Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Adik perempuan saya minum susu hangat sebelum tidur. - My younger sister drinks warm milk before sleeping.

Indonesian places the possessor after the thing possessed: Noun + possessor. So adik perempuan saya = my younger sister. You can also attach the possessive suffix -ku: adikku or adik perempuanku (more intimate/informal).

Does adik mean “sister,” or just “younger sibling”?

Adik means “younger sibling” without specifying gender. Add perempuan to specify “younger sister” and laki-laki for “younger brother.” Without perempuan/laki-laki, it’s gender-neutral.

Where are the articles “a/the”? Why is it just susu hangat?

Indonesian doesn’t use articles. Definiteness is inferred from context or marked with words like itu/ini: susu hangat itu (that warm milk), susu hangat ini (this warm milk).

How do we know the tense of minum? Is it present, past, or habitual?

Base verbs are unmarked for tense; context decides. Add adverbs if you need clarity:

Habit: biasanya/selalu (e.g., Biasanya dia minum susu hangat…)
Past: tadi, kemarin, sudah/telah
Progressive: sedang
Future: akan

What’s the difference between minum and meminum?

Both mean “to drink.” Minum is the everyday form and most common; meminum is more formal/literary and can foreground the object. With an object, both are acceptable: minum susu / meminum susu.

Why is it susu hangat and not hangat susu?

In Indonesian, adjectives usually follow the noun: susu hangat (“warm milk”). You can also say susu yang hangat for emphasis or to specify “the milk that is warm.”

Why is there no subject after sebelum? Should it be sebelum dia tidur?

Indonesian often omits a repeated/obvious subject. Sebelum tidur is fine and natural. You can add it for clarity: sebelum dia tidur or sebelum adik perempuan saya tidur.

Is tidur a verb or a noun here?

Tidur is a verb, but base verbs can act like gerunds (“sleeping”). So sebelum tidur ≈ “before sleeping.” Indonesian doesn’t need a special noun form.

Can I put sebelum tidur at the front?

Yes: Sebelum tidur, adik perempuan saya minum susu hangat. Fronting time phrases like this is common; a comma helps readability.

How do I say “a glass/cup of warm milk”?

Use measure words:

segelas susu hangat = a glass of warm milk
secangkir susu hangat = a cup of warm milk

How do I say “my older sister” instead?

Use kakak perempuan saya (“my older sister”). Kakak is a gender-neutral “older sibling”; add perempuan or laki-laki to specify. In some regions, people say Mbak (older female) or Abang/Bang (older male) as address forms.

What’s the difference between saya, aku, and -ku for “my”?

saya = neutral/formal
aku = informal/intimate
-ku = possessive suffix (“my”): adikku, adik perempuanku You can say adik perempuan aku, but many prefer -ku with aku.

How do I make “my younger sisters” (plural)?

Reduplicate adik: adik-adik perempuan saya = my younger sisters. If you have multiple younger siblings and mean specifically the female ones, you can also say adik-adik saya yang perempuan.

What’s the difference between perempuan and wanita?

Both mean “female/woman,” but perempuan is general and natural in most contexts. Wanita often refers to adult women and feels more formal/institutional. Say adik perempuan, not adik wanita.

Should it be susu hangat or susu panas?

Both occur, but nuance differs:

susu hangat = warm, comfortable to drink
susu panas = hot (possibly too hot) For “warm milk” before bed, susu hangat is the usual choice.

Do we need yang in adik perempuan saya?

No. Yang is used for relative clauses or focus, e.g., Adik perempuan saya yang minum susu hangat… (“the younger sister of mine who drinks warm milk…”). The base noun phrase doesn’t need yang.

What’s the basic word order of the sentence?

Standard SVO:

Subject: Adik perempuan saya
Verb: minum
Object: susu hangat
Adverbial time clause: sebelum tidur Word order is flexible for emphasis, but this is the default.