Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kami mendapat proyek besar bulan ini.

kami excludes the listener (we = my group, not including you).
kita includes the listener (we = you and I/our group). Using kami here implies the listener may not be part of the group that got the project.

Can I use kita instead of kami in this sentence?

Yes, if you’re speaking to someone you include in the group. For example, addressing your own team: Kita mendapat proyek besar bulan ini (“We [including you] got a big project this month”). If the listener isn’t part of your team, keep kami.

How do I show past, present, or future time in Indonesian?

Indonesian verbs don’t change form for tense. Use time words or particles:

Past/already: sudah or (more formal) telah — Kami sudah mendapat proyek besar bulan ini.
Future: akan — Kami akan mendapat proyek besar bulan ini.
Ongoing: sedang (use with actions that can be “in progress,” e.g., Kami sedang mengerjakan proyek besar bulan ini = We are working on a big project this month).

What’s the difference between mendapat and mendapatkan?

They’re often interchangeable as “to get/obtain.” Nuance:

mendapat is shorter, very common in speech and writing.
mendapatkan can feel a bit more explicit or formal and can stress the act of obtaining/securement. Both are fine in this sentence: Kami mendapat/mendapatkan proyek besar bulan ini.

Can I just say dapat instead of mendapat?

Yes: Kami dapat proyek besar bulan ini is common, especially in headlines or neutral style. Caution: dapat also means “can/able to,” so in some contexts it can be ambiguous. Using mendapat removes that ambiguity.

How is mendapati different from mendapat/kan?

mendapati = “to find/come upon/encounter (unexpectedly).” Example: Saya mendapati kesalahan (I discovered a mistake).
mendapat/mendapatkan = “to get/obtain/receive.” Don’t use mendapati for “getting a project.”

Could I use menerima or memperoleh here?

Yes, with nuance:

menerima = “to receive/accept” (after being offered/awarded): Kami menerima proyek besar bulan ini.
memperoleh = “to obtain/acquire (achieve a result)”: Kami memperoleh proyek besar bulan ini. Both are a bit more formal than mendapat.

Do I need an article like “a”? Should I add sebuah?

Indonesian has no mandatory articles. Kami mendapat proyek besar… already means “We got a big project.” Add sebuah to emphasize it’s one single project: Kami mendapat sebuah proyek besar…

Is the adjective order right? Why proyek besar and not besar proyek?

Adjectives normally follow nouns: proyek besar = “big project.”

proyek yang besar is also correct; yang adds emphasis or introduces a longer descriptor.
besar proyek would mean “the size of the project” (a different structure), not “a big project.”

Do I need a preposition before bulan ini? What about di/pada?

No preposition is needed; bulan ini is the most natural.

pada bulan ini is more formal/emphatic (okay in writing).
di bulan ini is common informally but often treated as less standard; prefer bulan ini or pada bulan ini in careful Indonesian.

Can I move bulan ini to another position?

Yes, for emphasis or flow:

Bulan ini, kami mendapat proyek besar. (fronted time focus)
Kami bulan ini mendapat proyek besar. (time inserted after subject) All are grammatical.

Does ini modify the month or the project here?

Here, ini sticks to bulan, so it means “this month.”
If you wanted “this big project,” you’d say proyek besar ini (placing ini right after the noun phrase it modifies).

How do I negate this sentence?

General negation: Kami tidak mendapat proyek besar bulan ini. (We did not get a big project this month.)
“Not yet”: Kami belum mendapat proyek besar bulan ini. (We haven’t gotten one yet this month.)

How do I talk about multiple projects?

Use a quantifier or reduplication:

Quantifier: Kami mendapat beberapa/banyak proyek besar bulan ini.
Plural by reduplication: proyek-proyek besar (often more formal or to stress variety). Quantifiers are more common in everyday use.

Is there a passive or object-fronted version?

Yes:

Object-fronted (still active): Proyek besar itu kami dapatkan bulan ini.
Passive: Proyek besar itu didapatkan (oleh) kami bulan ini. The first is common in speech; the second is more formal.

Any pronunciation tips for these words?

kami = “kah-mee.”
mendapat ≈ “mən-DAH-pat” (the first e is a schwa).
proyek = “proh-yek” (tap the Indonesian r lightly; y as in “yes”).
bulan ini = “boo-lahn ee-nee.”
Indonesian syllables are evenly timed; don’t heavily stress one syllable.

Is it proyek or projek?

In Indonesian, the standard spelling is proyek. projek is common in Malaysian Malay; in Indonesia you may see it, but proyek is preferred.

What would a more formal or more casual version look like?

Formal: Kami memperoleh proyek besar bulan ini.
Neutral: Kami mendapat/dapat proyek besar bulan ini.
Casual/Colloquial (Jakarta style): Kita dapet proyek gede bulan ini. (Note kita includes the listener; dapet = colloquial for dapat; gede = colloquial for “big.”)