Questions & Answers about Kemeja itu perlu disetrika; kausmu juga.
What does the word order in kemeja itu mean? Why is itu after the noun?
In Indonesian, demonstratives like itu (that/the) come after the noun. So kemeja itu means “that shirt” or “the shirt (already known in context).” If you said itu kemeja, it would more likely be an identification like “that is a shirt,” which doesn’t fit here.
Why is the passive disetrika used instead of an active form?
Indonesian often uses the passive to highlight the thing affected and leave the doer unspecified, especially for chores. Kemeja itu perlu disetrika focuses on the shirt needing ironing. An active version would be Kamu perlu menyetrika kemeja itu (you need to iron the shirt), which shifts the focus to the person doing it.
If I want to mention the doer, how can I do it?
You have a few options:
- Passive Type 2: Kemeja itu perlu kamu setrika. (very natural)
- Active: Kamu perlu menyetrika kemeja itu.
- With an agent after passive: Kemeja itu perlu disetrika oleh… This is grammatical but sounds formal or heavy in everyday speech unless the agent is important.
What’s the difference between perlu and harus here?
- perlu = “need/necessary” (practical need, advisable)
- harus = “must/have to” (obligation/requirement, stronger) So perlu disetrika is milder than .