Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Setelah mengetik, saya menyimpan berkas ke dalam map merah di laci. - After typing, I store the file in the red folder in the drawer.

In Indonesian, when the subject of the subordinate clause is the same as the main clause, it’s common to omit it. Here, the implied subject of mengetik is the same as saya. You could say Setelah saya mengetik, ..., but it isn’t necessary and often feels heavier. Alternatives: Selesai mengetik, ... or Usai mengetik, ....

Do I need the comma after Setelah mengetik?

Yes, when an adverbial clause comes first, standard punctuation recommends a comma: Setelah ..., [main clause]. If you place the time clause after the main clause, you typically don’t use a comma: Saya menyimpan ... setelah mengetik.

What’s the difference between setelah, sesudah, habis/abis, and usai?

They all mean “after,” but with register differences:

setelah / sesudah: neutral, interchangeable in most contexts.
habis (colloquial: abis): informal/spoken.
usai / seusai: formal/literary/journalistic.

Examples:

Setelah/sesudah mengetik, ... (neutral)
Habis/abis ngetik, ... (casual)
Usai/seusai mengetik, ... (formal)

How are mengetik and menyimpan formed?

They’re built from roots with the active meN- prefix, which undergoes sound changes:

meN- + ketik → mengetik (k drops; prefix surfaces as meng-)
meN- + simpan → menyimpan (s drops; prefix surfaces as meny-)

Quick pattern you’ll often see:

p → mem- (p drops): pakai → memakai
t → men- (t drops): tulis → menulis
k → meng- (k drops): ketik → mengetik
s → meny- (s drops): sapu → menyapu

Can I say saya simpan berkas instead of saya menyimpan berkas?

Yes in colloquial speech; Indonesian often drops the meN- prefix in casual conversation: Saya simpan berkas... In careful writing, stick with menyimpan. Literary style also allows kusimpan (with the ku- prefix), e.g., Kusimpan berkas...

What’s the nuance difference between menyimpan, menaruh/meletakkan, and memasukkan?

menyimpan: to store/keep for later (fits both physical and digital “save”).
menaruh/meletakkan: to put/place (neutral about long-term storage; taruh is more casual, letakkan a bit more formal/polite).
memasukkan: to put something into a container or space (emphasizes movement into).

For example:

Saya menyimpan berkas di dalam map. (I store the file in the folder.)
Saya menaruh berkas di laci. (I put the file in the drawer.)
Saya memasukkan berkas ke dalam map. (I put the file into the folder.)

Is ke dalam necessary? Could I say ke map merah or di dalam map merah?

ke dalam highlights movement into: memasukkan ... ke dalam map.
With menyimpan, both are heard: menyimpan ... di (dalam) map (final location) and menyimpan ... ke dalam map (movement). Both are acceptable.
ke map merah (without dalam) is common in everyday speech and in computing contexts, though ke dalam map is a bit clearer when a container is involved.

What’s the difference between di laci and di dalam laci?

Both are correct. di laci already implies “in the drawer.” di dalam laci adds emphasis to being inside. Use di dalam if you want to stress interiority or contrast with “on/at.”

Does di laci modify the red folder or the file? Is there ambiguity?

As written, most readers will take di laci to modify map merah: “into the red folder that is in the drawer.” To make it explicit:

Folder is in the drawer: ... ke dalam map merah yang ada di laci.
File is in the drawer: ... berkas yang ada di laci ... ke dalam map merah.
Or split actions: ... ke dalam map merah, lalu memasukkannya ke dalam laci.

Why is it map merah and not merah map?

In Indonesian, adjectives follow the noun: map merah (red folder). You can also use yang for emphasis or contrast: map yang merah. There’s no article or adjective agreement to worry about.

Does map mean “folder” or a geographical “map”?

In Indonesian, map means “folder” (physical or digital). A geographical map is peta. So map merah = “red folder,” not “red map.”

What’s the difference between berkas, file, dokumen, and arsip?

berkas: “file/record”; used for both physical and (in some registers) digital files; also common in bureaucracy (e.g., berkas lamaran).
file: the everyday loanword for digital files; very common in speech and UI text.
dokumen: a document (content-focused), can be paper or digital.
arsip: archived records; also a verb (mengarsipkan) “to archive.”

How do I signal “the” versus “a,” and singular/plural?

Indonesian doesn’t mark definiteness or plural by default.

“the”: add itu/ini to the noun phrase: map merah itu (that/the red folder).
“a/one”: optionally add sebuah/satu: sebuah map merah.
plural: use context, a quantifier (beberapa, banyak), or reduplication: berkas-berkas (files).

Is saya the only option? What about aku or gue?

saya: neutral/formal; safe in most situations.
aku: informal/intimate.
gue/gua: very casual Jakarta slang. Pick one that matches your relationship and stick to it consistently in a conversation or text.

When would I use mengetikkan instead of mengetik?

mengetik: to type something (neutral): Saya mengetik surat.
mengetikkan: often benefactive (“type something for someone”) or locative (“type into”):
- Saya mengetikkan surat untuk bos. (typed a letter for the boss)
- Mengetikkan nama Anda di sini. (type your name in here)

Is it ke dalam or kedalam? And what about di laci vs dilaci?

Write the prepositions separately:

ke dalam (two words), not “kedalam.”
di laci (two words), not “dilaci.” Note: di- attaches to verbs for the passive (e.g., disimpan, ditaruh), but as a preposition for location (di) it’s written separately.