Saya makan siang di kantin sekolah.

I eat lunch at the school canteen.

Breakdown of Saya makan siang di kantin sekolah.

• saya: I
• di: at
• sekolah: the school
• kantin: the canteen
• makan siang: to have lunch

Questions & Answers about Saya makan siang di kantin sekolah.

Is “makan siang” a single verb or just “makan” + “siang”? Do I translate it as “to have lunch”?

It’s two words: makan (to eat) + siang (midday/afternoon). Together they form a fixed expression that functions as a verb phrase meaning “to have/eat lunch.” It can also be a noun phrase meaning “lunch,” depending on context.

• Verb use: Saya makan siang...
• Noun use: Makan siang saya enak. (My lunch is tasty.)

How is tense shown here? Does it mean I ate, am eating, or will eat?

Indonesian verbs don’t inflect for tense; context or time words show time.

• Present/progressive: Saya sedang makan siang...
• Past/completed: Saya sudah/tadi makan siang...
• Future/intended: Saya akan/nanti makan siang...

Where is “the/a” before “school canteen”? How do I make it specific or generic?

Indonesian has no articles. di kantin sekolah can mean “at the school canteen” or “at a school canteen,” depending on context. To be specific, add:

• Demonstrative: di kantin sekolah itu (that/specific school canteen)
• Possessor: di kantin sekolah saya (my school’s canteen)

What does di mean compared with ke and dari?

• di = at/in/on (static location): di kantin sekolah
• ke = to/toward (movement): ke kantin sekolah
• dari = from (origin): dari kantin sekolah

Why is di written separately here, but sometimes I see di- attached to a word?

• Separate di = preposition “at/in/on”: di kantin, di sekolah
• Attached di- = passive verb prefix: dibaca (is/was read), dimakan (is/was eaten) So: preposition is separate; passive prefix is attached.

Is kantin sekolah a possessive like “school’s canteen”? How do I say “my school’s canteen”?

kantin sekolah is a noun–noun compound: “school canteen” (canteen of a school). For “my school’s canteen,” say kantin sekolah saya or kantin sekolahku. You can also use kantin sekolahnya for “the school’s canteen” or “his/her school’s canteen,” depending on context.

Can I omit the subject Saya?

Yes. Subjects are often dropped when understood:

• Makan siang di kantin sekolah. This is fine in context (e.g., answering “Where are you?”). In isolation it can sound like a note/headline.

What’s the difference between saya, aku, and gue? Which fits here?

• saya: neutral/polite; safe in most situations (fits here).
• aku: informal/intimate with friends/family.
• gue (or gua): very informal Jakarta slang. Use the form that matches your relationship and setting.

How do I say “I’m in the middle of having lunch at the school canteen”?

Use a progressive marker:

• Neutral: Saya sedang makan siang di kantin sekolah.
• Colloquial: Saya lagi makan siang di kantin sekolah.

How do I say “I already had lunch at the school canteen”?

• Saya sudah makan siang di kantin sekolah.
• To mean earlier today, you can also say: Tadi saya makan siang di kantin sekolah.

Can I front the place phrase for emphasis?

Yes. Fronting is common for emphasis/topic setting:

• Di kantin sekolah, saya makan siang. A comma after a fronted adverbial is common but not mandatory.

Does di mean “at” or “in”? What if I want to stress “inside”?

di covers “at/in/on.” If you want to emphasize being inside, use di dalam:

• Saya makan siang di dalam kantin sekolah.

Should I add sebuah to say “at a school canteen”?

You can, but it’s optional. sebuah literally means “one (unit)” and can function like “a/an”:

• di sebuah kantin sekolah = at a (certain) school canteen Use it when you want to highlight “one, unspecified canteen.” Often it’s omitted.

Is kantin the only word I can use? What about kafetaria or warung?

• kantin: canteen/cafeteria inside an institution (school, office).
• kafetaria: also used; slightly more international-sounding.
• warung: small shop/food stall; not necessarily inside a school (more like a casual eatery or kiosk nearby).

What time range does siang cover, and what are the other meal words?

siang is roughly late morning to mid-afternoon (about 11:00–15:00). Common meal terms:

• sarapan = breakfast
• makan siang = lunch
• makan malam = dinner (standard; makan sore exists regionally but is less common)