Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya membeli nasi goreng di kantin sekolah.

membeli = mem- (a form of the active prefix meN-) + beli (buy). The prefix makes a formal active verb: “to buy.” Before b, meN- appears as mem- (e.g., membaca from baca).

Can I say Saya beli nasi goreng instead of Saya membeli nasi goreng?

Yes. In everyday speech, people often drop the meN- prefix: Saya beli nasi goreng di kantin sekolah. Use membeli in more formal contexts (writing, presentations).

How do I make it clearly past?

Add time/aspect markers:

Saya sudah membeli nasi goreng di kantin sekolah. (already)
Saya tadi membeli nasi goreng di kantin sekolah. (earlier/just now)
Kemarin saya membeli nasi goreng di kantin sekolah. (yesterday)

Can the same sentence also mean present or future?

Yes. Indonesian verbs don’t change for tense; context or particles mark time.

Present/progressive: Saya sedang membeli…; informal: Saya lagi beli…
Future/intention: Saya akan membeli…; more natural: Saya mau beli…

Why di and not ke or dari?

di = at/in (location): Saya membeli… di kantin sekolah.
ke = to (movement toward): Saya pergi ke kantin sekolah.
dari = from (source): Saya pulang dari kantin sekolah.

Should di be written together with the next word?

As a preposition, di is separate: di kantin (not dikantin). Attached di- is a passive prefix on verbs: dibeli (be bought). Example: Nasi goreng itu dibeli di kantin sekolah.

What does kantin sekolah literally mean? How does that noun phrase work?

It’s “canteen (of) school.” Indonesian often uses noun + noun, where the second noun modifies the first: kantin (head) + sekolah (modifier). No word for “of” is needed.

How do I say “my school’s canteen” or make it clearly “the school canteen”?

My school’s canteen: kantin sekolah saya (neutral/formal) or kantin sekolahku (informal).
The (specific) school canteen: kantin sekolah itu. Often kantin sekolah alone is clear enough from context.

Do I need a word for “a/one”? How do I count servings of fried rice?

Indonesian has no articles. Use classifiers for quantity:

one portion: seporsi nasi goreng / sepiring nasi goreng / sebungkus nasi goreng
two portions: dua porsi nasi goreng / dua bungkus nasi goreng Example: Saya membeli dua porsi nasi goreng di kantin sekolah.

Can I put the location first?

Yes. Di kantin sekolah, saya membeli nasi goreng. Fronting the location is common to set the scene or emphasize where it happened.

Why is it nasi goreng and not goreng nasi?

Adjectives typically follow nouns in Indonesian, so “fried rice” is nasi goreng (rice + fried). goreng can also be a verb “to fry,” but then you’d use menggoreng nasi (to fry rice) or imperative Goreng nasi!

Any quick pronunciation tips for the words here?

saya: sah-yah (two syllables)
membeli: məm-buh-LEE (the first e is a schwa)
nasi: NAH-see
goreng: GOH-reng (final ng as in “sing”)
kantin: kahn-TEEN
sekolah: suh-KOH-lah (first e is a schwa)

How would a passive version look, and why use it?

Nasi goreng itu dibeli di kantin sekolah (oleh saya). (long passive; “oleh saya” is optional)
Nasi goreng itu saya beli di kantin sekolah. (very common; focuses the object) Use these when the object is the topic or the actor is unknown/less important.

When should I use saya, aku, or gue?

saya: polite/neutral (work, with strangers)
aku: informal (friends/family)
gue: very informal Jakarta slang Colloquial versions: Aku beli nasi goreng di kantin sekolah. / Gue beli nasgor di kantin sekolah. (nasgor = slang for nasi goreng)

Is di kantin sekolah the only way to say it? What about kantin di sekolah?

di kantin sekolah is the default “at the school canteen.”
kantin di sekolah means “the canteen at the school” as a noun phrase; you might use it inside a larger sentence. Avoid di kantin di sekolah unless you really need extra emphasis; it sounds redundant in most contexts.

What’s the difference between sekolah and sekolahan here?

sekolah is standard “school.” sekolahan is colloquial and often refers to the school grounds/building. People might say di kantin sekolahan in casual speech, but in writing or neutral speech, prefer di kantin sekolah.