Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kulkas di kantor rusak kemarin, jadi minuman tidak dingin. - The fridge at the office broke yesterday, so the drinks aren’t cold.

Kulkas means “fridge/refrigerator.” A more formal or older term is lemari es. Both are understood; kulkas is more common in everyday speech.

How do you say “the office fridge” in Indonesian when there is no word for “the”?

Indonesian uses context or demonstratives/possessives for definiteness:

Kulkas di kantor = the fridge at the office (context makes it definite).
Kulkas di kantor itu = that/the fridge at the office.
Kulkas kantor = the office’s fridge (noun–noun compound).
Kulkas kantornya = the office’s fridge / the office fridge (the -nya marks possession/definiteness).

Is di kantor written as one word or two? I’ve seen di- attached to words elsewhere.

Two words: di kantor. When di is a preposition meaning “at/in,” it is written separately. When di- is a passive prefix on verbs (e.g., dirusak, “was damaged”), it’s attached.

What part of speech is rusak here? Do I need something like “is”?

Rusak is an adjective meaning “broken/damaged/out of order.” Indonesian doesn’t use a copula (“is/are”) before adjectives, so Kulkas … rusak = “The fridge is broken.” You do not use adalah with adjectives in this kind of sentence.

Could I say kulkasnya rusak instead?

Yes. Kulkasnya rusak means “the fridge is broken” or “its/their fridge is broken.” The suffix -nya often signals definiteness or possession; context clarifies which.

Where can I place kemarin? Is the current placement the only option?

It’s flexible:

Kemarin, kulkas di kantor rusak, jadi…
Kulkas di kantor kemarin rusak, jadi…
Kulkas di kantor rusak kemarin, jadi… (your sentence) All mean “yesterday.” Use tadi for “earlier today,” and besok for “tomorrow.”

Do I need sudah to show past time, like Kulkas … sudah rusak?

Not required. Kemarin already sets past time. Sudah highlights completion/result:

Kulkas di kantor sudah rusak = The fridge is already broken (now).
With time: … sudah rusak sejak kemarin = has been broken since yesterday.

What’s the difference between jadi and menjadi?

jadi (as a conjunction) = “so/therefore”: …, jadi minuman tidak dingin.
menjadi (verb) = “to become”: Air itu menjadi dingin.
Colloquially, jadi can also act like “become”: Minuman jadi tidak dingin (“the drinks ended up not cold”).

Are there alternatives to jadi for “so/therefore”?

Yes:

sehingga (more formal/consequential): … rusak kemarin, sehingga minuman tidak dingin.
makanya (informal, “that’s why”): … rusak kemarin, makanya minuman tidak dingin.
oleh karena itu / maka (formal): … rusak kemarin, oleh karena itu minuman tidak dingin.

Is the comma before jadi necessary?

It’s standard and helps readability. You can also start a new sentence: Kulkas … rusak kemarin. Jadi, minuman tidak dingin.

Why is it tidak dingin and not bukan dingin?

Use tidak to negate verbs and adjectives; dingin is an adjective. Use bukan to negate nouns/pronouns:

Tidak dingin = not cold (correct here).
Bukan minuman = not a drink.

What’s the nuance difference between tidak dingin and kurang dingin?

Tidak dingin = not cold (at all).
Kurang dingin = not cold enough/insufficiently cold.
If it’s actually warm: hangat (warm), panas (hot).

Is minuman singular or plural? How do I say “the drinks weren’t cold”?

Minuman can be singular or plural depending on context. To make it clearly definite/plural:

Minumannya tidak dingin = the drink(s) weren’t/aren’t cold.
Minuman itu tidak dingin = that/the drink isn’t cold.
You can also specify: semua minuman (all the drinks).

Does Minuman tidak dingin ever sound like a noun phrase (“cold drinks”) instead of a sentence?

As a bare noun phrase, minuman dingin means “cold drinks.” With negation and sentence context, Minuman tidak dingin is read as a clause (“The drinks are not cold”). For clarity in statements, many speakers add itu or -nya: Minuman itu/Minumannya tidak dingin.

Can I say Minuman jadi tidak dingin?

Yes. Here jadi means “ended up/became.”

Kulkas … rusak, jadi minuman tidak dingin (so/therefore).
Kulkas … rusak, minuman jadi tidak dingin (the drinks ended up not cold). Both are natural.

What nuance does rusak have compared to other words like mati or pecah?

rusak = broken/damaged/out of order (general, needs repair).
mati = “dead/off” for electronics/appliances (power off or failed): Kulkasnya mati.
pecah = shattered/cracked (glass/brittle items).
You can also say tidak berfungsi (not functioning) for formal tone.

Is kulkas kantor okay instead of kulkas di kantor?

Yes, but the nuance differs:

kulkas di kantor = the fridge located at the office.
kulkas kantor = the office’s fridge (ownership/association).
Both are common; choose based on whether you stress location or ownership.

Does the second clause refer to yesterday or now? It says minuman tidak dingin without a time word.

Indonesian relies on context. It can mean:

Past: the drinks weren’t cold yesterday (inferred from kemarin).
Present: the drinks are not cold now (as a result).
To be explicit, add a time word: … jadi kemarin minuman tidak dingin (past) or … jadi sekarang minuman tidak dingin (now).

Is it okay to start with the reason using karena?

Yes: Karena kulkas di kantor rusak kemarin, minuman tidak dingin.
Avoid double connectors in careful writing: karena … jadi … is common in speech but considered nonstandard in formal contexts.

Any register tips for tidak vs colloquial forms?

Formal/neutral: tidak.
Informal: nggak/enggak/gak (all common).
Literary/regional: tak (less common in daily speech).
So: Minuman nggak dingin is casual; Minuman tidak dingin is neutral/formal.