Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saus pedas ini enak, tetapi adik saya tidak suka pedas. - This spicy sauce is tasty, but my younger sibling does not like spicy food.

In Indonesian, demonstratives follow the noun they modify. So saus pedas ini means this spicy sauce (the specific one near me/us). If you put ini before the noun (ini saus pedas), it means this is spicy sauce (an identifying statement).

Why is there no word for is before enak?

Indonesian typically has no copula in the present tense. Adjectives can directly be the predicate: Saus pedas ini enak. You wouldn’t say adalah enak here. If both sides are nouns, you can use adalah (e.g., Ini adalah saus).

Does adik saya mean my brother or my sister?

Adik means younger sibling, without specifying gender. To be explicit, use adik laki-laki (younger brother) or adik perempuan (younger sister).

Why tidak and not bukan in tidak suka pedas?

Use tidak to negate verbs and adjectives, and bukan to negate nouns or equational statements. Suka behaves like a verb/adjective, so tidak suka is correct. Compare:

Dia tidak suka pedas.
Itu bukan saus.

What exactly does suka pedas mean?

It means likes spicy things/flavors. The adjective pedas is used as a noun-like idea here (spiciness, spicy food) by context. A more explicit version is suka makanan pedas.

Is repeating pedas twice okay?

Yes. First pedas modifies saus; the second pedas stands on its own to mean spicy things. You can also say tidak suka yang pedas for things that are spicy.

Could I say yang pedas instead of just pedas?

Yes: Adik saya tidak suka yang pedas is natural and emphasizes the category things that are spicy. Both forms are common.

What’s the difference between tetapi, tapi, and namun?

tetapi: but (neutral/formal).
tapi: but (casual/colloquial).
namun: however (more formal; often starts a new sentence or follows a semicolon).
Your sentence could use tapi in casual speech.

Do I need the comma before tetapi?

Yes, when connecting two independent clauses, Indonesian style normally uses a comma before tetapi: …, tetapi ….

Does pedas mean hot in temperature?

No. Pedas is spicy-hot (from chili/pepper). Temperature hot is panas; warm is hangat.

Is saus pedas the same as sambal?

Not exactly. Saus is a general sauce (often bottled, smooth, e.g., chili sauce, tomato sauce). Sambal is a chili-based condiment, often chunkier and very common in Indonesia. In everyday talk, people often say sambal when they specifically mean chili condiment.

Can I use aku or a possessive suffix instead of saya?

Yes, in informal speech: adik aku or adikku (suffix -ku means my). Saya is more neutral/formal: adik saya.

How can I intensify or soften enak and suka?

Intensify: enak sekali / sangat enak / enak banget; sangat suka.
Soften: cukup enak / lumayan enak; kurang suka / tidak terlalu suka.

Can I replace ini with itu?

Yes, with a change in deixis: ini = this (near/present/just mentioned), itu = that (far/less immediate/already known). Saus pedas itu enak refers to a different or non-near sauce.

How would I say my older sibling instead?

Use kakak (older sibling): kakak saya. In some regions, abang (older brother) is common.

How do I say can’t handle spicy food?

Use tidak tahan pedas or tidak kuat pedas. Kepedasan means overwhelmed by spiciness (e.g., after eating): Dia kepedasan = He/She is burning from the spice.

Any pronunciation tips for saus and pedas?

saus: the au is like ow in cow: [saws].
pedas: first vowel is a schwa-like sound: [pə-das]. Stress is light and even in Indonesian.