Saya mencari kunci di lemari.

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Breakdown of Saya mencari kunci di lemari.

• saya: I
• di: in
• lemari: the cupboard

Questions & Answers about Saya mencari kunci di lemari.

Does the verb mencari already include the idea of “for,” or do I need to add untuk?

Mencari already means “to look for / search for.” You do not add untuk after it; mencari untuk is ungrammatical in this sense.

How do I show that the action is happening right now (progressive aspect)?

Add sedang in more neutral/formal Indonesian: Saya sedang mencari kunci di lemari. In casual speech, use lagi: Saya lagi nyari kunci di lemari.

Can I drop the subject Saya?

You usually keep it, but in conversation you might omit it if context is crystal clear. Be careful: Cari kunci di lemari sounds like a command (imperative), not a statement.

What’s the difference between saya and aku (and gue) here?

• Saya = neutral/formal.
• Aku = informal, friendly.
• Gue (or gua) = very colloquial Jakarta slang.
  So you could say: Aku mencari kunci di lemari (informal) or Gue lagi nyari kunci di lemari (slang).

Is the noun kunci definite (“the key”) or indefinite (“a key”)?