Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Ayah melarang kami bermain di jalan gelap. - Father forbids us to play on the dark road.

Yes. The root is larang (forbid). Adding the meN- prefix makes the active transitive verb melarang (to forbid/prohibit). The common pattern is: melarang + [person] + (untuk) + [verb].

Do we need untuk before bermain?

No. Both melarang kami bermain and melarang kami untuk bermain are heard, but the version without untuk is the standard and more concise. Many editors prefer dropping untuk after verbs like melarang, menyuruh, meminta when followed by another verb.

Why is it kami, not kita?

Kami excludes the listener; kita includes the listener. So Ayah melarang kami... means Dad forbids us (but not you, the person being spoken to). If Dad is talking to the kids including the addressee, he would say Ayah melarang kita bermain....

Can we omit kami and just say Ayah melarang bermain di jalan gelap?

Generally no, because melarang expects an object (who is being forbidden). Without kami, it sounds incomplete or like a sign-like statement. For a general prohibition, use the impersonal passive: Dilarang bermain di jalan gelap. If you want to keep the affected group, use the passive with a subject: Kami dilarang bermain di jalan gelap.

What tense is this—present or past?

Indonesian verbs don’t inflect for tense. Ayah melarang... can mean Dad forbids (now/habitually) or Dad forbade (in the past). Add time words if needed: tadi (earlier), tadi malam (last night), sudah (already), selalu (always), akan (will).

How would the passive form look?

Kami dilarang bermain di jalan gelap (oleh Ayah). This emphasizes the affected group (kami). On signs and rules, you’ll often see the impersonal passive: Dilarang bermain di jalan gelap. The agent oleh Ayah is optional and usually omitted.

Why is Ayah capitalized here?

Capitalize Ayah when it functions like a name or form of address (Dad). Use lowercase when it’s a common noun: ayah saya (my father). Another respectful term you’ll hear is Bapak; e.g., Bapak melarang kami....

What’s the difference between bermain, main, and bermain-main?

Bermain is the standard form meaning to play. Main is very common in informal speech and has the same meaning. Bermain-main means to mess around or fool around, often implying not being serious.

Why use di here? How does di compare with ke and dari?

Di marks location (at/in/on): di jalan (on the street). Ke marks movement to a place: ke jalan (to the street). Dari marks movement from a place: dari jalan (from the street).

I see di both as a separate word and as a prefix. What’s the spelling rule?

When di is a preposition meaning at/in/on, it’s written separately: di jalan, di rumah. When di- is the passive prefix, it attaches to the verb: dilarang, dibaca. So dilarang is one word, but di jalan has a space.

Why is it jalan gelap and not gelap jalan? Do we need yang?

In Indonesian, adjectives usually follow the noun: jalan gelap (dark road). Yang isn’t required for a simple adjective. You add yang for fuller descriptions or when the modifier is longer: jalan yang gelap sekali, jalan yang tidak terang.

What’s the nuance difference between jalan and jalanan?

Jalan refers to a specific road/street. Jalanan often means the streets in general or the roadway/street life. Di jalan gelap is natural for a particular dark street; di jalanan gelap can sound more like out on dark streets in general.

There’s no word for “a/the.” How do we know which one it is?

Indonesian has no articles. Jalan gelap can mean either “a dark street” or “the dark street,” decided by context. To make it specific, add a determiner: di jalan gelap itu (on that dark street), di jalan ini (on this street), or a name: di Jalan Merpati.

Can I say di jalan gelap itu or di jalan yang gelap itu to specify “that dark street”?

Yes. Both are acceptable. Di jalan gelap itu is shorter; di jalan yang gelap itu adds a slight emphasis on the descriptive phrase.

Are there gentler or alternative ways to express melarang?

Yes. Tidak mengizinkan (does not permit) is softer: Ayah tidak mengizinkan kami bermain di jalan gelap. In speech you also hear: Ayah bilang kami tidak boleh bermain di jalan gelap. Melarang can feel stronger or more formal.

Any quick pronunciation tips for key words?

Ayah: two syllables, a-yah; final h is audible.
Melarang: me-la-rang; ng is like the sound in English “sing”; r is tapped/rolled.
Gelap: ge-lap; g is hard as in “go,” e is like a schwa.
Jalan: ja-lan; j as in “jump.”