Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kami selalu membayar tunai di toko itu.

Kami means we (excluding the listener). It’s used when the speaker’s group does something, but the person being spoken to is not part of that group.
Kita means we (including the listener). Use it if the listener is part of the group that pays cash at that store.

Examples:

If you’re telling a friend who never goes there with you: Kami selalu membayar tunai di toko itu.
If you’re talking to teammates who also shop there with you: Kita selalu membayar tunai di toko itu.

Why “membayar” and not just “bayar”? What’s the difference?

membayar is the standard active verb with the prefix meN-, common in neutral/formal Indonesian.
bayar is the bare root. It’s very common in speech and informal writing, and after certain auxiliaries/modals (e.g., mau, bisa, harus) you often hear the bare root.

So, both are natural depending on register:

Neutral/formal: Kami selalu membayar tunai...
Colloquial: Kami/Kita selalu bayar tunai...

Note on morphology: with a root starting in b (bayar), meN- surfaces as mem- → mem + bayar = membayar.

What exactly does tunai mean? Is it a noun or adjective? Are there synonyms?

tunai means cash / in cash. It’s an adjective but is often used adverbially after verbs of paying.
Natural variants:
- membayar tunai
- membayar dengan uang tunai (explicit “with cash”)
- pembayaran tunai (noun phrase: “cash payment”)
Synonym: kontan (also “cash, on the spot,” slightly more old-fashioned/formal in some contexts).
Borrowed English you may hear: cash (informal speech), but tunai is the safe standard word.

Can I say membayar dengan tunai or membayar secara tunai?

membayar dengan uang tunai is very natural.
membayar tunai is the most concise and common.
membayar secara tunai is acceptable and sounds more formal/bureaucratic.
membayar dengan tunai is understood, but adding uang makes it sound more natural: dengan uang tunai.

Where should selalu go? Could I place it elsewhere?

Default position: after the subject and before the verb: Kami selalu membayar...
You can front it for emphasis (more literary/formal): Selalu kami membayar...
Don’t put it between verb and its complement in a way that breaks the verb phrase unnaturally. Prefer:
- Kami selalu membayar tunai di toko itu.
- Di toko itu, kami selalu membayar tunai. (topicalizing the place)

How is tense expressed here? Does this mean present, past, or future?

Indonesian doesn’t mark tense on the verb. Kami selalu membayar tunai di toko itu expresses a habitual action. Add time words if you need tense/aspect:

Past habitual: Dulu, kami selalu membayar tunai di toko itu.
Present/future emphasis: Kami akan selalu membayar tunai di toko itu.
Completed habit up to now (context-dependent): Kami selalu sudah membayar tunai di toko itu is odd; better to specify time: Selama ini, kami selalu membayar tunai di toko itu.

Is di the right preposition? Could I use ke or pada instead?

di marks location (“at/in”): di toko itu = “at that store.”
ke marks movement/direction (“to”): use it with motion verbs, not here.
pada can mean “at/on/to” in formal contexts, but with places, di is standard. Use kepada for recipients (people/institutions), e.g., membayar kepada kasir (“pay to the cashier”).

What does itu do after toko? Why not put it before?

Demonstratives follow nouns in Indonesian: toko itu = “that store” (specific, previously known/indicated).
itu toko is not the normal noun phrase order. If you need a distant “there,” use di sana.
More formal synonym: toko tersebut (“the aforementioned store”).

Can I replace di toko itu with di sana?

di toko itu = “at that (specific) store,” anchored to a known referent.
di sana = “there,” a location without naming it. Use it if the store is obvious from context or pointing: Kami selalu membayar tunai di sana. It’s less specific than naming the store.

Can I front the place phrase?

Yes. For emphasis or flow:

Di toko itu, kami selalu membayar tunai. Meaning is unchanged; you’re just topicalizing the location.

How would I say the opposite, i.e., “We never pay cash at that store”?

Use tidak pernah (“never”):

Kami tidak pernah membayar tunai di toko itu. Avoid selalu tidak; Indonesian prefers tidak pernah for “never.”

What if I want the passive “We are always paid in cash at that store”?

That changes who is doing the paying. Use passive:

Kami selalu dibayar tunai di toko itu. (“We are always paid in cash at that store.”) Be careful: Kami selalu membayar tunai... = “We pay in cash,” not “We are paid.”

Where is the object of membayar here? Is something missing?

The object (e.g., “the bill,” “the goods”) is understood from context and can be omitted. You could make it explicit:

Kami selalu membayar tagihan itu secara tunai di toko itu.
Barang-barang selalu kami bayar tunai di toko itu. (object-fronting; still natural)

What’s the difference between membayar and membayarkan?

membayar = to pay (a bill/fee/price).
membayarkan often means “to pay something for someone (settle on their behalf),” or “to make the payment of X.” Examples:
- Saya membayarkan uang kuliah adik. (“I paid my younger sibling’s tuition [for them].”)
- If you just mean you pay your own bill: prefer membayar.

Any register or vocabulary tips for toko?

toko = shop/store (general).
warung = small mom-and-pop stall/shop (often food or daily goods), informal.
kedai = small shop/café (regional/literary flavor). Choose based on what kind of place it is. The sentence with toko is neutral and widely applicable.

Is there anything tricky about writing di here?

Yes—distinguish the preposition di from the passive prefix di-:

Preposition di is written separately: di toko itu.
Passive prefix di- attaches to verbs: dibayar, dibeli. Writing di bayar is incorrect; it should be dibayar.

How do I say “We will always pay in cash at that store”?

Kami akan selalu membayar tunai di toko itu. Word order note: put akan before selalu or right after the subject; both are fine, but Kami akan selalu... is the most common.