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Breakdown of Setelah hujan, kami mengelap meja dengan tisu.
kami
we
dengan
with
setelah
after
hujan
the rain
meja
the table
mengelap
to wipe
tisu
the tissue
Questions & Answers about Setelah hujan, kami mengelap meja dengan tisu.
What’s the difference between kami and kita?
Both mean we, but:
- kami = we (excluding you, the listener)
- kita = we (including you) In the sentence, kami implies the listener wasn’t part of the wiping.
Why is it mengelap and not melap?
The base word is lap (a cloth; also the act of wiping). With the meN- prefix, monosyllabic roots typically take the form menge- + root, so you get mengelap. Compare: mengecat (from cat, to paint), mengebor (bor, to drill), mengepel (pel, to mop). Note: melap exists but is much less common; mengelap is the standard choice.
Is hujan a noun or a verb here?
Here it’s a noun: setelah hujan = after the rain. Indonesian lets hujan act as a verb too: Kemarin hujan = It rained yesterday. You can also be more specific: setelah hujan berhenti/reda (after the rain stopped/subsided).
Can I say setelah hujan turun or setelah turun hujan?
Yes. All are acceptable:
- setelah hujan (most concise)
- setelah hujan turun (after the rain fell/after it rained)
- setelah hujan reda/berhenti (after the rain subsided/stopped) “Turun hujan” is a bit old-fashioned, but you’ll still see it.
Why is there a comma after Setelah hujan?
When you put an adverbial phrase at the start, Indonesian normally uses a comma: Setelah hujan, kami… If you move the phrase to the end, you don’t need a comma: Kami … setelah hujan.
What’s the difference between dengan, pakai, and menggunakan?
All can mark the instrument (with/using):
- dengan = neutral, widely used in writing and speech.
- pakai (or memakai) = more casual; very common in speech.
- menggunakan = more formal or when emphasizing the tool. So you can say: mengelap meja dengan/pakai tisu.
Does tisu mean one tissue or many? How do I say one tissue?
Indonesian usually doesn’t mark plural. tisu can mean tissue/tissues. To be specific:
- one sheet: selembar tisu
- some tissues: beberapa tisu
- a lot of tissues: banyak tisu Reduplication (tisu-tisu) is possible but rarely needed here.
How do I say the table or a table?
Indonesian has no articles. You add words if needed:
- “the table” (specific): meja itu / meja tersebut
- “a table” (one, non-specific): sebuah meja In everyday contexts, bare meja is often enough.
Can I change the word order?
Yes. All are natural:
- Setelah hujan, kami mengelap meja dengan tisu.
- Kami mengelap meja dengan tisu setelah hujan.
- Kami mengelap meja setelah hujan dengan tisu. (still okay, but keep tool near the verb for clarity)
What’s the passive version of this sentence?
- Meja (itu) dilap dengan tisu setelah hujan. Note: The passive uses di- + lap → dilap (not “dielap,” because the base is lap). In casual speech you’ll also hear active without meN-: Kami lap meja dengan tisu…
Could I use menghapus instead of mengelap?
Not here. menghapus = to erase (marks on a board, text, files). mengelap = to wipe with a cloth/tissue to clean a surface. A general alternative is membersihkan (to clean).
Is meja-meja correct for plural?
Yes, reduplication marks plurality: meja-meja = tables. But Indonesians more often use a number or quantifier:
- dua meja, beberapa meja, semua meja Use reduplication when you need to stress variety or plurality without a number.
What’s the difference between tisu, lap, and serbet?
- tisu = tissue paper (disposable)
- lap / kain lap = a cleaning cloth/rag (reusable)
- serbet = napkin (cloth or paper) for dining So: mengelap meja dengan tisu/lap are both natural, but the tool is different.
Are setelah and sesudah interchangeable? What about sehabis or usai?
- setelah and sesudah = interchangeable in most contexts.
- sehabis = colloquial/informal.
- usai (or usainya) = more formal/literary. All could work: Setelah/Sesudah/Sehabis hujan…
Can setelah be followed by a clause as well as a noun?
Yes. It can take a noun phrase or a full clause:
- Noun phrase: Setelah hujan, …
- Clause: Setelah hujan berhenti, … / Setelah kami makan, …
Can I drop the subject kami?
In instructions or very casual contexts, yes: Mengelap meja dengan tisu setelah hujan. But in normal sentences, Indonesian typically keeps the subject. Keeping kami is clear and natural.
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