Anak laki-laki itu berlari di lapangan.

That boy runs on the field.

Breakdown of Anak laki-laki itu berlari di lapangan.

• itu: that
• di: on
• lapangan: the field
• berlari: to run
• anak laki-laki: the boy

Questions & Answers about Anak laki-laki itu berlari di lapangan.

Does itu mean “the” or “that” here, and why does it come after the noun?

Itu is a demonstrative meaning “that,” and Indonesian places demonstratives after the noun phrase. Anak laki-laki itu means “that boy” or “the boy” (a specific one already known or visible). Use ini for “this”: Anak laki-laki ini = “this boy.”
As a pronoun, itu can stand alone: Itu anak laki-laki = “That is a boy.”

Why anak laki-laki instead of just laki-laki? Would laki-laki itu mean “the boy”?

Laki-laki by itself usually means “man” or “male person,” not “boy.” To say “boy,” you specify a male child: anak laki-laki (“male child”).

• Laki-laki itu berlari… = “The man is running…”
• Anak laki-laki itu berlari… = “The boy is running…”

What’s the feminine counterpart of anak laki-laki?

“Girl” is anak perempuan. Informally you might hear anak cewek (colloquial). For an adult woman: perempuan or wanita.

Is the hyphen in laki-laki required? How do I spell and say it?

Yes. Standard spelling uses a hyphen: laki-laki. Writing it as one word (lakilaki) is incorrect; writing it without a hyphen (laki laki) is nonstandard.
Pronunciation: roughly “LAK-ee LAK-ee” (each “i” like “ee” in “see”). The hyphen isn’t pronounced; it just marks the compound.

What’s the difference between berlari and lari? Which should I use?

Both mean “to run.”

• berlari: slightly more formal/neutral, common in writing.
• lari: very common in everyday speech.
  Related forms:
• berlarian = “to run around (here and there),” often with multiple people.
• lari-lari = “to run around/keep running” (repetitive or playful nuance).
  Examples:
• Anak laki-laki itu lari di lapangan. (colloquial)
• Anak-anak berlarian di lapangan. (“The children are running around in the field.”)

Is there any tense here? How do I say “is running,” “ran,” or “will run”?

Indonesian doesn’t inflect verbs for tense; use time/aspect words:

• Progressive: sedang or colloquial lagi
  
  • Anak laki-laki itu sedang berlari di lapangan.
  • Anak laki-laki itu lagi lari di lapangan.
• Past/completed: tadi, kemarin, sudah/telah, barusan
  
  • Anak laki-laki itu tadi berlari di lapangan. / … sudah berlari.
• Future: akan
  
  • Anak laki-laki itu akan berlari besok.
    Without markers, berlari is time-neutral; context tells you the time.

Does di mean “in,” “at,” or “on” here?

Di can map to all three depending on the noun. With lapangan, di lapangan is naturally “on the field,” but “in/at the field” can also be right in English. Related contrasts:

• ke (to): berlari ke lapangan = “run to the field”
• dari (from): berlari dari lapangan = “run from the field”
• di dalam (inside): berlari di dalam lapangan emphasizes being inside the area

I’ve seen di- attached to verbs (like ditulis). How do I avoid mixing that up with the preposition di?

Spacing is the key:

• Preposition: di
  • space + noun = di lapangan (“in/at/on the field”).
• Passive prefix: di-
  • verb = ditulis (“written”), dibawa (“brought”).
    Writing dilapangan is a spelling mistake for the preposition.

What exactly does lapangan mean?

Literally “an open/spacious area,” commonly a sports field or open ground. Examples:

• lapangan sepak bola = soccer field
• lapangan upacara = ceremonial field
  It also appears in set phrases like lapangan kerja (“job sector/employment”).

How do I say “The boys are running in the field”?

Use plural marking with reduplication:

• Anak-anak laki-laki itu berlari di lapangan.
  You can also specify a number:
• Dua anak laki-laki itu berlari di lapangan. (“Those two boys are running in the field.”)

How do I say “A boy is running in the field”?

Use the human classifier seorang for “a/one (person)”:

• Seorang anak laki-laki berlari di lapangan.
  Without seorang or itu, Anak laki-laki berlari di lapangan is possible but sounds more generic/indefinite.

How do I negate this sentence correctly?

Use tidak to negate verbs/adjectives:

• Anak laki-laki itu tidak berlari di lapangan. = “The boy isn’t running in the field.”
  Use bukan to negate nouns/pronouns:
• Itu bukan anak laki-laki; itu anak perempuan. = “That’s not a boy; that’s a girl.”

Can I change the word order for emphasis, like putting the place first?

Yes. Fronting the place is natural for emphasis or topic-setting:

• Di lapangan, anak laki-laki itu berlari.
  Fronting the verb (Berlari anak laki-laki itu di lapangan) is uncommon in everyday speech and sounds like a headline or a rhetorical style.

What happens if I drop itu?

Without itu, the noun phrase becomes indefinite or generic:

• Anak laki-laki berlari di lapangan. ≈ “A boy (or boys) is/are running in the field.”
  To make it clearly singular and indefinite, Seorang anak laki-laki… is most natural.

How would I say it with a pronoun: “He is running in the field”?

Use dia (neutral, everyday) or ia (more formal/written):

• Dia berlari di lapangan. / Ia berlari di lapangan.
  Indonesian pronouns don’t mark gender, so dia can mean “he” or “she.” Context clarifies.

Any quick pronunciation tips for the whole sentence?

• anak: “AH-nahk” (the final k is unreleased).
• laki-laki: “LAK-ee LAK-ee.”
• itu: “EE-too.”
• berlari: tap the r lightly: “bər-LAH-ree.”
• lapangan: “lah-PAHNG-ahn” (the ng is the “ŋ” sound in “sing”).
  Indonesian stress is light and not strongly contrastive; keep vowels clear and evenly timed.