Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kami mendengar suara hujan di atap.

So use kami if the person you’re talking to was not part of the group that heard the rain. If they were, use kita: Kita mendengar suara hujan di atap.

Does the sentence mean “we hear” or “we heard”? Indonesian has no tense markers—so how do I show time?

It can mean either, depending on context. Add time words if needed:

Past: Tadi/Barusan/Kemarin kami mendengar…
Present progressive: Kami sedang mendengar…
Future: Kami akan mendengar… (less natural with “rain sound,” but grammatical) Often, context alone is enough.

Why mendengar and not just dengar?

mendengar is the standard active verb “to hear” with the prefix meN-.
dengar is the bare root. It appears in:
- Imperatives: Dengar! (“Listen!”)
- Informal speech: Saya dengar… (“I hear/I heard…”), common but less formal than Saya mendengar…

What’s the difference between mendengar and mendengarkan?

mendengar = to hear (perceive a sound, not necessarily intentional)
mendengarkan = to listen to (intentional/attentive) Both are possible here:
Neutral: Kami mendengar suara hujan di atap.
Emphasizing intentional listening: Kami mendengarkan suara hujan di atap.

Could I use terdengar or kedengaran instead?

Yes, those flip the perspective to “be heard/sounded”:

Neutral/passive-like: Terdengar suara hujan di atap. (“The sound of rain on the roof is heard/was heard.”)
Colloquial: Kedengaran suara hujan di atap. With an agent: Suara hujan di atap terdengar oleh kami is grammatical but sounds stilted; better: Kami mendengar…

Is suara necessary? Can I say Kami mendengar hujan?

You can say Kami mendengar hujan di atap, and it’s understood. Adding suara (“sound/voice”) makes it explicit that it’s the sound you’re hearing. With weather and natural phenomena, Indonesians often include suara to highlight the auditory aspect.

What’s the nuance between suara and bunyi?

Both can mean “sound,” but:

suara: broader; includes human voice (“voice”) and general sounds. Common in this phrase: suara hujan.
bunyi: more “noise/sound” as a physical phenomenon; often for non-human sounds. Bunyi hujan is possible but less idiomatic than suara hujan in many contexts.

Is di atap the same as di atas atap?

Both can be used to mean “on the roof,” but:

di atap is short and idiomatic, especially for things happening on/against the roof (like rain).
di atas atap literally “on top of the roof,” also common when emphasizing the top surface (e.g., a cat on the roof). If you mean “above the roof” (not touching), context/verbs help: Lampion itu melayang di atas atap.

Should it be di atap or dari atap?

di atap = at/on the roof (location where the sound occurs)
dari atap = from the roof (source/origin of the sound) Both can work, depending on what you want to highlight:
Location: Kami mendengar suara hujan di atap.
Source: Kami mendengar suara hujan dari atap.

Could di atap mean we were on the roof when we heard it?

It’s usually read as modifying the sound (the rain on the roof), not the listeners. To say you were physically on the roof:

Kami mendengar suara hujan ketika kami berada di atap.
Or: Di atap, kami mendengar suara hujan. (fronting the location for clarity)

Is the spacing of di correct? When is di separate vs attached?

As a preposition (at/in/on), di is written separately: di atap, di rumah.
As a passive prefix, it’s attached: didengar, dibaca. Here it’s a preposition, so separate: di atap.

Can I change the word order?

Yes, for emphasis:

Neutral: Kami mendengar suara hujan di atap.
Location focus: Di atap, kami mendengar suara hujan.
Topic fronting the sound: Suara hujan di atap kami dengar. (stylistic/literary)

What’s the difference between atap, langit-langit, and plafon?

atap = the roof (outside/top of a building)
langit-langit or plafon = the ceiling (inside surface) So don’t say di langit-langit if you mean the roof; that would be “on the ceiling.”

How do I say “on our roof”?

Add a possessive after the noun:

di atap kami = on our roof Example: Kami mendengar suara hujan di atap kami.

Where are “the” and “a” in Indonesian? How do I specify definiteness?

Indonesian has no articles. suara hujan can be “the sound of rain” or “a sound of rain.” Use context or add words:

Definite: suara hujan itu (“that/that particular sound of rain”)
Indefinite/one instance: sebuah suara (rare with “sound” here), or leave it bare.

Is dropping the subject kami okay?

Yes, if context makes the subject clear:

(Kami) mendengar suara hujan di atap. In writing or when clarity matters, keep kami. In conversation, subject-dropping is common once it’s established.