Saya mencari kunci di lemari.

I am looking for a key in the cupboard.

Breakdown of Saya mencari kunci di lemari.

• sebuah: a
• saya: I
• di: in
• lemari: the cupboard
• kunci: the key
• mencari: to look for

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”)?

Indonesian doesn’t mark definiteness by default, so kunci can mean either. To make it definite, use itu or -nya: kunci itu / kuncinya; to make it clearly indefinite, you can use sebuah kunci or satu kunci if needed.

How do I say “keys” in the plural?

Use context, a quantifier, or reduplication: banyak kunci, beberapa kunci, or kunci-kunci. Reduplication is possible but often avoided if a number/quantifier already clarifies plurality.

What’s the difference between di lemari and di dalam lemari?

Both can mean “in the cabinet/closet,” but di dalam lemari explicitly highlights inside-ness. Di lemari is the everyday, shorter form and is usually sufficient.

Should it be di lemari or ke lemari?

Use di for location (at/in): di lemari. Use ke for movement toward (to): ke lemari. Example: Saya berjalan ke lemari vs Kuncinya ada di lemari.

What exactly does lemari mean? Is it closet, cabinet, or wardrobe?

Lemari is a general word for cabinet/closet/wardrobe. You can specify: lemari pakaian (wardrobe), lemari dapur (kitchen cabinet), lemari es (refrigerator).

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

Yes, for emphasis you can front the location: Di lemari, saya mencari kunci, but the neutral order is the original sentence. Keep di lemari after the object for the most natural flow.

How do I negate this sentence?

To negate the verb, use tidak: Saya tidak mencari kunci di lemari. To contrast the place, use bukan before the phrase you’re correcting: Saya mencari kunci bukan di lemari, tetapi di laci.

Is there a passive version?

Yes: Kunci (itu) sedang dicari di lemari (oleh saya). Another common pattern is object-fronting with active voice: Kunci itu saya cari di lemari.

What’s the possessive for “my key” or “his/her key”?

• kunci saya = my key (neutral).
• kunciku = my key (informal).
• kuncinya = his/her key, or “the key” depending on context.

Is there a related verb meaning “to lock”?

Yes, mengunci means “to lock.” Example: Saya mengunci lemari (I lock the cabinet).

Any spelling tips for di here?

As a preposition, di is written separately: di lemari. Don’t write dilemari. By contrast, the passive prefix di- attaches to verbs (e.g., dicari).

How do I pronounce the tricky parts?

• c is like English ch: mencari = men-CHA-ree.
• u is like “oo” in “food”: kunci = KOON-chee.
  Stress is light and fairly even.

Can I use the base cari instead of mencari?

Yes. In speech you’ll often hear Saya cari kunci di lemari, which is perfectly natural. Cari kunci di lemari is an imperative (command).

How would I ask “Where are you looking (for it)” in this style?

Use di mana: Kamu mencari kuncinya di mana? More formal: Anda mencari kuncinya di mana? You can also say Kamu cari di mana? if context makes the object clear.

How do I add time like past, present, or future?

Indonesian uses time words: tadi/barusan (earlier/just now), sekarang (now), nanti (later), besok (tomorrow), akan (will). Example: Saya tadi mencari kunci di lemari (earlier), Saya akan mencari kunci di lemari (will).

Is memeriksa or mengecek a good substitute for mencari here?

They’re different. Memeriksa/mengecek lemari means check/inspect the cabinet. Mencari kunci di lemari specifically means you’re trying to find the key, with the cabinet as the search location.

How would I say “the key that is in the cabinet” if I want to specify which key?

Use yang for a relative clause: kunci yang ada di lemari. Then you can continue: Saya mencari kunci yang ada di lemari.