Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya menunggu ojek di depan rumah. - I am waiting for a motorcycle taxi in front of the house.

the service (a motorcycle ride for hire),
the driver (often also called tukang ojek), or
the specific ride you ordered. In cities today, people often mean an app-based driver (ojek online / ojol) from Gojek or Grab when they say ojek.

Why menunggu and not tunggu?

tunggu is the base verb (often used for commands: Tunggu sebentar!).
menunggu is the standard active form “to wait (for) [something/someone].”
The prefix meN- attaches to tunggu and assimilates the initial t → n, giving menunggu.
In casual speech you’ll also hear nunggu (colloquial drop of the prefix). Note: You may hear sentences like Saya tunggu kamu, especially in casual speech, but menunggu is the safest neutral choice in statements.

Do I need a preposition for “wait for”? Should it be menunggu untuk ojek?

No preposition is needed. Menunggu already means “wait for.” Saying menunggu untuk ojek is incorrect for that meaning. Use untuk only when it really means “in order to” or “for the purpose of” (e.g., menunggu untuk mulai = wait to start).

How do I show it’s happening now (like English “I’m waiting”)?

Neutral: add sedang before the verb: Saya sedang menunggu ojek di depan rumah.
Informal: use lagi (often with the colloquial verb): Aku lagi nunggu ojek di depan rumah. Even without these, context often makes the present meaning clear.

Can I change or drop the pronoun?

Yes:

saya = neutral/polite (safe almost everywhere).
aku = casual/intimate.
gue/gw = very informal Jakarta slang. You can drop the subject if it’s understood: Menunggu ojek di depan rumah.

Does di depan rumah mean “in front of my house”? Do I need to add saya?

Often, in personal contexts, bare rumah is understood as “my house,” but it’s ambiguous. To be explicit:

di depan rumah saya / rumahku = in front of my house.
di depan rumahnya = in front of his/her house, or “that house” (context decides).
di depan rumah itu = in front of that specific house.

What’s the difference between di depan and ke depan?

di marks location (no movement): di depan = at/in front.
ke marks direction (movement): ke depan = to the front/forward. Your sentence correctly uses di.

Can I drop di and say depan rumah?

In casual speech/text, yes: nunggu ojek depan rumah is very common. In careful or formal Indonesian, keep di: di depan rumah.

How do I make the object definite, like “the driver I ordered”?

Use definiteness markers:

Saya menunggu ojeknya di depan rumah.
Saya menunggu ojek yang saya pesan di depan rumah.
Saya menunggu ojek itu di depan rumah. Here -nya/yang…/itu make it clear you mean a specific ojek.

How do I negate the sentence?

Place tidak before the verb: Saya tidak menunggu ojek di depan rumah.

How do I add a duration, like “for 10 minutes”?

Add a duration phrase, optionally with selama:

Saya menunggu ojek selama 10 menit di depan rumah.
Also common: Saya menunggu ojek 10 menit di depan rumah. You can also move the duration to the end: … di depan rumah selama 10 menit.

How do I turn it into a yes–no question?

Use rising intonation or apakah/apa:

Kamu menunggu ojek di depan rumah?
Apakah kamu menunggu ojek di depan rumah? If you keep saya as the subject, you’re making a statement about yourself, not asking someone.

Is there a more formal or literary alternative to menunggu?

Yes, menanti is more formal/poetic. Saya menanti ojek di depan rumah sounds elevated; menunggu is more everyday.

How is menunggu pronounced?

Roughly: me-NOON-goo. Notes:

ng is the nasal sound in “sing.”
The double gg is a hard g, followed by u: -gu.
Stress typically on the second syllable: me-NUN-ggu.