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Dia memasak ikan goreng dengan bawang putih dan garam.

Dia memasak ikan goreng dengan bawang putih dan garam.
He/She cooks fried fish with garlic and salt.
FromLesson 27inHardcore Indonesian
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Breakdown of Dia memasak ikan goreng dengan bawang putih dan garam.

dia
he/she
dan
and
dengan
with
memasak
to cook
goreng
fried
ikan
the fish
bawang putih
the garlic
garam
the salt

Questions & Answers about Dia memasak ikan goreng dengan bawang putih dan garam.

Is dia male or female? How do I specify gender or politeness?

Indonesian dia is gender-neutral: he or she. To specify, add a noun or context:

  • dia laki-laki (male), dia perempuan (female), or use the person’s name. For respect, use beliau (formal, for elders/important people). You may also see ia (more written/formal, usually as a subject only).
Does the verb show tense? How do I say he is/was/will cook?

Indonesian verbs don’t inflect for tense. Use particles or time words:

  • Ongoing: sedang or informal lagi — Dia sedang memasak...
  • Completed/past: sudah/telah, or time words (tadi, kemarin) — Dia sudah memasak...
  • Future: akan, or time words (nanti, besok) — Dia akan memasak...
Why memasak and not masak? Are both correct?
masak is the root. The prefix meN- forms the standard active verb: memasak. In casual speech the prefix is often dropped: Dia lagi masak.... Both are correct; memasak is more formal/neutral.
If the method is frying, shouldn’t it be menggoreng instead of memasak ikan goreng?
  • menggoreng ikan (dengan...) emphasizes the action of frying.
  • memasak ikan goreng treats ikan goreng as a named dish (fried fish) being prepared. Both are fine; choose based on whether you highlight the method or the dish.
Why is it ikan goreng, not goreng ikan?

Adjectives usually follow nouns. Here goreng functions as an adjective (fried), so ikan goreng is the noun phrase.

  • goreng ikan is not a noun phrase; it’s an imperative (Fry the fish!) or appears in a verb phrase like menggoreng ikan.
How do I say a fish or the fish when Indonesian has no articles?

No articles are used; rely on context or add markers:

  • One fish/indefinite: seekor ikan (classifier ekor for animals).
  • Definite: ikan itu or attach -nya: ikannya (often the fish, sometimes his/her fish depending on context).
Is it singular or plural? How do I say multiple fish?

Unmarked ikan can be singular or plural. To mark plural, use:

  • Reduplication: ikan-ikan.
  • Quantifiers/classifiers: banyak ikan, beberapa ekor ikan, dua ekor ikan.
What does dengan do here? Can I use pakai or menggunakan?

dengan means with and marks instruments/ingredients. Alternatives:

  • pakai (informal): ... pakai bawang putih dan garam.
  • menggunakan (formal): ... menggunakan bawang putih dan garam. For flavoring, you may also see berbumbu bawang putih dan garam (seasoned with).
Is bawang putih literally white onion? Does it mean garlic?

Yes. bawang is the onion/garlic family; putih means white. Common pairs:

  • bawang putih = garlic
  • bawang merah = shallot
  • bawang bombai = bulb onion
Can the dengan ... phrase move around, or must it stay at the end?

Most natural is after the object: Dia memasak ikan goreng dengan bawang putih dan garam. For emphasis, you can front it: Dengan bawang putih dan garam, dia memasak ikan goreng. Avoid splitting the verb and its object with the dengan phrase in neutral style.

How would I say this in the passive voice?

Use the di- passive to foreground the patient:

  • With the action fry: Ikan itu digoreng dengan bawang putih dan garam (oleh dia).
  • Mirroring the dish noun phrase: Ikan goreng itu dimasak dengan bawang putih dan garam (oleh dia) — natural because ikan goreng is the dish name. The agent (oleh dia) is optional; spoken Indonesian often uses -nya on the verb: digorengnya.
What does the meN- prefix do in forms like memasak/menggoreng?

meN- marks active transitive verbs and triggers sound changes:

  • p/t/k/s often drop: memotong (< potong), menulis (< tulis), mengirim (< kirim), menyapu (< sapu).
  • b/f/v take mem-: membaca, memfokuskan, memvaksinasi.
  • c/j/d/z take men-: mencuci, menjaga, mendengar.
  • g/h and vowels take meng-: menggoreng, menghitung, mengajar. Hence masak → memasak, goreng → menggoreng.
How do I talk about salting/seasoning, not just the noun garam?
  • Verb to salt: menggarami or imperative garami: Garami ikannya sedikit.
  • General add: beri garam or tambahkan garam.
  • Adjectives: asin (salty), gurih (savory/umami).

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