Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Video lucu itu membuat suasana rapat lebih santai. - That funny video makes the meeting atmosphere more relaxed.

Subject: video lucu itu; verb: membuat; object: suasana rapat; result/complement: lebih santai. It’s a standard S–V–O pattern plus a result.

Why is itu placed at the end of video lucu itu?

In Indonesian, demonstratives like itu (that/the) typically come after the whole noun phrase. Video lucu itu means “that/the funny video” (a specific one already known in context).

What’s the difference between video lucu itu, itu video lucu, and video itu lucu?

Video lucu itu: “that/the funny video” (a definite NP, used as subject here).
Itu (adalah) video lucu: “that is a funny video” (statement of identification).
Video itu lucu: “that video is funny” (comment about a specific video).

Does video here mean one video or can it be plural?

Indonesian doesn’t mark number by default. Context often tells you. To make it clearly plural, use video-video lucu itu (“those funny videos”) or add a quantifier like beberapa video lucu.

Can I add a classifier like sebuah?

Yes for an indefinite singular: Sebuah video lucu membuat suasana rapat lebih santai (“a funny video…”). Don’t combine sebuah with itu; sebuah video lucu itu is contradictory.

What exactly does membuat do in this pattern?

Membuat means “to make/cause.” The common pattern is membuat + object + adjective/adverb, e.g., membuat suasana rapat lebih santai (“make the meeting atmosphere more relaxed”). Colloquial: bikin. More formal: menjadikan.

Could I use menyebabkan instead of membuat?

You can, but it’s more natural to add menjadi: menyebabkan suasana rapat menjadi lebih santai. Without menjadi, it sounds stiff or incomplete.

What does suasana rapat literally mean, and why no preposition?

It’s a noun–noun compound: suasana (atmosphere) + rapat (meeting) = “meeting atmosphere.” Indonesian prefers this compound over suasana dari rapat. Use di rapat only for “at the meeting,” not for possession.

Why is it lebih santai and not just santai?

Lebih santai is comparative (“more relaxed”)—it implies change from a previous state. Santai alone states a quality (“relaxed”). Both can work depending on the intended meaning.

Do I need menjadi after membuat, as in membuat … menjadi lebih santai?

No. Membuat … lebih santai is already natural. Adding menjadi is optional and slightly more explicit/formal.

When should I use ini or tersebut instead of itu?

Ini: near the speaker or “this” in discourse, e.g., video lucu ini.
Tersebut: formal “the aforementioned,” e.g., video lucu tersebut (often in writing).

Can I front the cause with karena?

Yes: Karena video lucu itu, suasana rapat jadi lebih santai. This highlights the cause first. Jadi works well for “became.”

Is a passive version natural?

Grammatically: Suasana rapat dibuat lebih santai oleh video lucu itu, but it’s a bit stiff. More idiomatic: Suasana rapat jadi lebih santai karena video lucu itu or Suasana rapat dibuat lebih santai dengan memutar video lucu (using “by playing” as the means).

Does lucu mean “funny” or “cute”?

Both, depending on context. With video, it usually means “funny.” With babies/animals, lucu often means “cute/adorable.”

Could I say video yang lucu itu instead of video lucu itu?

Yes. Video yang lucu itu adds slight emphasis/clarification (“the video that is funny”), but in many contexts video lucu itu is simpler and equally natural.

Is rapat ever confusing since it also means “tight/close together”?

Context disambiguates. Here rapat is a noun (“meeting”). As an adjective (“tight”), it would modify with yang, e.g., suasana yang rapat (“dense/tight atmosphere”), which is different from suasana rapat (“meeting atmosphere”).

How would I say it more casually?

Video lucu itu bikin suasana rapat lebih santai. Even more informal: replace santai with nyantai.