Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Komunitas belajar kami mengadakan diskusi singkat di perpustakaan. - Our study community holds a short discussion in the library.

No. The subject is the whole noun phrase Komunitas belajar kami (“our study community”). kami is a possessive pronoun modifying komunitas belajar, not the subject by itself.

Why is kami placed after the noun, not before like in English?

In Indonesian, possessive pronouns typically follow the noun: rumah saya (“my house”), guru mereka (“their teacher”). For “our,” you use separate kami after the noun; there’s no possessive suffix for “our.”

When would I use kita instead of kami here?

kita includes the listener; kami excludes them. If the person you’re talking to is also part of the study community, say Komunitas belajar kita.

Is belajar acting like a verb or an adjective in komunitas belajar?

It’s a modifier forming a compound-like noun phrase meaning “study community.” You don’t need yang. Komunitas yang belajar means “the community that is studying,” which is a different, clunkier nuance.

Why choose mengadakan? Could I say melakukan diskusi?

Use collocations: mengadakan/menyelenggarakan/menggelar diskusi or the intransitive verb berdiskusi. melakukan diskusi is widely felt to be unnatural.

Is mengadakan formal? What’s a casual version?

It’s neutral-to-formal. Casual speech often uses ngadain (colloquial) or simply berdiskusi/ngobrol depending on context.

What’s the passive form of the sentence?

Use di-: Diskusi singkat di perpustakaan diadakan oleh komunitas belajar kami. You can omit oleh if the agent is clear: Diskusi singkat di perpustakaan diadakan komunitas belajar kami. Another common object-fronting active is: Diskusi singkat di perpustakaan kami adakan.

How do I show past, present, or future if Indonesian has no tense?

Add time/aspect markers:

Past: sudah/tadi/kemarin (e.g., Kami sudah mengadakan...)
Progressive: sedang (Kami sedang mengadakan...)
Future: akan/besok/nanti (Kami akan mengadakan...)

Does diskusi singkat mean “short in duration” or “small-sized”?

It means brief in duration. For “small (few people),” say diskusi kecil. Another natural way to say “briefly” is berdiskusi sebentar.

Could I use sebentar instead of singkat?

Yes, but change the structure: Komunitas belajar kami berdiskusi sebentar di perpustakaan. singkat is an adjective for the noun diskusi; sebentar is an adverb.

Do I need an article like “a” (sebuah) before diskusi?

No. Indonesian lacks obligatory articles. sebuah is optional for emphasis/formality: ... mengadakan sebuah diskusi singkat ....

What does di mean here, and how is it different from ke or pada?

di = location “at/in,” as in di perpustakaan. ke = motion “to/toward,” as in ke perpustakaan. pada isn’t used for physical locations like buildings; it’s used for abstract targets or time.

Is there a difference between di perpustakaan and di dalam perpustakaan?

di perpustakaan can mean “at/in the library” by context. di dalam perpustakaan explicitly means “inside the library.”

How do I say “the library” vs “a library”?

Indonesian relies on context. To make it definite: perpustakaan itu/tersebut. To stress indefiniteness/countability: sebuah perpustakaan.

Can I move parts of the sentence around?

Yes. Common variants:

Kami mengadakan diskusi singkat di perpustakaan.
Di perpustakaan, komunitas belajar kami mengadakan diskusi singkat. Word order is flexible; fronting a place phrase adds emphasis.

Any spelling pitfalls with di?

Yes. di as a preposition is written separately: di perpustakaan. The passive prefix di- attaches to verbs: diadakan, ditutup. Don’t confuse the two.

Is komunitas the most natural word for a small study group?

For a small, organized group, kelompok belajar is very common. komunitas can suggest a broader community/club. Both are correct; pick based on size and vibe.

Where does perpustakaan come from morphologically?

Root pustaka (“book, literature”) plus circumfix per-...-an forms a place/institution noun: perpustakaan (“library”).

Could I drop the verb and say Komunitas belajar kami diskusi singkat di perpustakaan?

Avoid that in standard Indonesian. Use mengadakan diskusi (hold a discussion) or berdiskusi (to discuss). The version without a clear verb sounds telegraphic.

How would I say “Our study community held a short discussion at the library yesterday”?

Komunitas belajar kami sudah mengadakan diskusi singkat di perpustakaan kemarin. You can omit sudah: ... mengadakan ... kemarin.