Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya minum susu hangat tiap malam.

You can omit it if the subject is clear from context. So Minum susu hangat tiap malam. is acceptable in casual speech/writing. Including saya adds clarity or emphasis on “I.”

What’s the difference between saya, aku, and gue/gua?

saya: neutral/formal; safe in most situations (with strangers, at work, in writing).
aku: informal/intimate; common with friends/family, in songs, on social media.
gue/gua: very informal Jakarta slang; use with peers who also use it, avoid in formal contexts or outside its regional/social setting.

Why is it susu hangat, not hangat susu?

In Indonesian, adjectives usually follow the noun they modify. So noun + adjective: susu hangat (“milk warm”) = “warm milk.”

Can I say susu yang hangat? When would I use yang?

Use yang to turn the adjective into a clearer “which/that is …” phrase, often for contrast or when the modifier is longer.

Contrast: Saya minum susu yang hangat, bukan yang dingin.
With a modifier: susu yang sangat hangat sounds more natural than susu sangat hangat in a noun phrase.

What’s the difference between tiap and setiap?

They both mean “every” and are interchangeable here:

tiap: a bit more casual.
setiap: a bit more formal.
Both must be followed by a noun: tiap/setiap malam, tiap/setiap hari, etc.

Where can I put the time expression tiap malam in the sentence?

Common places:

End: Saya minum susu hangat tiap malam.
Beginning (with a comma): Tiap malam, saya minum susu hangat. Both are natural; fronting it emphasizes the time.

Do I need a preposition like “at” before tiap malam?

No. Tiap malam stands alone. In formal writing you might see pada tiap malam, but everyday Indonesian just uses tiap malam without a preposition.

How do I negate this sentence correctly—tidak or bukan?

Use tidak to negate verbs/adjectives: Saya tidak minum susu hangat tiap malam.
Use bukan to negate nouns: Itu bukan susu. (Not “That is not milk.”)

How do I indicate past, future, or ongoing action?

Indonesian doesn’t change the verb for tense; use time words or aspect markers:

Past/completed: sudah: Saya sudah minum susu hangat.
Not yet: belum: Saya belum minum susu hangat.
Future: akan: Saya akan minum susu hangat nanti malam.
Ongoing: sedang/lagi: Saya sedang/lagi minum susu hangat.
Specific times: tadi malam (last night), malam ini (tonight), nanti malam (later tonight).

How do I make it a yes–no question?

Informal: keep the sentence and use rising intonation or a question mark: Kamu minum susu hangat tiap malam?
Formal/neutral: add apakah: Apakah kamu/saya minum susu hangat tiap malam?

Do I need a measure word for “milk”? How do I say “a glass of warm milk”?

For quantities of liquids, use classifiers:

segelas susu hangat = a glass of warm milk
secangkir susu hangat = a cup of warm milk
Plurals: dua gelas susu hangat (two glasses of warm milk).
Order: number + classifier + noun + adjective.

Should I use minum or meminum?

Both are correct. minum is the everyday form and very common. meminum (with the meN- prefix) is more formal and explicitly transitive, but in practice minum already works fine with objects: Saya minum susu hangat.

What’s the nuance between hangat and panas (and related words)?

hangat: warm (pleasantly warm).
panas: hot.
Colloquial anget (for hangat) is heard in some regions/informal speech.
For “lukewarm,” you might hear suam-suam kuku (idiomatic).

Are there articles like “a/the” in Indonesian?

No articles. susu can mean “milk” or “the milk” depending on context. You can add itu (“that/the”) for specificity: susu hangat itu = “that warm milk.”

Is malam the same as “evening” or strictly “night”? What about malam hari?

malam covers the night period; “evening” is often sore, and late evening into night is malam. malam hari (“nighttime”) is a more formal/explicit way to say “at night”: setiap malam hari is fine but less common in casual speech than tiap malam.