Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Menurut saya, layanan di rumah sakit baru itu tidak sama baiknya dengan yang lama. - In my opinion, the service at that new hospital is not as good as the old one.

Menurut saya literally means “according to me” and is a neutral, polite way to introduce an opinion. It most naturally comes at the beginning, but you can also place it mid‑sentence or at the end:

Beginning: Menurut saya, ...
Mid: Layanan di rumah sakit baru itu, menurut saya, ...
End: Layanan di rumah sakit baru itu tidak sebaik yang lama, menurut saya.

Alternatives (different registers): Saya rasa..., Saya pikir..., Bagi saya..., Menurutku... (informal), Menurut gue... (very informal).

Why is itu placed after rumah sakit baru (rumah sakit baru itu) and not before?

In Indonesian, demonstratives like itu follow the noun phrase: rumah sakit baru itu = “that new hospital.” If you put itu before (itu rumah sakit baru), it reads as a separate pronoun “that,” often meaning “that is a new hospital,” not modifying the noun phrase.

Do I need di before rumah sakit? Could I use pada?

Use di for physical locations: di rumah sakit (at the hospital). Pada is more formal/abstract (often for time, recipients, or non-spatial relations). Pada rumah sakit is uncommon in this sense; stick with di.

What’s the difference between layanan and pelayanan here?

They overlap, but:

layanan = the service(s) as received (the output).
pelayanan = the act/process of serving (the service delivery). In this sentence, both are acceptable. Pelayanan can sound a bit more formal/bureaucratic. Many natives would say pelayanan in healthcare contexts too.

Is tidak sama baiknya dengan natural, or is there a shorter way to say “not as good as”?

It’s grammatical, but the shorter, more idiomatic choice is tidak sebaik:

Menurut saya, (pe)layanan di rumah sakit baru itu tidak sebaik yang lama.

What does the -nya in baiknya do? Is it required?

With sama, adding -nya to the adjective is a common, natural pattern to form “(equally) as [adj]”: sama baiknya (as good). You’ll also hear sama baik, but sama baiknya is more idiomatic. With the shorter se- form, you don’t use -nya: sebaik.

Important: sebaiknya is a different word meaning “it’s advisable/should,” not “as good.” Don’t say tidak sebaiknya here.

Why is it tidak and not bukan?

Tidak negates adjectives, verbs, and phrases like sama baiknya. Bukan negates nouns/pronouns. Since baik is an adjective, use tidak.

What exactly does yang lama refer to?

Yang + adjective nominalizes the adjective: yang lama = “the old one.” Here it stands for rumah sakit yang lama (the old hospital). It’s a concise way to avoid repeating rumah sakit.

Can I say dengan yang lama itu?

Yes. Adding itu can emphasize a specific, known referent: ... tidak sebaik/sama baiknya dengan yang lama itu. You can also be explicit: ... dengan rumah sakit yang lama.

Can I use daripada in this sentence?

Use daripada with comparative lebih, not with sama/se-:

Correct: (pe)layanan di RS lama lebih baik daripada di RS baru.
Correct: ... tidak sebaik yang lama. (no daripada)
Avoid: tidak sama baiknya daripada ...

You can also use dibanding(kan) (dengan) similarly to daripada.

What’s the difference between tidak sama baiknya and sama tidak baiknya?

tidak sama baiknya (dengan X) = “not as good as X.”
sama tidak baiknya (dengan X) = “equally not good as X” (both are equally poor). Very different meanings.

How do I say “as good as” in the affirmative?

Two common ways:

Sama baiknya dengan: Layanan di RS baru itu sama baiknya dengan yang lama. (as good as)
Sebaik: Layanan di RS baru itu sebaik yang lama. (as good as)

Does baru here mean “new” or “just (now)”?

Baru can mean both, but position tells you: after a noun, it’s an adjective “new” (rumah sakit baru = new hospital). As an adverb meaning “just/only recently,” it typically appears before verbs/clauses: Saya baru tiba (I just arrived).

Is layanan singular or plural? How would I show plurality if needed?

Indonesian doesn’t mark plural by default; layanan can mean “service” or “services.” To emphasize plurality, you can say berbagai layanan (various services) or layanan-layanan (reduplication, more formal/rare in this context).

Can I drop di and say layanan rumah sakit baru itu?

Layanan di rumah sakit baru itu = the service at that specific hospital (location-based).
Layanan rumah sakit baru itu can mean “that new hospital’s services” or “hospital services (of that hospital)”—more of a possessive/institutional relationship. Both are possible; di makes the locational meaning explicit.

Any other natural ways to soften the comparison?

Yes:

... kurang baik dibanding(kan) yang lama. (“less good than,” milder)
... lebih buruk daripada yang lama. (“worse than,” stronger)