Guru memberi contoh singkat sebelum ujian.

The teacher gives a brief example before the exam.

Breakdown of Guru memberi contoh singkat sebelum ujian.

• sebuah: a
• guru: the teacher
• sebelum: before
• memberi: to give
• ujian: the exam
• singkat: brief
• contoh: the example

Questions & Answers about Guru memberi contoh singkat sebelum ujian.

Does Guru mean the teacher or a teacher? How do I mark definiteness and plurality?

• In Indonesian, guru by itself can mean a teacher, the teacher, or teachers; context decides.
• To make it specific: guru itu or gurunya = the teacher (previously known in context). Note: -nya can also mean his/her, so use it only when context is clear; guru itu is safest.
• To make it clearly indefinite: seorang guru = a teacher (human classifier).
• For plural: guru-guru or para guru = teachers. For specific teachers: guru-guru itu or para guru itu.

Why memberi and not memberikan? Are both correct?

• Both come from the root beri (give).
• Common patterns:
  • memberi [recipient] [thing]: Guru memberi siswa contoh singkat.
  • memberikan [thing] kepada [recipient]: Guru memberikan contoh singkat kepada siswa.
• With no recipient mentioned, both are fine: memberi contoh singkat or memberikan contoh singkat. Memberikan can feel a bit more formal and focuses on the object.
• Avoid: memberikan siswa contoh... (sounds wrong without kepada).

Can I use kasih or ngasih instead of memberi?

• In colloquial Indonesian, yes: kasih/ngasih = give.
• Example: Guru ngasih contoh singkat sebelum ujian.
• For formal contexts, stick with memberi/memberikan.

What’s the difference between memberi contoh and mencontohkan?

• memberi contoh = to give/provide an example (very common and neutral).
• mencontohkan (meN- + contoh + -kan) = to exemplify, to demonstrate by example.
• Use mencontohkan when you name the thing being exemplified: Guru mencontohkan cara mengerjakan soal.
• Don’t say mencontohkan contoh (redundant); use memberi contoh if you want the noun contoh as the object.

Is contoh singkat the right way to say a brief example? Can I use pendek or sebentar?

• singkat = brief/concise (fits content); contoh singkat is natural.
• ringkas is a near-synonym: contoh ringkas.
• pendek = short (length/time); odd with contoh, but fine with kalimat pendek (short sentence).
• sebentar/sejenak are adverbs (for a short while), not adjectives; avoid contoh sebentar.
• As an adverb: secara singkat = briefly (e.g., Guru memberi penjelasan secara singkat).

Do I need an article like a before contoh? Should I say sebuah contoh?

• Indonesian has no articles. contoh alone usually means an example.
• sebuah contoh is possible but heavier/emphatic (literally one example).
• To express quantity: satu contoh (one example), beberapa contoh (several examples).

How do I show who receives the example (e.g., to the students)?

• With memberi (two-object pattern): Guru memberi siswa-siswi contoh singkat sebelum ujian.
• With memberikan: Guru memberikan contoh singkat kepada para siswa sebelum ujian.
• Prefer kepada/pada for human recipients. ke is colloquial in this use; untuk means “for” (intended for), not “to” (as the act of giving).

How is tense expressed? Could this mean gave, gives, or will give?

• Verbs don’t inflect for tense. Use time words:
  • Past: tadi, kemarin, sudah/telah — Guru tadi memberi... / Guru sudah memberi...
  • Progressive: sedang — Guru sedang memberi...
  • Future: akan, nanti — Guru akan memberi...
• Your sentence is tenseless; translate by context.

Why is the adjective placed after the noun (contoh singkat)? Can I put it before?

• Adjectives usually follow nouns: contoh singkat, ujian sulit.
• For emphasis or a descriptive clause, use yang: contoh yang singkat.
• Pre-nominal placement (singkat contoh) is ungrammatical.

Can I make this passive?

• Yes:
  • Contoh singkat diberikan (oleh) guru sebelum ujian.
  • Contoh singkat diberi guru sebelum ujian.
  • With recipients: Para siswa diberi/diberikan contoh singkat oleh guru sebelum ujian.
• oleh is optional when the agent is obvious.

Is sebelum ujian the only way to say before the exam? What about sebelumnya or menjelang?

• sebelum + noun/clause: sebelum ujian, sebelum ujian dimulai.
• Sebelumnya, ... = Previously/Beforehand (sentence-level adverb): Sebelumnya, guru memberi...
• menjelang = approaching/toward (slightly literary): Guru memberi contoh singkat menjelang ujian.
• terlebih dahulu / dulu = first/before doing something else: Guru memberi contoh singkat terlebih dahulu.
• pra- names an event type: praujian = a pre-exam event, not “before the exam.”

What’s the difference between ujian, tes, and ulangan?

• ujian = exam (often formal/major).
• tes = test (loanword), broad and neutral.
• ulangan = school quiz/periodic test (K–12). University students (mahasiswa) usually take ujian or tes, not ulangan.

What’s the root and morphology of memberi?

• Root: beri (give).
• Active prefix meN- with roots starting in b surfaces as mem-: mem
  • beri → memberi.
• Passive: diberi. With -kan (object-oriented), memberikan/diberikan.

How would this sound in everyday informal speech?

• Gurunya ngasih contoh singkat sebelum ujian.
• With recipient: Gurunya ngasih contoh singkat ke murid-murid sebelum ujian. Notes:
• Colloquial features: ngasih (for memberi), ke (for kepada), enclitic -nya often marks “the” when contextually clear.

If I want to say The teacher gives a brief explanation instead of an example, what should I change?

• Use penjelasan singkat or an adverbial:
  • Guru memberi penjelasan singkat sebelum ujian.
  • Guru menjelaskan secara singkat sebelum ujian.