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Saya membeli minyak goreng murah untuk memasak lauk.

Saya membeli minyak goreng murah untuk memasak lauk.
I buy cheap cooking oil to cook side dishes.

Breakdown of Saya membeli minyak goreng murah untuk memasak lauk.

saya
I
untuk
to
memasak
to cook
murah
cheap
membeli
to buy
minyak goreng
the cooking oil
lauk
the side dish
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Questions & Answers about Saya membeli minyak goreng murah untuk memasak lauk.

Why is the adjective placed after the noun in minyak goreng murah?
  • In Indonesian, descriptive adjectives usually come after the noun. So minyak goreng murah literally orders as "oil (for frying) cheap" = cheap cooking oil.
  • Minyak goreng is itself a compound meaning "cooking oil." The adjective murah modifies that whole compound, not just goreng.
Does minyak goreng mean "fried oil"? Why not menggoreng?
  • Minyak goreng is a fixed noun compound meaning "cooking/frying oil" (oil used for frying), not "oil that has been fried."
  • The root goreng can function attributively to mean "for frying." The verb form menggoreng means "to fry" and is not used inside this compound.
Is untuk memasak the best way to say "to cook" (expressing purpose)? Can I say buat masak?
  • Untuk + verb is the standard way to express purpose: untuk memasak = "to/for cooking."
  • Colloquial options:
    • untuk masak (drop the prefix in casual speech)
    • buat masak or buat memasak (very common in conversation)
  • More formal alternatives include guna untuk memasak.
Why is it memasak and not just masak?
  • Memasak is the standard active verb "to cook." Masak is the root; in everyday speech people often use the root as a verb: untuk masak.
  • Note the different related forms:
    • masak = ripe/cooked (adjective) or "to cook" (colloquial verb)
    • memasak = to cook (standard active verb)
    • masakan = a cooked dish; cuisine
Why membeli instead of beli?
  • Membeli is the standard active form "to buy." In casual speech, dropping the prefix is very common: Saya beli minyak goreng murah... is fine.
  • The meN- prefix often marks an active transitive verb with an object.
What tense is this? Does it mean "I buy," "I bought," or "I am buying"?
  • Indonesian doesn’t mark tense on the verb. Context or time words show time/aspect:
    • Past: Saya sudah membeli..., Tadi saya membeli...
    • Progressive: Saya sedang membeli..., colloquial Saya lagi beli...
    • Future: Saya akan membeli..., Nanti saya membeli...
Where are the articles? How do I say "a" or "the" in Indonesian?
  • Indonesian has no articles like "a/the." Saya membeli minyak goreng murah is inherently article-less.
  • To make it definite/specific, add demonstratives:
    • minyak goreng murah itu = that cheap cooking oil / the cheap cooking oil
    • minyak goreng murah ini = this cheap cooking oil
Do I need a measure word for a liquid like oil?
  • Not required when speaking generally. To specify quantity, use classifiers/units:
    • sebotol minyak goreng = a bottle of cooking oil
    • satu liter minyak goreng
    • dua botol minyak goreng murah
  • You wouldn’t use general classifiers like sebuah for liquids.
What exactly does lauk mean? Is it just "dish/food"?
  • Lauk refers to side dishes that accompany rice (fish, meat, tofu, veggies, etc.).
  • Lauk-pauk emphasizes a variety of side dishes.
  • For a general "dish," Indonesians may say hidangan or masakan; for "food" in general, makanan.
Since it's oil, shouldn't it be untuk menggoreng lauk (to fry side dishes) instead of untuk memasak lauk?
  • Memasak is generic "to cook." It’s fine even if the cooking method will be frying.
  • Use menggoreng if you specifically mean frying:
    • Saya membeli minyak goreng murah untuk menggoreng tempe.
Can I say minyak goreng yang murah? When do I need yang?
  • Minyak goreng murah (no yang) is the default noun + adjective.
  • Yang is added to highlight/contrast or introduce a fuller relative clause:
    • minyak goreng yang murah (bukan yang mahal) = the cheap kind (not the expensive one)
    • minyak goreng yang saya beli = the cooking oil that I bought
Can I drop the subject saya?
  • In casual speech, yes, especially if context is clear:
    • Beli minyak goreng murah untuk masak lauk.
  • To front the object for emphasis, you can say:
    • Minyak goreng murah saya beli untuk masak lauk.
  • In careful writing, keep the subject: Saya membeli...
What’s the difference between saya, aku, and gue/gua?
  • saya: neutral–polite; safe in most situations (work, with strangers).
  • aku: informal/intimate; friends, family, songs.
  • gue/gua: Jakarta/Betawi colloquial; very informal. Example: Gue beli minyak goreng murah buat masak lauk.
How do the prefixes work in membeli and memasak?
  • The active prefix meN- changes form depending on the first letter of the root:
    • mem- before b, f, p (p drops), and m → membeli (from beli), memasak (from masak)
    • men- before c, d, j, z, t (t drops) → menonton (from tonton)
    • meng- before g, h, k (k drops), and vowels → menggoreng (from goreng), mengambil (from ambil)
    • meny- before s (s drops) → menyapu (from sapu)
    • me- before l, r, w, y → melihat, merasa
  • In conversation, speakers often use the bare root instead.
Any pronunciation tips for words in this sentence?
  • minyak: ny is a single sound [ɲ], like the "ny" in "canyon."
  • goreng: ng at the end is [ŋ], like "sing."
  • lauk: au is a diphthong [aw], roughly like "ow" in "cow." Final k in lauk/minyak is often a quick stop in everyday speech.