Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kami membeli macam-macam sayur segar di supermarket. - We buy various kinds of fresh vegetables at the supermarket.

kami excludes the listener (we = me + others, not you).
kita includes the listener (we = you and I and maybe others). So this sentence says the listener was not part of the buying group.

Why is it membeli and not just beli?

beli is the root verb. membeli is the standard active transitive form with the meN- prefix (here it surfaces as mem- before b). In casual speech, people often use beli without the prefix: Kami beli… is fine in conversation. In writing or formal speech, prefer membeli.

How do I say past, present, or future here? There’s no tense marking.

Indonesian verbs don’t change for tense. You add time/aspect words:

Past: tadi, kemarin, sudah (already) → Kami sudah membeli…
Progressive: sedang, lagi → Kami sedang membeli…
Future: akan, nanti → Kami akan membeli… Without markers, context decides.

What exactly does macam-macam mean, and why the repetition?

macam-macam literally “kinds-kinds,” i.e., various kinds/assorted. Reduplication often signals plurality/variety. Natural synonyms: bermacam-macam, berbagai, aneka. Note: in a different context, macam-macam! can mean “don’t mess around,” but here it’s just “various.”

Do I need the hyphen in macam-macam?

Yes in standard writing. Reduplicated words are written with a hyphen (macam-macam, orang-orang). You’ll see it without the hyphen in texts/chats, but the hyphen is the norm.

Why sayur and not sayuran? Are they different?

sayur = vegetable (can be singular or plural depending on context).
sayuran = vegetables as a category/collection; also common in markets. With macam-macam, many speakers prefer macam-macam sayuran (various vegetables), but macam-macam sayur is also acceptable. sayur-sayuran further emphasizes variety.

Is the adjective order correct in sayur segar? Do I need yang?

Adjectives come after nouns, so sayur segar is correct. sayur yang segar is also correct and slightly more specific/contrastive (“the vegetables that are fresh”), often used when distinguishing from not-fresh ones.

Why di supermarket and not ke supermarket?

di marks location (at/in/on). ke marks movement (to). The sentence states where the buying happened (at the supermarket), so di is right. If you emphasize going there, you’d use ke: Kami pergi ke supermarket.

What’s the difference between di (separate) and di- (attached)?

di as a preposition is written separately: di supermarket.
di- as a passive prefix attaches to verbs: dibeli (was bought). Don’t confuse the spacing.

Can I move parts around, like putting di supermarket first?

Yes. Indonesian word order is flexible for topicalization:

Kami membeli macam-macam sayur segar di supermarket.
Di supermarket, kami membeli macam-macam sayur segar. Keep macam-macam before the noun it modifies; sayur segar macam-macam is unnatural.

Can I use berbagai or bermacam-macam instead of macam-macam?

Yes:

berbagai sayur segar
bermacam-macam sayur(an) segar All mean various kinds, with minor stylistic differences (bermacam-macam a bit more formal than bare macam-macam). You can also say berbagai jenis sayur segar (“various types of fresh vegetables”).

What’s the difference between macam-macam and banyak?

macam-macam = variety (many kinds).
banyak = quantity (a lot/many). You can combine them: banyak macam sayur or better berbagai macam sayur if you want to stress both amount and variety.

Are there articles like “a/the” in Indonesian?

No. di supermarket can mean “at a supermarket” or “at the supermarket,” depending on context. If you really need “a,” you can add a classifier like sebuah: di sebuah supermarket.

How is macam pronounced? Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

c is pronounced like English “ch”: macam = MA-cham.
segar has a schwa-like first vowel: sə-GAR (r is tapped/rolled).
di is “dee.” Loanword supermarket is pronounced close to English but with Indonesian vowels: soo-per-MAR-ket.

Is it okay to drop the subject in casual speech?

Yes, if context makes it clear: Beli macam-macam sayur segar di supermarket. Omitting kami is common in conversation.

What about membelikan vs membeli?

membeli = buy something.
membelikan (seseorang) (sesuatu) = buy something for someone (benefactive).
Example: Kami membelikan Ibu sayur segar = We bought Mom some fresh vegetables. If you use membeli, add untuk: membeli sayur untuk Ibu.