Saya minum setengah gelas teh saja.

I only drink half a glass of tea.

Breakdown of Saya minum setengah gelas teh saja.

• saya: I
• minum: to drink
• teh: the tea
• gelas: the glass
• setengah: half
• saja: only

Questions & Answers about Saya minum setengah gelas teh saja.

What does the word saja do here? Can I replace it with hanya or cuma?

Saja means only/just and limits what comes right before it. Here it narrows the amount: only half a glass of tea. You can replace it with:

• Hanya (neutral/formal, placed before the verb or noun phrase): Saya hanya minum setengah gelas teh.
• Cuma (informal): Saya cuma minum setengah gelas teh.
• Aja (colloquial form of saja): Saya minum setengah gelas teh aja.
• Doang (very colloquial/Jakarta slang): Saya minum setengah gelas teh doang.

Can I drop the subject saya or use aku instead?

Yes. Indonesian often drops the subject when it’s clear from context: (Saya) minum setengah gelas teh saja. You can also use aku in casual contexts: Aku minum setengah gelas teh aja. Use saya in neutral/polite speech; aku is intimate/casual; regional options include gue (Jakarta slang).

How does tense work with minum? How do I say drink/drank/will drink?

Indonesian verbs don’t change for tense. Minum can mean drink/drank/will drink, depending on context or time words:

• Ongoing: Saya sedang minum…
• Already: Saya sudah minum…
• Just now: Saya baru minum…
• Future: Saya akan minum…
• Time adverbs: tadi (earlier), nanti (later), besok (tomorrow), etc.

Why is it setengah gelas teh and not setengah teh gelas?

The pattern is fraction/number + measure/container + content. So: setengah gelas teh = half a glass of tea. Compare:

• segelas air (a glass of water)
• dua piring nasi (two plates of rice)
• seperempat cangkir gula (a quarter cup of sugar)

Is gelas acting like a classifier here?

Yes. Gelas is a measure/container noun (used like a classifier) indicating the unit. You can say segelas teh (one glass of tea), tiga gelas air (three glasses of water), setengah gelas teh (half a glass of tea).

Why not say setengah segelas teh?

Because se- already means one. Segelas = one glass. You don’t say “half of one glass” as setengah segelas; you drop the se- and say setengah gelas teh.

What’s the difference between gelas and cangkir?

• Gelas = glass/tumbler (typically for cold drinks; often transparent).
• Cangkir = cup (with handle; typically ceramic; often for hot drinks). So you’ll hear segelas teh for iced tea and secangkir teh for hot tea. Half amounts follow the same logic: setengah gelas teh vs setengah cangkir teh.

Can saja be placed elsewhere? Does the meaning change?

Yes, placement shifts what is limited:

• Saya minum setengah gelas teh saja. Only the amount is limited (only half a glass).
• Saya minum teh saja. Only the drink choice is limited (tea only).
• Saya saja minum setengah gelas teh. Only I (nobody else) drank half a glass of tea.
• Minum saja. In an imperative this means just drink (go ahead).

Is this sentence ambiguous between only half a glass and only tea?

By default, saja at the end after setengah gelas teh limits the amount: only half a glass. If you mean only tea (not coffee/juice), say Saya minum teh saja (amount unspecified) or Saya hanya minum teh, setengah gelas. for clarity.

Could I use meminum instead of minum?

Grammatically yes: Saya meminum setengah gelas teh saja. But meminum is formal/literary and less common in everyday speech. People generally use minum, even with objects. You will see meminum more with obat (medicine), though minum obat is also very common.

Is setengah the only way to say half? What about separuh or setengahnya?

• Setengah and separuh are synonyms; separuh can feel a bit more formal/literary: Saya minum separuh gelas teh.
• Setengahnya/separuhnya = half of it (needs a referent): Saya minum setengahnya.

How do I say two and a half glasses of tea?

Put the mixed number before the measure: Saya minum dua setengah gelas teh. (2.5 glasses). Don’t say dua gelas setengah teh.

How do I negate the “only” idea correctly?

Use a contrast construction:

• Neutral: Saya tidak hanya minum setengah gelas teh; saya minum dua gelas.
• Informal: Saya bukan cuma minum setengah gelas teh; saya minum dua gelas. Avoid Saya tidak minum setengah gelas teh saja for this meaning; it’s awkward/unclear.

Why is there no word for of, like of tea?

Indonesian often expresses of with a noun–noun sequence where the head comes first: gelas teh (glass of tea), piring nasi (plate of rice), botol susu (bottle of milk).

Do I need articles like a or the for teh?

No. Indonesian has no articles. Indefinite is default. To make it definite/specific, add itu or context: Saya minum setengah gelas teh itu (I drank half of that tea).

Is teh setengah gelas acceptable?

As a quantity phrase before the noun, the natural order is setengah gelas teh. Teh setengah gelas can appear in specific structures (e.g., as a subject: Teh setengah gelas sudah cukup = Half a glass of tea is enough), but not as the normal object phrase after minum.

Any quick pronunciation tips?

• saya: SA-ya
• minum: MEE-noom
• setengah: suh-TENG-ah (e is a schwa)
• gelas: guh-LAS
• teh: teh (final h is light)
• saja: SA-jah (j as in English jam)

Can I drop teh and still be grammatical?

Yes, but you lose the content: Saya minum setengah gelas saja = I drink only half a glass (of something). Context must supply what it is.