Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya minum susu hangat sebelum tidur.

In Indonesian, adjectives typically follow the nouns they modify. So you say susu hangat (warm milk), buku baru (new book), rumah besar (big house), not the other way around.

Do I need the word yang between the noun and the adjective (e.g., susu yang hangat)?

No. With a simple adjective, you normally omit yang: susu hangat is the default. Use yang to:

Emphasize or contrast: Saya minum yang hangat (I drink the warm one).
Attach a more complex modifier/relative clause: susu yang saya beli tadi (the milk that I bought earlier).
Susu yang hangat is grammatical but sounds more specific/formal than needed here.

Should it be minum or meminum?

Both are grammatically fine, but:

minum is the everyday, natural choice: Saya minum susu hangat...
meminum (meN- prefix) is more formal/literary: Saya meminum susu hangat... Related forms:
meminumkan = to make someone drink something.
meminumi = to give drinks to someone.

Why is there no subject after sebelum in sebelum tidur?

Indonesian allows a bare verb after subordinators like sebelum. Sebelum tidur means before sleeping, and the subject is understood to be the same as the main clause’s subject. You can include it for clarity or contrast: sebelum saya tidur.

Can I move sebelum tidur to the front?

Yes. Both are correct:

Saya minum susu hangat sebelum tidur.
Sebelum tidur, saya minum susu hangat.
A comma is typically used when the time phrase comes first.

Is sebelum related to belum?

They look similar but are different:

sebelum = before
belum = not yet
Examples: Sebelum tidur... versus Saya belum tidur.

How do I show tense or habit if the verb doesn’t change?

Use time words/adverbs:

Habit: biasanya, selalu, sering, setiap malam.
Example: Saya biasanya minum susu hangat sebelum tidur.
Past: tadi malam, kemarin malam.
Example: Tadi malam saya minum susu hangat sebelum tidur.
Future: nanti malam, or akan.
Example: Nanti malam saya akan minum susu hangat sebelum tidur.

How do I negate this sentence properly?

Use tidak to negate the verb:

Saya tidak minum susu hangat sebelum tidur.
If you want to contrast the noun phrase, use bukan:
Saya minum bukan susu hangat, melainkan susu dingin.
For not yet, use belum:
Saya belum minum susu hangat.

What’s the nuance of hangat compared with panas or dingin?

hangat = warm (comfortable)
panas = hot
dingin = cold
Colloquial: anget (Jakarta/colloquial for hangat)
For lukewarm: suam-suam kuku (idiomatic)
For cool (air/weather): sejuk

Could I use aku or gue instead of saya?

Yes, it changes the register:

Saya = neutral/formal/polite.
Aku = informal/intimate.
Gue/gua = very informal Jakarta slang.
Examples: Aku minum susu hangat sebelum tidur. / Gue minum susu anget sebelum tidur.

Why is there no article like “a” or “the” before susu?

Indonesian has no articles. Definiteness is shown by context or demonstratives:

This/that: susu hangat ini/itu
Known/definite or possessive, via -nya: susunya can mean the milk in question or his/her milk, depending on context.
To be unambiguously definite, susu hangat itu is safest.

How do I specify quantity, like “a glass of warm milk” or “two glasses”?

Use measure words:

One glass/cup: segelas/ secangkir susu hangat
Two glasses: dua gelas susu hangat
A bottle/carton: sebotol/ sekotak susu
Example: Saya minum segelas susu hangat sebelum tidur.

Is tidur a verb or a noun in sebelum tidur?

It’s a verb used in a non-finite way after sebelum, effectively meaning before sleeping. Indonesian doesn’t need a marker like to or -ing here. You can expand it to a full clause: sebelum saya tidur.

Can I drop saya and just say Minum susu hangat sebelum tidur?

Yes, in instructions, lists, or notes it’s natural and reads like a recommendation: Minum susu hangat sebelum tidur. In normal conversation, including the subject (Saya) is clearer.