Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Adik perempuan saya belum kenyang, jadi dia makan roti lagi. - My younger sister is not full yet, so she eats bread again.

adik = younger sibling (gender-neutral).
adik perempuan = younger sister (specifically female).
saudari is a formal word for “female sibling” and also a polite form of address; it’s uncommon in everyday talk about your own sister. In daily speech, use adik perempuan. For an older sister, say kakak perempuan (often just kakak).

Can I drop perempuan and just say adik saya?

Yes, if the context already makes it clear you mean your sister. Adik saya by itself is gender-neutral (could be brother or sister). If you need to specify female, keep perempuan.

Why is saya used instead of aku? Could I say adik perempuanku?

saya is neutral/polite; aku is more intimate/informal.
Possessive with -ku is common in informal style: adik perempuanku = “my younger sister.”
adik perempuan saya is perfectly natural and neutral in tone.

What’s the difference between belum and tidak here?

belum = “not yet,” implying it may become true later. Belum kenyang suggests “not full yet (so might eat more).”
tidak = “not.” Tidak kenyang is possible but more neutral/flat; it lacks the “yet” nuance and can sound less natural in this context where a follow-up action (eating more) happens.
Pairs to know: sudah kenyang (already full) vs belum kenyang (not yet full).

Is kenyang an adjective? Why isn’t there a word for “to be”?

Yes. Indonesian adjectives can directly function as predicates:

(Dia) kenyang. = “(S)he is full.”
(Dia) belum kenyang. = “(S)he is not yet full.” No linking verb is needed before adjectives. adalah is generally used with nouns, not adjectives.

Does kenyang mean “full” or “satisfied”? How is it different from lapar and puas?

kenyang = physically full (stomach).
lapar = hungry.
puas = satisfied/pleased (not necessarily about stomach fullness). Examples: Saya lapar, Saya kenyang, Saya puas (with the result).

Is jadi the right connector? How does it compare to karena, makanya, or sehingga?

jadi = “so/therefore,” very common and natural: cause, then result.
karena = “because,” introduces the reason; flip the order: Karena …, dia makan roti lagi.
makanya = “that’s why,” colloquial explanatory tone.
sehingga = “so that/as a result,” a bit more formal. Punctuation: a comma before jadi (… , jadi …) is common; you can also start a new sentence with Jadi, …

Could I use ia or beliau instead of dia? And does dia mean “he” or “she”?

Indonesian third-person pronouns aren’t gendered. dia = “he/she.”
ia is more formal/literary and typically used as a subject: … jadi ia makan roti lagi. (fine in writing).
beliau is an honorific for respected people (teachers, elders, public figures). Don’t use it for your younger sister.

Can I omit dia in the second clause?

Yes. Subject drop is fine when the subject is clear: … jadi makan roti lagi. This is common in speech and informal writing.

Where should lagi go? What’s the difference between makan roti lagi and lagi makan roti?

makan roti lagi = “eat bread again / eat more bread” (repetition/additional amount).
lagi makan roti = “is in the middle of eating bread” (progressive aspect), similar to sedang makan roti.
Don’t say makan lagi roti; it’s unidiomatic. You can say makan lagi (eat again) or makan roti lagi.

Does lagi mean “again” or “more” here? How can I be specific?

It can mean either, depending on context.

Time/repetition: sekali lagi = one more time; Dia makan roti sekali lagi.
Additional quantity: add a classifier or tambah/tambahan: Dia makan sepotong roti lagi (one more piece of bread), Dia minta roti tambahan.
lagi-lagi means “again and again / yet again” (often with annoyance).

How do I say “another piece/slice of bread” naturally?

sepotong roti lagi = one more piece (general).
seiris roti lagi = one more slice (for sliced bread). Use the classifier that fits the shape: potong (piece/chunk), iris (slice).

Why is it adik perempuan saya, not adik saya perempuan?

Possession is typically “noun + possessor”: adik perempuan saya = “my younger sister.”
adik saya perempuan reads as “my younger sibling is female” (a classification statement), which isn’t the intended structure here.

How do definiteness and articles work with roti? Is it “bread,” “a bread,” or “the bread”?

Indonesian has no articles. roti can be generic or specific from context.

To make it definite: roti itu (that bread), roti ini (this bread).
To express “some bread”: use quantity/classifiers, e.g., sedikit roti (a little bread), beberapa potong roti (several pieces of bread).

Any quick pronunciation tips for kenyang, perempuan, jadi, roti?

kenyang: [kən-nyang]. ny like the “ny” in “caNYon” (Spanish ñ); final -ng as in “siNG.”
perempuan: roughly [pə-rəm-pu-an]; pronounce all vowels; the first e is a schwa.
jadi: [jah-dee], j as in “judge.”
roti: [roh-tee], with a tapped/trilled r. Also: dia [dee-ah], adik [ah-dik].

Can I use masih or sudah with kenyang?

sudah kenyang = already full.
masih kenyang = still full.
masih belum kenyang = still not full. Remember the nuance: belum implies “not yet (but expected later),” while tidak is plain negation.