Breakdown of Saya melihat poster di perpustakaan.
sebuah
a
saya
I
di
in
perpustakaan
the library
melihat
to see
poster
the poster
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Questions & Answers about Saya melihat poster di perpustakaan.
What does "Saya" mean, and is it formal or casual?
It means "I/me." Saya is neutral and polite; use it with strangers, elders, and in writing. Informal options include aku (friendly/intimate) and Jakarta slang gue/gua. All are grammatical: Saya melihat..., Aku melihat..., Gue lihat... (the last is very casual).
Why is it "melihat" and not just "lihat"?
The prefix meN- makes an active transitive verb from the base lihat (see), so melihat = “to see/look at (something).” In standard style you use melihat. In casual speech people often drop the prefix: Saya lihat poster..., and Lihat! is the imperative “Look!”
Do I need an article like “a” or “the” before “poster”?
Indonesian has no articles. poster can mean “a poster” or “the poster” depending on context. To be explicit, use:
- poster itu = that/the poster
- poster ini = this poster
- sebuah poster = a single poster
Should I add "sebuah" before "poster"?
It’s optional. Saya melihat poster di perpustakaan is natural and usually reads as “I saw a poster.” Saya melihat sebuah poster... emphasizes “one poster” and feels a bit more formal. For exact counting, use numbers: satu poster, dua poster; the classifier buah is optional for many inanimate nouns.
How do I make it plural, like “posters”?
Mark it if needed:
- Reduplication: poster-poster
- Quantifiers: banyak poster (many posters), beberapa poster (some posters), dua poster (two posters) A bare poster leaves number unspecified.
What exactly does "di" mean here? Is it “in” or “at”?
di marks location and can be “in” or “at.” di perpustakaan can mean “in/inside the library” or “at the library” from context. To be explicit about inside, say di dalam perpustakaan.
What’s the difference between "di," "ke," and "dari"?
- di = at/in: di perpustakaan
- ke = to/toward (motion): ke perpustakaan
- dari = from (source): dari perpustakaan They aren’t interchangeable.
Can I move "di perpustakaan" to the front?
Yes. Di perpustakaan, saya melihat poster. This puts focus on the location. The original Saya melihat poster di perpustakaan is also perfectly natural.
Does the sentence mean “I see” or “I saw”? Indonesian has no tense, right?
Right—no verb tense. Saya melihat... can be present or past. Add time words if needed:
- Past: Tadi saya melihat poster..., Kemarin saya melihat poster..., Saya sudah melihat poster...
- Present progressive: see next answer.
How do I say “I am looking at a poster (right now)”?
Use sedang: Saya sedang melihat poster. Colloquially you’ll hear Aku lagi lihat poster, where lagi marks the progressive and the meN- prefix is often dropped.
Should I use "menonton" instead of "melihat"?
Use melihat for “to see/look at” something. Use menonton for watching shows/films/videos: Saya menonton film, menonton TV. Memandang means to gaze/look at (more deliberate or poetic).
How would I say it in the passive voice?
Two natural options:
- Short passive: Poster itu saya lihat di perpustakaan.
- di- passive: Poster itu dilihat (oleh) saya di perpustakaan. The short passive is very common; oleh is usually omitted in speech.
Is it "di perpustakaan" or "diperpustakaan"? I see both "di" and "di-" in Indonesian.
As a preposition, di is separate: di perpustakaan. As a passive prefix, di- attaches to verbs: dilihat, dibaca. Never write diperpustakaan when you mean “at the library.”
What does "perpustakaan" literally come from?
From pustaka (texts/books) plus the place-forming affixes per- ... -an, yielding “place of books” → library. Compare perkantoran (office complex) from kantor, perumahan (housing area) from rumah.
How do I negate the sentence?
Use tidak before the verb: Saya tidak melihat poster di perpustakaan. Use bukan to negate a noun phrase: Yang saya lihat bukan poster (“What I saw was not a poster”).
Any quick pronunciation tips for "perpustakaan"?
Syllables: per-pus-ta-ka-an. The e in per- is a schwa (like the a in “sofa”). Indonesian stress is light, typically on the second-to-last syllable: per-pus-ta-KA-an. Say all vowels clearly; none are silent.