Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya pun membantu adik merapikan cucian. - I too help my younger sibling tidy the laundry.

It adds an “also/too” or “then/so” nuance with a slight emphasis. In narrative style, Saya pun... often feels like “So then I…/I too then…,” sometimes close to “even I…,” depending on context.

How is pun different from juga?

juga = the everyday “also/too.” Neutral and very common: Saya juga membantu adik...
pun = more literary/emphatic and often used in narratives or to mark a next step: Saya pun membantu...
For strong “even,” Indonesians more often use bahkan than pun.

Where does pun go in the sentence?

Right after the word or phrase it emphasizes: Saya pun membantu..., Dia pun setuju. It’s written as a separate word. It fuses only in certain set forms like meskipun, walaupun, sekalipun, bagaimanapun; otherwise keep it separate (e.g., apa pun).

Why is there no untuk before merapikan or kepada before adik?

With membantu, the common pattern is:

membantu + [person] + [verb phrase]: membantu adik merapikan cucian. Adding untuk is optional and often omitted: membantu adik untuk merapikan cucian (acceptable but less concise). Don’t use kepada here; membantu directly takes the person you help.

Why isn’t there a possessive marker on adik? How do I say “my younger sibling”?

Indonesian often omits possessives when it’s clear from context. To be explicit, use:

adikku (more informal), or
adik saya (neutral/formal).

Does adik specify gender?

No. adik just means “younger sibling.” To specify, say adik laki-laki (younger brother) or adik perempuan (younger sister).

Can adik refer to someone who isn’t my sibling?

Yes. It can be a polite address term for a younger person (like “Miss/young man”), though with adults it can sound patronizing if used inappropriately.

What does merapikan literally mean?

Root rapi = “neat/tidy.” With me-...-kan, merapikan means “to make (something) neat; to tidy (something).” It’s transitive and expects an object: merapikan cucian.

Could I use membereskan or melipat instead of merapikan?

membereskan (from beres) = “to straighten up/clear up/put in order” (broader clean‑up).
melipat (baju) = “to fold (clothes)” (specific action).
merapikan focuses on making things neat/ordered. Use whichever best matches the action you mean.

What exactly is cucian? Does it mean clean or dirty laundry?

cucian = “laundry / things to be washed or that have been washed” (from cuci + -an). Context decides:

cucian kotor = dirty laundry
cucian bersih = clean laundry In your sentence, it most naturally refers to laundry being put away/neatened (likely clean).

Is the sentence ambiguous about who does what?

Slightly. It can read as:

helping your younger sibling to tidy the laundry, or
helping tidy your younger sibling’s laundry. To clarify:
Help the sibling do the task: Saya pun membantu adik untuk merapikan cucian.
Help tidy the sibling’s laundry: Saya pun membantu merapikan cucian adik or ... cuciannya.

How formal is the sentence, and what are colloquial variants?

With saya and pun, it leans neutral-to-literary. In casual speech you’d hear:

Aku juga bantu adik rapiin cucian. (dropping the prefix and using colloquial rapiin)
Jakarta style: Gue bantuin adik beresin cucian. Standard writing prefers membantu / merapikan.

How do I show past or future time here?

Indonesian doesn’t inflect for tense. Add time markers:

Past: tadi, kemarin, sudah, baru saja (e.g., Saya tadi pun membantu... / Saya sudah membantu...)
Future: akan, nanti (e.g., Saya nanti pun akan membantu...) Note that pun itself doesn’t mark tense; it often adds a “then/so” narrative feel.