di meja, ada sendok dan garpu bersih.

What does the preposition di mean in this sentence?
Di marks location and usually corresponds to English at/in/on, depending on context. With a surface noun like meja (table), di meja commonly means on the table (or at the table, if we mean a person sitting there).
Should it be di atas meja to mean “on the table”?

Both are possible:

  • di meja is widely used and normally understood as “on the table.”
  • di atas meja explicitly says “on top of the table,” useful when contrasting with other locations (e.g., di bawah meja “under the table,” di dalam laci “in the drawer”).
Why is there a comma after Di meja, and is it required?
It’s optional. When you front a location phrase (Di meja) in writing, a comma is common to mark the pause. You can also write: Di meja ada … or Ada … di meja with no comma.
What does ada do here?
Ada is the existential verb meaning “there is/are” or “exists/available.” It’s used to introduce the existence or presence of something in a location: Di meja, ada … = “On the table, there is/are …”
Can I use adalah instead of ada?
No. Adalah is a copula used for equational sentences (X adalah Y = “X is Y”). For existence/availability (“there is/are”), use ada (or formal terdapat).
Are sendok and garpu singular or plural here?

Indonesian nouns don’t mark number, so sendok and garpu can be singular or plural. Add a quantifier for clarity:

  • one: satu sendok, satu garpu
  • some: beberapa sendok/garpu
  • many: banyak sendok/garpu Reduplication (e.g., sendok-sendok) can indicate plurality in a general sense.
How do I say “a spoon and a fork” explicitly?
Most natural in speech: satu sendok dan satu garpu. You can also use the general classifier sebuah: sebuah sendok dan sebuah garpu (acceptable, a bit more bookish/formal). In everyday talk, numbers without classifiers are very common.
Does bersih describe both the spoon and the fork?
Yes. In sendok dan garpu bersih, the adjective bersih naturally applies to the whole coordinated phrase (both items). To target only one item, make it explicit, e.g., sendok kotor dan garpu bersih or repeat the adjective for each item.
Where do adjectives go in Indonesian?
They typically follow the noun: garpu bersih (“clean fork”), not “bersih garpu.” With multiple adjectives, they all follow: garpu logam kecil bersih (“small clean metal fork”).
Is bersih acting like a verb (“are clean”)?
It’s an adjective. Indonesian often omits a copula (“to be”) with adjective predicates: Garpu bersih = “The fork is clean.” In our sentence, after ada, bersih functions attributively, describing the noun phrase.
Can I move the location to the end? Any difference?

Yes:

  • Ada sendok dan garpu bersih di meja. Neutral order.
  • Di meja, ada sendok dan garpu bersih. Sets the location as the topic/background.
  • Sendok dan garpu bersih ada di meja. Puts focus on the items. The core meaning is the same; word order tweaks emphasis.
How do I turn it into a yes/no question?
  • Formal: Apakah di meja ada sendok dan garpu bersih?
  • Informal: Di meja ada sendok dan garpu bersih nggak? or Ada sendok dan garpu bersih di meja, nggak?
How do I negate it?

Use tidak ada:

  • Di meja tidak ada sendok atau garpu yang bersih. Using atau (or) conveys “no clean spoon or fork.” Adding yang bersih helps clarity.
Why isn’t there any article like “a” or “the”?

Indonesian has no articles. Definiteness is inferred from context or shown with demonstratives:

  • sendok dan garpu = a/the spoon and fork, or spoons and forks (context decides)
  • sendok dan garpu itu = the/that spoon and fork
Should di be written together as dimeja?
No. As a preposition, di is always separate: di meja, di rumah. It attaches only when it’s the passive verb prefix di- (e.g., dibuat, dipakai).
Can I use terdapat instead of ada?
Yes: Di meja, terdapat sendok dan garpu bersih. It’s more formal/printed style. Ada is the everyday choice.
How is the pronunciation?
  • di: “dee”
  • meja: “MEH-jah”
  • ada: “AH-dah”
  • sendok: “sən-dok” (e like a schwa)
  • garpu: “GAR-poo”
  • bersih: “bər-seeh” (final h softly audible)
What happens if I insert yang: sendok dan garpu yang bersih?
Yang turns “clean” into a restrictive relative clause: “the spoon(s) and fork(s) that are clean,” explicitly distinguishing the clean ones from other (possibly dirty) ones. Without yang, it’s often read as a general description; with yang, it’s clearly restrictive.