Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Di tim kami ada yang suka bertanya, ada yang memilih diam. - In our team there are those who like to ask questions, and there are those who choose to stay quiet.

It’s a set pattern: ada = there is/are, and yang introduces a (headless) relative clause. Together, ada yang + [predicate] means “there is/are (someone/people/things) who/that [predicate].” Repeating it makes a “some …, (others) …” contrast.

Why can yang appear without a noun after it?

Indonesian allows headless yang-clauses: yang + predicate works like “the one(s) who/that ….” Here, yang implicitly refers to orang (people).

Is ada yang singular or plural?

It’s unspecified. It can mean “someone” or “some people.” In a team context, a plural reading is natural. To be explicit, say ada beberapa orang yang … or ada orang-orang yang ….

Could I replace ada yang with something more explicit?

Yes:

Di tim kami, ada orang yang suka bertanya; ada juga yang memilih diam.
Di tim kami, sebagian suka bertanya, sebagian memilih diam. The bare ada yang is very idiomatic and natural, especially in speech.

Why kami and not kita?

kami = we/us (excluding the listener)
kita = we/us (including the listener) The sentence assumes the listener isn’t part of the team. If they are, use kita.

Why di tim kami and not dalam/pada tim kami?

di = at/in (default, neutral). Di tim kami is most natural.
dalam = inside/within; a bit more formal or spatial. Dalam tim kami also works.
pada = at/in (formal, often abstract contexts). Pada tim kami sounds stiff in everyday speech.

Does the comma usage look right? Could I use a conjunction?

Yes. Options:

Di tim kami, ada yang suka bertanya; ada yang memilih diam.
Di tim kami, ada yang suka bertanya, sedangkan yang lain memilih diam.
Di tim kami, ada yang suka bertanya, sementara yang lain memilih diam. A comma after the fronted phrase is common in formal writing.

What nuance does suka add in suka bertanya?

With a verb, suka means “tend to / be inclined to.” It implies preference or habit.

suka bertanya = likes/is inclined to ask
sering bertanya = often asks (frequency)
gemar bertanya = is fond of asking (more formal/stronger)

What’s the difference between bertanya and bertanya-tanya?

bertanya = to ask (someone a question); intransitive; add a recipient with kepada (e.g., bertanya kepada guru).
bertanya-tanya = to wonder, keep asking oneself; no external addressee.

Why memilih diam and not memilih untuk diam?

Both are correct. After memilih, the complement can appear with or without untuk. With untuk feels a bit more formal/emphatic; the meaning is the same.

Is diam an adjective or a verb here?

It functions as a verb-like predicate (“to be silent, keep quiet”). Words like diam are flexible; after memilih, it’s read as “choose to be silent.”

Can I use pendiam instead of memilih diam?

No. pendiam describes a trait (“reticent/quiet person”), while memilih diam describes a situational choice.

Can I shorten it to ada yang bertanya, ada yang diam?

Yes, but the nuance changes:

suka bertanya = likes/tends to ask
bertanya = actually asks
memilih diam = chooses to be silent
diam = is silent (no emphasis on choice)

Is terdapat interchangeable with ada here?

Not in this pattern. terdapat is more formal but awkward with headless yang. You’d say terdapat orang yang …, not terdapat yang …. Keep ada yang here.

Can I move di tim kami to the end?

You can, but fronting it is clearer: Di tim kami then scopes over both clauses. If you put it after the first clause, it may seem to modify only that clause.

Do I need to say yang lain to mean “the others”?

Optional. Repeating ada yang …, ada yang … already implies contrast. To be explicit, use yang lain/yang lainnya in the second clause: …, sedangkan yang lain memilih diam.

Is tim the standard spelling?

Yes. Indonesian uses the loanword tim for “team.” Using English team is nonstandard in Indonesian.