Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Mari kita lihat-lihat kerajinan di galeri kota. - Let’s browse the crafts at the city gallery.

mari: polite/formal, gentle invitation (often used by staff or in announcements).
ayo: neutral, everyday “come on/let’s.”
yuk: casual and friendly. All three can start the sentence. With the original, you could say: Ayo/Yuk kita lihat-lihat kerajinan di galeri kota.

Why is "kita" used instead of "kami"?

Indonesian distinguishes inclusive and exclusive “we”:

kita = we (including the listener) → perfect for “let’s…”
kami = we (excluding the listener) So mari kita… includes the person you’re talking to. Mari kami… would mean “let us (not you)…,” which doesn’t fit an invitation.

Can I drop "kita" after "mari"?

Yes. Mari lihat-lihat kerajinan di galeri kota is natural and a bit snappier. Keeping kita makes the inclusion explicit; dropping it relies on context.

What does the reduplication in "lihat-lihat" do?

Reduplication here softens the action to mean “look around/browse,” suggesting a casual, exploratory look rather than a focused “look at.” Compare:

lihat/melihat: to look/see (plain, focused)
lihat-lihat/melihat-lihat: to browse/look around Colloquial near-synonyms: tengok-tengok, cuci mata (slang: “window-shop/eye-candy”).

Is "melihat-lihat" also correct? Which sounds better here?

Both are correct:

Mari kita lihat-lihat…: very natural, conversational.
Mari kita melihat-lihat…: a bit more formal/polished. Using the base verb after mari/ayo/yuk is common and perfectly fine.

Should it be "di galeri kota" or "ke galeri kota"?

di = at/in (location of the activity)
ke = to/toward (movement) Your sentence focuses on browsing at that place, so di fits. If you want to emphasize going there, say: Mari kita ke galeri kota untuk lihat-lihat kerajinan.

Does "galeri kota" mean “the city gallery” or “a gallery in the city”?

galeri kota is a noun–noun compound that typically means “the city’s gallery” or “the City Gallery” (often municipal). If you mean any gallery located in the city, say galeri di kota.

Do I capitalize "kota" in this phrase?

Not unless it’s part of a proper name. Write galeri kota (generic). Capitalize when it’s a proper name, e.g., Galeri Kota Bandung or Kota Tua.

What exactly does "kerajinan" mean? Is "kerajinan tangan" better?

kerajinan can mean:

“handicrafts/crafts” (common in contexts like markets, galleries)
“diligence/industry” (abstract noun from rajin, “diligent”) To avoid ambiguity, many say kerajinan tangan for “handicrafts.” In your sentence, kerajinan is clearly “crafts” from context.

Is "kerajinan" singular or plural here?

Indonesian doesn’t mark plural by default. kerajinan can mean “craft” or “crafts.” To stress variety/plurality, you can use:

berbagai/aneka kerajinan (various crafts)
kerajinan-kerajinan (formal plural by reduplication)

Is the hyphen in "lihat-lihat" necessary? And is "liat-liat" okay?

Use the hyphen in standard writing for reduplication: lihat-lihat.
Avoid spelling liat-liat. In speech the “h” can be weak, but in writing liat is a different word (“clayey/tough”). Stick to lihat-lihat.

Any pronunciation tips for the whole sentence?

Mari: MAH-ree (r is a tap/trill)
kita: KEE-tah
lihat-lihat: lee-HAHT lee-HAHT (pronounce the “h”)
kerajinan: k’rah-JEE-nahn (stress tends to fall near the end)
galeri: gah-LAY-ree (tapped r)
kota: KOH-tah

Is the word order fixed? Could I move the place to the front?

Default is Verb + Object + Location: lihat-lihat kerajinan di galeri kota. You can front the place for emphasis: Di galeri kota, mari kita lihat-lihat kerajinan. But lihat-lihat di galeri kota kerajinan is unnatural.

Can I use "silakan" instead of "mari kita" if I’m not joining?

Yes. Use silakan to politely invite others without including yourself: Silakan lihat-lihat kerajinan di galeri kota. You wouldn’t add kita there.

Can I use "pada" instead of "di" for places?

Generally no. di is the normal preposition for physical locations. pada is used with times, recipients, or abstract relations (e.g., pada hari Senin, pada mereka), not with places like galeri.