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Ibu menambahkan bumbu agar ayam lebih enak.

Ibu menambahkan bumbu agar ayam lebih enak.
Mother adds spices so that the chicken is tastier.
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Questions & Answers about Ibu menambahkan bumbu agar ayam lebih enak.

Does Ibu mean “my mother,” any mother, or “Ma’am”? Why is it capitalized?
  • ibu = “mother” (common noun). To be explicit: ibu saya = “my mother,” ibunya = “his/her mother,” Ibu Sari = “Mrs. Sari.”
  • Ibu (capital I) is also a respectful title/term of address (“Ma’am/Mrs.”) and can function like “Mom/Mother” in English.
  • In your sentence it most naturally reads as “Mom/Mother.” Note that it’s capitalized also because it’s the first word of the sentence, so capitalization alone doesn’t decide the meaning.
How do I show past, present, or future with menambahkan?
  • Verbs don’t change form for tense in Indonesian. Use particles/adverbs:
    • Past: Ibu sudah menambahkan bumbu. (“Mom already added seasoning.”)
    • Progressive: Ibu sedang menambahkan bumbu. (“Mom is adding seasoning.”)
    • Future: Ibu akan menambahkan bumbu. (“Mom will add seasoning.”)
  • Time words like tadi (earlier), barusan (just now), nanti (later) can also clarify time.
What’s the difference between menambahkan, menambah, and menambahi?
  • menambah = “to add/increase” (general): Ibu menambah garam.
  • menambahkan = “to add [X] (to [Y])” focusing on the thing added (X): Ibu menambahkan garam ke (dalam) sup.
  • menambahi = “to add [X] to [Y]” focusing on the recipient/target (Y): Ibu menambahi sup dengan garam.
  • In casual speech you’ll also hear nambahin (colloquial for menambahkan).
Would membumbui be more natural than menambahkan bumbu?
  • Often yes when the target is the chicken: membumbui ayam = “to season the chicken.”
  • Natural rewrites:
    • Ibu membumbui ayam agar lebih enak.
    • Ibu menambahkan bumbu pada ayam agar lebih enak.
What exactly does bumbu mean?
  • bumbu = seasoning(s), spice mix, or flavoring used in cooking; it can be a paste or dry mix.
  • It’s broader than just “spices” (rempah). Bumbu can include garlic, shallot, chili, turmeric, etc., and even flavor enhancers (penyedap).
Is bumbu singular or plural? How do I say “spices”?
  • Number is usually unmarked: bumbu can mean “spice” or “spices.”
  • To highlight plurality: bumbu-bumbu.
  • To count kinds: dua macam bumbu (“two kinds of seasoning”).
What does agar mean, and how is it different from supaya, biar, or sehingga?
  • agar = “so that / in order that” (more formal).
  • supaya = same meaning, neutral.
  • biar = same meaning, informal/colloquial.
  • sehingga = “so that/as a result” (result, not purpose).
  • Examples:
    • Purpose: Ibu menambahkan bumbu agar/supaya ayam lebih enak.
    • Result: Ibu menambahkan bumbu, sehingga ayam lebih enak.
Can I put the agar-clause at the beginning?
  • Yes: Agar ayam lebih enak, Ibu menambahkan bumbu.
  • Use a comma after the fronted purpose clause.
Does ayam mean the animal or the meat?
  • ayam can mean either; context decides. Here it means the chicken meat/dish.
  • Be explicit if needed:
    • Animal: seekor ayam.
    • Meat: daging ayam.
    • Definite: ayamnya (“the chicken”).
How does lebih make a comparative? Do I need daripada?
  • lebih + adjective = “more + adjective” / “-er.”
  • Use daripada (“than”) only when you name the comparator:
    • Ayam ini lebih enak daripada kemarin.
  • In your sentence, the comparison is to the chicken’s previous state (before seasoning), so it’s implied.
Why is there no verb like “is” in ayam lebih enak?
  • Indonesian allows adjectives as predicates; no linking verb is needed.
  • Don’t say ayam adalah lebih enak. Just ayam (lebih) enak.
If I want to say “add seasoning to the chicken,” which preposition should I use?
  • Acceptable:
    • menambahkan bumbu pada ayam (“add seasoning to the chicken”)
    • menambahkan bumbu ke dalam sup/kuah (for liquids/mixtures)
  • Very natural alternatives for solids:
    • membumbui ayam (“season the chicken”)
    • mengolesi ayam dengan bumbu (“rub/coat the chicken with seasoning”)
Is enak the best word? What about lezat, sedap, nikmat?
  • enak: very common, neutral/casual; also “pleasant/comfortable.”
  • lezat: “delicious,” more formal/culinary.
  • sedap: “tasty/savory,” common and a bit Malay-flavored.
  • nikmat: “delightful/rich,” somewhat literary/advertising.
  • You can say lebih lezat/sedap/nikmat depending on tone.
Any quick pronunciation tips for these words?
  • Ibu: “EE-boo.”
  • agar: “AH-gar” (hard g).
  • ayam: “AH-yam.”
  • bumbu: “BOOM-boo.”
  • enak: first vowel is a schwa (like the a in “about”): “uh-nak”; final k is an unreleased stop.
  • The suffix -kan (as in menambahkan) is pronounced “-kahn.”
How would I say this in passive voice?
  • Bumbu ditambahkan agar ayam lebih enak. (“The seasoning is/was added so the chicken is tastier.”)
  • Or focusing on the chicken: Ayam dibumbui agar lebih enak.
How can I say “even tastier” or “the tastiest”?
  • “Even more”: lebih enak lagi, makin/semakin enak.
  • Superlative:
    • paling enak (“the most delicious”): Ini yang paling enak.
    • terenak (also common): Ini ayam terenak.