Tas kecil itu tidak muat untuk dua mangkuk.

That small bag does not fit two bowls.

Breakdown of Tas kecil itu tidak muat untuk dua mangkuk.

• itu: that
• tidak: not
• untuk: for
• kecil: small
• tas: the bag
• dua: two
• mangkuk: the bowl
• muat: to fit

Questions & Answers about Tas kecil itu tidak muat untuk dua mangkuk.

What exactly does the word muat mean here, and how do I use it?

Muat means “to fit / to have enough capacity (to hold).” It’s used when talking about containers, spaces, or clothing having (or lacking) room. You can use it directly with what fits, or with untuk + noun phrase.

• Tas ini muat dua buku. (This bag fits two books.)
• Garasi itu muat untuk satu mobil. (That garage fits one car.) Opposite: tidak muat = doesn’t fit.

Why is it tidak and not bukan?

Use tidak to negate verbs and adjectives, and bukan to negate nouns/pronouns. Here, muat functions like a verb/adjective (“fit”), so the correct negator is tidak.

• Ini bukan tas saya. (This is not my bag.)
• Tas ini tidak muat. (This bag doesn’t fit/has no room.)

Why is the adjective after the noun (why tas kecil, not “kecil tas”)?

In Indonesian, descriptive adjectives typically follow the noun: tas kecil, mobil merah, rumah besar. If you say tas itu kecil, that’s a full sentence meaning “the bag is small,” not a noun phrase.

What does itu mean here, and why is it placed at the end?

Itu means “that” and often marks definiteness (“that/the”). Demonstratives ini/itu come after the noun phrase: tas kecil itu = “that small bag / the small bag.” Using ini instead would mean “this small bag”: tas kecil ini.

Is untuk required in tidak muat untuk dua mangkuk?

No. Both are natural:

• Tas kecil itu tidak muat dua mangkuk.
• Tas kecil itu tidak muat untuk dua mangkuk. Adding untuk slightly highlights the purpose (“for two bowls”), but the meaning is the same.

Do I need to say “in the bag,” like di (dalam) tas?

Not when the container is the subject; muat already implies inside it. If you make the items the subject, add a location:

• Dua mangkuk itu tidak muat di tas kecil itu. (Two bowls don’t fit in that small bag.) Use di for location (“in”), ke dalam for movement (“into”).

Why isn’t there a plural ending on mangkuk?

Indonesian doesn’t mark plural with endings. Numerals already show number, so dua mangkuk = “two bowls.” Reduplication for plural (mangkuk-mangkuk) is not used with numbers.

Can I use a classifier like buah: dua buah mangkuk?

You can, and it’s grammatically fine, but it’s usually unnecessary here. The most natural is simply dua mangkuk. Buah is a general classifier often used when there’s no natural measure word or to add formality/emphasis.

I’ve seen mangkok—is that different from mangkuk?

Mangkuk is the standard spelling; mangkok is a very common colloquial variant. Use mangkuk in formal writing. Pronunciation is the same in practice.

Can muat be used for clothes, like “This shirt doesn’t fit”?

Yes: Baju ini tidak muat (untuk saya). You can also say Baju ini kekecilan (“this shirt is too small”) or Bajunya pas (“the shirt fits just right”). Cocok means “suitable/appropriate,” not physical fit.

Can I use buat instead of untuk?

In casual speech, yes: Tas kecil itu nggak muat buat dua mangkuk. In neutral/formal contexts, stick with untuk.

What about memuat—is that the same as muat?

Related but different in usage. Memuat often means “to load/carry” (a vehicle) or “to publish/contain” (a newspaper/webpage): Truk itu memuat pasir; Koran itu memuat artikel. For everyday “fit/have room,” use muat, not memuat.

Could I express the idea with “too small,” like terlalu kecil?

Yes: Tas kecil itu terlalu kecil untuk dua mangkuk or Tas kecil itu tidak cukup besar untuk dua mangkuk. These explain the reason (size), whereas tidak muat states the capacity outcome.