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Kami membayar tunai di kantin sekolah.

Kami membayar tunai di kantin sekolah.
We pay in cash at the school canteen.

Breakdown of Kami membayar tunai di kantin sekolah.

di
at
kami
we
membayar
to pay
kantin sekolah
the school canteen
tunai
in cash
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Questions & Answers about Kami membayar tunai di kantin sekolah.

What’s the difference between kami and kita?
  • kami = we (excluding the listener). The listener is not part of the group. Example: Kami membayar tunai di kantin sekolah (you’re not included).
  • kita = we (including the listener). Example: Kita membayar tunai di kantin sekolah (you and I pay cash at the school canteen).
  • If you’re talking to a cashier about you and your friends (not including the cashier), use kami. If you include the person you’re talking to, use kita.
Does this mean “we pay” or “we paid”? How do tenses work here?
  • Indonesian doesn’t change the verb for tense. Kami membayar can mean past, present, or habitual, depending on context.
  • Add markers/time words for clarity:
    • Past/completed: Kami sudah membayar tunai; Kami tadi membayar tunai.
    • Ongoing: Kami sedang membayar tunai.
    • Future: Kami akan membayar tunai.
    • Habit: Kami biasanya membayar tunai.
Can I say kami bayar instead of kami membayar?
  • Yes. bayar (bare stem) is common and more casual; membayar is more formal/complete.
  • All fine in speech: Kami bayar tunai, Kita bayar tunai. In formal writing, prefer membayar.
Is tunai the only way to say “in cash”?
  • Common options:
    • tunai (standard/neutral): Kami membayar tunai.
    • cash (very colloquial, from English): Kami bayar cash.
    • kontan (ads/older/formal feel; often “cash and immediately”): Kami bayar kontan.
  • Note: lunas means “paid off in full,” not specifically “in cash.”
Why use di here? Could it be ke or pada?
  • di = at/in (location): di kantin sekolah = at the school canteen.
  • ke = to/toward (movement): Pergi ke kantin, not for location of the action.
  • pada is used with recipients/time/abstract relations: membayar pada kasir (to the cashier) is possible but sounds formal; for place, stick with di.
Can I move the place phrase around?
  • Yes, word order is flexible for emphasis:
    • Neutral: Kami membayar tunai di kantin sekolah.
    • Emphasis on location: Di kantin sekolah, kami membayar tunai.
    • You can also say: Kami di kantin sekolah membayar tunai (heavier style).
Does kantin sekolah mean any school canteen or our school’s canteen?
  • Indonesian has no articles (“the/a”). kantin sekolah is general: “the/a school canteen.”
  • To specify:
    • Our school’s canteen: di kantin sekolah kami.
    • That school’s canteen: di kantin sekolah itu.
  • Structure: head noun first, modifier second. kantin sekolah = a canteen belonging to a school.
Can I omit the subject kami?
  • In casual speech, if context is clear, you can drop it: Bayar tunai di kantin sekolah.
  • Note:
    • Bayar tunai… can sound like an imperative (“Pay cash…”).
    • As an answer to a question, fragments are fine: Tunai, di kantin sekolah.
    • Membayar tunai… without a subject sounds odd as a standalone sentence.
What’s the difference between membayar and membayarkan?
  • membayar = to pay (neutral). Example: Saya membayar makan siang.
  • membayarkan = to pay something for someone else (benefactive) or on someone’s behalf. Example: Saya membayarkan makan siang adik.
  • If you’re just stating how you paid, use membayar/bayar.
What’s the deal with di spacing and the passive form?
  • Preposition di is written separately before places: di kantin, di sekolah.
  • Prefix di- attaches to verbs to form the passive: dibayar = “(is/was) paid.” Example: Makanannya dibayar tunai di kantin sekolah.
  • Don’t confuse them: di kantin (space) vs dibayar (no space).
Does membayar need an object here?
  • It can, but it doesn’t have to. When you focus on the method/location, the object can be understood from context.
  • With object: Kami membayar (uang) makanannya tunai, Kami membayar uang sekolah tunai.
  • Without object (as in your sentence) is natural if it’s clear what was paid.
What’s the nuance difference among kantin, kafetaria, and warung?
  • kantin: a canteen, especially at a school/campus/office.
  • kafetaria: cafeteria; heard but less common than kantin in school contexts.
  • warung: a small, usually family-run eatery/shop; not specifically tied to a school.
Any quick pronunciation tips for the whole sentence?
  • Stress usually on the second-to-last syllable.
  • Rough guide: ka-MI mem-BAY-ar TU-nai di KAN-tin sə-KO-lah.
  • Notes:
    • se- in sekolah is a schwa-like sound (like the ‘a’ in “about”).
    • ai in tunai sounds like “eye.”
    • Vowels are pure and short; consonants are pronounced clearly.
How would people say this naturally at the counter?
  • Very common, polite snippets:
    • Saya bayar tunai, ya.
    • Bayar tunai saja.
    • Mau bayar cash.
    • If including the listener in “we”: Kita bayar tunai, ya.