Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kurir menyerahkan paket kepada resepsionis kantor. - The courier hands the package to the office receptionist.

Root: serah = yield/hand over, surrender.
Prefix meN-: before s, the s drops and the prefix becomes meny- → meN + serah → menyerah-.
Suffix -kan: adds a causative/dative nuance (“cause something to be received by someone”), and it typically pairs with a recipient introduced by kepada.

So menyerahkan means “to hand over/submit (something) to someone,” often sounding formal/official.

Why use kepada here? Could I use ke or untuk instead?

kepada: used for recipients (usually people) with transfer verbs; neutral-to-formal default. Example: menyerahkan sesuatu kepada seseorang.
ke: literal direction to places; colloquially also used for recipients. Example (informal): Kurir menyerahkan paket ke resepsionis kantor.
untuk: “for (the benefit of).” Not for the handover action. Example: Paket untuk resepsionis kantor (“a package for the receptionist”).

Is ke actually acceptable with a person here?

In everyday speech, yes: Kurir menyerahkan paket ke resepsionis kantor. In careful writing or professional contexts, prefer kepada. Very formal writing may use pada: ... pada resepsionis kantor.

What exactly does resepsionis kantor mean? Why no di?

It’s a noun–noun compound: resepsionis (receptionist) + kantor (office) = “the office receptionist.”
If you want to emphasize location instead, use a prepositional phrase: resepsionis di kantor (“the receptionist at the office”). Both are fine; resepsionis kantor is a tighter label.

How do I say “the/a” in Indonesian? Why are there no articles in the sentence?

Indonesian has no articles. You mark definiteness/indefiniteness with:

Indefinite: sebuah (for things) → Kurir menyerahkan sebuah paket... (“a package”).
Definite: itu after the noun or the clitic -nya → paket itu / paketnya, resepsionis kantor itu.
Possession also makes it definite: resepsionis kantor kami.

How can I express past or completed action like “delivered” vs. present or future?

Use time/aspect markers:

Completed: sudah / telah → Kurir sudah menyerahkan paket...
Recent past: barusan / tadi → Kurir tadi menyerahkan paket...
Future/intent: akan / bakal / mau → Kurir akan menyerahkan paket...
Progressive: sedang → Kurir sedang menyerahkan paket...

What’s the difference between menyerahkan, memberikan/memberi, mengantarkan, and mengirimkan/mengirim?

menyerahkan: formal/official handover; emphasizes the act of transfer to a recipient (often documents/items requiring acknowledgment).
memberikan/memberi: general “to give,” broadest use.
mengantarkan: “to deliver/escort/bring to (a place/person),” focus on taking something/someone to a destination.
mengirimkan/mengirim: “to send,” focuses on dispatching, not necessarily the face-to-face handover.

Can I drop kepada and say Kurir menyerahkan resepsionis kantor paket?

No. With menyerahkan, the recipient is normally introduced by kepada/pada: Kurir menyerahkan paket kepada resepsionis kantor.
If you use memberi, a double-object pattern is possible: Kurir memberi resepsionis kantor (sebuah) paket.

How do I make a passive version?

Two common options:

di- passive: Paket diserahkan kepada resepsionis kantor (oleh kurir). The agent phrase oleh kurir is optional.
Colloquial passive (Pasif 2): Paket kurir serahkan kepada resepsionis kantor. The verb is the bare form serahkan (no meN-), with the agent after the object.

Why is it menyerahkan paket kepada [person], not menyerahkan paket ke [place]?

For a person as recipient, use kepada: ... kepada resepsionis.
For a place as destination, use ke: mengantarkan paket ke kantor.
If you mean a location at the office, specify it: ke meja resepsionis (the desk), not ke resepsionis (which refers to the person).

Is resepsionis gendered? How do I specify gender if needed?

Resepsionis is gender-neutral. If needed, add pria/laki-laki or wanita/perempuan: resepsionis pria, resepsionis wanita. Usually, you don’t need to mark gender.

Any tips on pronunciation or spelling for tricky parts like menyerahkan?

menyerahkan: me-nyer-ah-kan. ny is /ɲ/ (like Spanish ñ). The s from serah disappears due to meN- assimilation.
kurir: ku-rir, tap/trill the r.
resepsionis: re-sep-si-o-nis; relatively even stress.

How would I make the sentence more specific or polite about whose office or which receptionist?

Specify the office: ... kepada resepsionis kantor kami/perusahaan X.
Make it definite: ... kepada resepsionis kantor itu.
Respectful reference (to a senior/respected third person): Paket diserahkan kepada beliau di kantor. Use beliau sparingly for respect.

Could I replace resepsionis kantor with just resepsionis?

Yes, if context already identifies which receptionist. Without context, resepsionis kantor is more specific (vs. a hotel receptionist, for example).

Where can time or place expressions go in this sentence?

Common placements:

Beginning: Tadi pagi, kurir menyerahkan paket kepada resepsionis kantor.
Before the recipient phrase (place of action): Kurir menyerahkan paket di kantor kepada resepsionis.
End: Kurir menyerahkan paket kepada resepsionis kantor tadi.

How do I negate it?

Simple negation: Kurir tidak menyerahkan paket kepada resepsionis kantor.
Not yet: Kurir belum menyerahkan paket kepada resepsionis kantor. (implies it’s expected to happen)