Questions & Answers about Saya mengambil gelas dari lemari.
What does the prefix meng- do here, and what’s the base verb?
The base verb is ambil (take). The prefix meN- (realized as meng- before a vowel-initial root) makes the active transitive verb mengambil = “to take (something).” It’s the neutral, standard form.
Can I just say Saya ambil gelas dari lemari?
Yes. Saya ambil ... is common in everyday speech and slightly more casual than Saya mengambil .... Both are correct.
How do I say it in the past, present, or future?
Indonesian doesn’t change the verb for tense. Add time/aspect words:
- Past: Saya sudah/tadi/barusan mengambil gelas dari lemari.
- Progressive: Saya sedang mengambil gelas dari lemari.
- Future: Saya akan mengambil gelas dari lemari / Nanti saya ambil gelas dari lemari.
Why is it dari lemari and not di lemari? What about daripada?
- dari = from (source/origin), so it fits movement away from a place.
- di = at/in/on (location), not “from.” Colloquially you may hear ambil gelas di lemari, but dari is the precise choice.
- daripada is mainly for comparisons (lebih ... daripada ...) or “rather than,” not for movement.