Saya lebih suka kopi hangat ketimbang teh hangat.

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Breakdown of Saya lebih suka kopi hangat ketimbang teh hangat.

• kopi: the coffee
• teh: the tea
• lebih suka: to prefer

Questions & Answers about Saya lebih suka kopi hangat ketimbang teh hangat.

Is lebih suka a fixed expression for prefer? Can I say suka lebih?

Yes. lebih suka literally means more like and functions as prefer. The word order is fixed: put lebih before suka. Don’t say suka lebih. Alternatives:

• lebih menyukai A … (more formal)
• lebih memilih A … (emphasizes choosing)
• lebih senang A … (casual)
• Superlative: paling suka (like … the most)

What’s the difference between ketimbang and daripada?

Both mean than. daripada is neutral/standard in all registers. ketimbang is common and a bit more casual. A formal alternative is dibandingkan dengan.

Do I have to include lebih when using daripada/ketimbang?

In careful/standard Indonesian, yes: lebih suka … daripada/ketimbang … is the default. In casual speech people often say suka … daripada …, and it’s understood as prefer, but in formal writing keep lebih.

Why is hangat after kopi and teh?

Adjectives usually follow nouns in Indonesian: kopi hangat, teh dingin, rumah besar. Putting the adjective before the noun is generally ungrammatical outside special fixed expressions.