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Questions & Answers about Baju saya kena saus pedas.
What does kena mean in this sentence? Is it like saying something got on my shirt?
Yes. kena means to be hit/affected by something, usually unwanted or accidental. It’s the standard way to say something got on you or happened to you unintentionally, e.g., Saya kena flu (I caught the flu), Dia kena denda (He got fined).
Is kena the verb here? What’s the sentence structure?
Yes. The structure is Subject + Verb + Complement: Baju saya (my shirt/clothes) + kena (got/was affected by) + saus pedas (hot sauce). There’s no linking verb like English be; kena itself is the predicate.
Is this past, present, or future? How do I show time?
Indonesian doesn’t mark tense on the verb. You add time words:
- Past: tadi, barusan, kemarin (e.g., Baju saya tadi kena saus pedas).
- Already: sudah/udah (e.g., Baju saya sudah kena saus pedas).
- Future: nanti, akan.
Can I use terkena instead of kena?
Yes: Baju saya terkena saus pedas is correct. terkena is a bit more formal/neutral (you’ll see it in news, notices, medical contexts), while kena is very common in everyday speech.
What about ketumpahan or other forms with ke- -an?
ke- -an often marks unintentional experiences. Baju saya ketumpahan saus pedas means my shirt got spilled on by hot sauce, emphasizing the accident. Similarly, Saya kehujanan means I got caught in the rain. kena is more general; ketumpahan/kehujanan highlight the mishap.
What are other natural ways to say this?
- Ada saus pedas di baju saya (There is hot sauce on my shirt.)
- Saus pedasnya tumpah ke baju saya (The hot sauce spilled onto my shirt.)
- Saus pedasnya kena baju saya (The hot sauce got on my shirt.)
- Baju saya kena sambal (using the common chili paste, sambal).
Does baju mean specifically a shirt?
baju can mean a top or clothing in general. If you want to be specific:
- kemeja = button-up shirt
- kaus/kaos = T‑shirt
- pakaian = clothing (general)
Why baju saya and not bajuku? What’s the difference with aku/gue?
All are possessive, but register differs:
- baju saya = neutral/polite (safe everywhere)
- bajuku = attach -ku to the noun; neutral to slightly literary
- baju aku = informal
- baju gue/gua = casual Jakarta slang Pick based on formality and who you’re talking to.
What exactly is saus pedas? Is that like sambal?
saus = sauce; pedas = spicy (chili‑hot, not temperature). saus pedas is any spicy sauce (often bottled chili sauce). sambal is a chili paste/condiment; in many contexts you could say sambal instead of saus pedas. Standard spelling is saus; saos is a common informal variant.
Pronunciation tips?
- kena: ke‑NA (the first e is a schwa, like the a in about).
- saus: SA‑us (often two syllables; some glide it to sound like one).
- pedas: pe‑DAS (first e is a schwa). Stress is light and generally falls near the end.
How do I negate it?
Use tidak (formal/neutral) or nggak/gak (informal):
- Baju saya tidak kena saus pedas.
- Baju saya nggak kena saus pedas.
How can I sound more natural when complaining about it?
Add interjections/particles:
- Aduh, baju saya kena saus pedas nih! (ugh/ouch, look, this happened now)
- Duh, kena saus pedas lagi, deh. (resigned tone) Particles like nih, deh, dong add nuance in casual speech.
What does -nya do in saus pedasnya?
-nya can mark something specific/known or act like the. Baju saya kena saus pedasnya implies that particular hot sauce we both know or just used. It can also add an explanatory tone.
Do I ever use oleh or sama to mark an agent with kena?
Usually no; kena already encodes being affected by something: Baju saya kena saus pedas is complete. With human agents, colloquial sama is common: Saya kena marah sama bos (I got scolded by the boss). oleh is rare with kena in everyday speech.