Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Nama yang absen dicatat oleh guru. - The names of those absent are recorded by the teacher.

Yang introduces a relative clause that modifies a noun. Nama yang absen literally means “names that are absent,” i.e., “the names of those who are absent.” So yang absen describes which names.

Is absen an adjective or a verb in this sentence?

Functionally it behaves like a stative adjective (“absent”), but in Indonesian many adjectives can also function like verbs. In a yang-clause, yang absen = “that/who are absent.”

Why can Indonesian say nama yang absen when names themselves aren’t “absent”?

It’s a common shorthand meaning “the names of people/students who are absent.” More explicit versions are:

Nama siswa yang absen
Nama-nama siswa yang tidak hadir

Can I drop yang and say nama absen?

No. Yang is needed to form the relative clause. Nama absen is not idiomatic here and could be misunderstood (e.g., as a set phrase like “attendance name,” which isn’t how it’s used).

How do I make “names” explicitly plural?

Indonesian doesn’t require plural marking. Context usually suffices. If you want to be explicit, use reduplication: nama-nama. Example: Nama-nama yang absen... You wouldn’t use para with nama, but you could say nama para siswa yang absen.

What is the role of dicatat?

Dicatat is the passive form of catat (“to note/record”). Di- marks the passive: “is/are recorded.”

Is oleh guru required in the passive?

No. The agent phrase is optional. Variants:

Keep it (more formal/explicit): ... dicatat oleh guru.
Drop it but keep the agent as a bare NP (common, especially in speech): ... dicatat guru.
Omit the agent entirely if it’s obvious or unimportant: ... dicatat.

Where does the agent phrase go?

After the verb. Correct: Nama yang absen dicatat oleh guru. Don’t split nama and its yang-clause; avoid: ✗ Nama yang absen oleh guru dicatat.

How do I say this in active voice?

Guru mencatat nama (siswa) yang absen. Active voice highlights the actor (guru). Passive voice highlights the patient (nama...).

Does dicatat carry tense? Is this past or present?

Indonesian doesn’t mark tense on the verb. Use particles/adverbs if needed:

Past/completed: sudah/telah dicatat
Progressive: sedang dicatat
Future: akan dicatat

What’s the difference between dicatat and tercatat?

Dicatat = “(is) recorded (by someone)”—an action by an agent.
Tercatat = “(is) on record / has ended up recorded” (often result/state, sometimes unintentional or agentless). Example: Nama yang absen sudah tercatat.

Spelling check: dicatat or di catat?

Dicatat (one word). Di- as a passive prefix attaches to the verb. The separate di (preposition “at/in/on”) is only separate before a noun, e.g., di sekolah.

Can I use sama instead of oleh?

In informal speech, yes: ... dicatat sama guru. In formal writing, prefer oleh or omit the agent.

Could yang absen be read as modifying guru?

Only if you move it: ... dicatat oleh guru yang absen would mean “recorded by the teacher who is absent” (odd). In the given sentence, yang absen is adjacent to nama, so it modifies nama.

Is there any nuance difference between absen and tidak hadir?

They overlap. Tidak hadir is neutral/formal “not present.” Absen is very common and slightly more colloquial. For formal writing, tidak hadir or ketidakhadiran (absence, noun) may be preferred.

Are there more natural alternatives?

Common options:

Guru mencatat nama-nama siswa yang absen.
Nama siswa yang tidak hadir dicatat oleh guru.
For roll call: Guru mengabsen siswa (“takes attendance”). Also nouns like absensi (attendance) and daftar hadir (attendance list) are common.