Sandalku basah; tolong lap dengan tisu lalu jemur di pinggir jendela.

My sandals are wet; please wipe them with a tissue, then dry them at the edge of the window.

Breakdown of Sandalku basah; tolong lap dengan tisu lalu jemur di pinggir jendela.

• adalah: to be
• sebuah: a
• di: at
• dengan: with
• lalu: then
• basah: wet
• jendela: the window
• tolong: please
• ku: my
• sandal: the sandal
• pinggir: the edge
• tisu: the tissue
• lap: to wipe
• jemur: to dry

Questions & Answers about Sandalku basah; tolong lap dengan tisu lalu jemur di pinggir jendela.

Why is there no be-verb before basah in Sandalku basah?

Indonesian doesn’t need a be-verb with adjective predicates. An adjective can directly describe the subject:

• Sandalku basah. (My sandals are wet.) Using adalah here is wrong; adalah links two nouns (e.g., Dia adalah guru).

What does the suffix -ku in sandalku mean, and how do I write it?

-ku is an enclitic meaning my. It attaches to the noun with no space or hyphen: sandalku (my sandal/sandals). Alternatives:

• sandal saya (neutral/formal)
• sandalku (a bit more intimate/compact) Don’t write sandal ku or sandal-ku.

Is sandalku singular or plural?

Indonesian doesn’t mark plurals by default, so sandalku can mean my sandal or my sandals (usually the pair). To be explicit:

• kedua sandal saya (both my sandals)
• sepasang sandal saya (my pair of sandals)
• sandal-sandal saya (my sandals, reduplication for plural)

I often hear sendal. Is sandalku or sendalku correct?

Standard spelling is sandal (KBBI). Sendal is common in casual speech, but in writing use sandal. So sandalku is the standard form.

Why is there a semicolon after Sandalku basah?

A semicolon links two closely related independent clauses: a statement followed by a request. You could also use a period:

• Sandalku basah. Tolong lap … A comma is common in informal writing but less standard.

What exactly does tolong do here?

Tolong is a polite request marker, roughly please (help to). It softens imperatives:

• Tolong lap … (Please wipe …) Comparisons:
• silakan: an invitation/permission (Please go ahead), not a request you need done for you.
• mohon: very formal/solemn please (often in notices).
• bisa tolong …?: could you please …? (polite, conversational)

Is Tolong lap … polite enough? Any softer options?

Yes, it’s polite. To soften further:

• Tolong dilap … (passive; very common, service-oriented)
• Bisa tolong dilap …?
• Tolong lap … ya. (friendly)
• Tolong lap … dong. (casual/informal)

What does lap mean? Is it a noun or a verb?

Both.

• Noun: lap = a cleaning cloth (kain lap).
• Verb: lap = to wipe. Imperative here is the bare form: lap. Related forms:
• mengelap (to wipe; active)
• dilap (to be/get wiped; passive)
• laplah (imperative with -lah, polite/formal) Colloquial: ngelap (from mengelap).

Why is there no object after lap and jemur?

It’s understood from context (the sandals). Indonesian often omits repeated objects. Fuller versions are fine but not required:

• Tolong lap sandalku dengan tisu, lalu jemur sandalku …
• Tolong dilap dulu, lalu dijemur, ya.

What does jemur really imply?

Jemur means to dry something by exposing it to sun or air (often sun-drying). Alternatives:

• keringkan: dry it (general, not necessarily sun)
• angin-anginkan: air it out If there’s no sun, keringkan di dekat jendela or angin-anginkan might be better.

Can I say jemurkan instead of jemur?

Yes. As an imperative, both are heard:

• Jemur di … (neutral)
• Jemurkan di … (adds a causative -kan feel; also common) Related:
• menjemur/menjemurkan (active)
• dijemur/dijemurkan (passive) Your sentence’s bare jemur is perfectly fine.

What does di pinggir jendela mean exactly? Is there a more precise term?

Pinggir means edge/side. So di pinggir jendela = at the edge/side of the window (often implying the windowsill area). More precise:

• di ambang jendela = on the windowsill Synonyms for pinggir: tepi (very close in meaning). For near the window: di dekat jendela.

Could I just say di jendela?

Yes. Di jendela (at/on the window) is common and natural. Use di ambang jendela if you specifically mean the sill/ledge.

What’s the nuance of lalu versus kemudian or terus?

All can mean then, but:

• lalu: neutral, common in writing and speech.
• kemudian: a bit more formal or sequenced.
• terus: very colloquial (and then/and keep going). Your sentence with lalu is natural.

Why dengan tisu? Can I say pakai tisu?

Both mean with/using tissue:

• dengan tisu (neutral)
• pakai tisu (colloquial) More formal: menggunakan tisu or gunakan tisu. Note standard Indonesian spelling is tisu (not tissue).

Any quick pronunciation tips for these words?

• sandal: SAN-dal (a as in father; final l clear)
• basah: BA-sah (s as in see; h sounded)
• tolong: TO-long (ng as in sing)
• lap: lahp (short a, final p unreleased)
• tisu: TEE-soo
• jemur: juh-MOOR (e like a schwa)
• pinggir: PING-geer (hard g)
• jendela: jən-DE-la (both e’s like a schwa)