Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya menyimpan lap bersih di lemari.

In Indonesian, adjectives usually come after the noun they modify. So you say lap bersih (clean cloth), meja besar (big table), orang pintar (smart person). If you put the adjective first, it becomes a sentence: Lap itu bersih = The cloth is clean.

What’s the nuance of menyimpan compared to menaruh or meletakkan?

menyimpan: to keep/store something somewhere for later (emphasis on safekeeping/putting away).
Example: Saya menyimpan paspor di brankas.
menaruh: to put/place (neutral, general action).
Example: Saya menaruh tas di meja.
meletakkan: to place/put down (often slightly more formal or careful placement).
Example: Dia meletakkan buku di rak.

Your sentence uses menyimpan because the idea is storing a cloth in a cupboard, not just setting it down temporarily.

Why is it di lemari and not ke lemari?

di marks a location (in/at/on): static position.
ke marks movement toward a destination (to). With verbs like menyimpan (to store in a place), you use di because you’re specifying the location where the item ends up. If you want to emphasize the motion of putting into, you could use a different verb: memasukkan lap ke lemari (to put the cloth into the cupboard).

Do I need to say di dalam lemari instead of di lemari?

di lemari is already understood as “in the cupboard” and is perfectly natural.
Use di dalam lemari when you want to be explicit about “inside,” especially to contrast with other places like di atas lemari (on top of the cupboard) or di depan lemari (in front of the cupboard).

How do I say “a/the” in Indonesian here?

Indonesian has no articles like “a/the.” Context usually covers it.

To specify “the/that”: add itu (or ini for “this”): lap bersih itu.
To say “a/one”: you can add a classifier or satu: sehelai lap bersih / satu lap bersih. Often you simply say lap bersih and let context tell whether it’s a/one/the.

What classifier fits best with lap?

For cloth-like items, the natural classifiers are:

sehelai lap (one piece of cloth/rag)
selembar lap (one sheet/piece; also common) People also say satu lap in everyday speech. sebuah lap is heard but is less precise for cloth.

How do I show plural “clean cloths”?

The base noun can be singular or plural. To make plural explicit:

beberapa lap bersih = some clean cloths
banyak lap bersih = many clean cloths
lap-lap bersih = clean cloths (reduplication) Without markers, lap bersih could mean one or more, depending on context.

Is Saya the only option? What about Aku?

Both mean “I,” but the tone/register differs:

saya: neutral, polite, common in formal situations and writing
aku: casual/intimate, used with friends/family In some regions or Jakarta slang, gue/gua is common in very informal speech.

Why is it menyimpan and not “mensimpan”? What’s the rule?

The prefix meN- changes form based on the first letter of the root:

With roots starting in s, meN- becomes meny- and the s drops: simpan → menyimpan
Other common patterns: p → mem- (pakai → memakai), t → men- (tulis → menulis), k → meng- (kirim → mengirim)

What’s the difference between di as a preposition and di- as a passive prefix?

di (separate word) is a preposition meaning “in/at/on”: di lemari (in the cupboard).
di- (attached) is a passive voice prefix: disimpan (is/was stored). Correct spacing matters: disimpan di lemari = “stored in the cupboard.”

How would I say “The clean cloth is stored in the cupboard”?

Use the passive or add a demonstrative:

Lap bersih itu disimpan di lemari. (passive; “that/the clean cloth is stored…”) Alternatively, topicalize with an active clause:
Lap bersih itu saya simpan di lemari. (focuses on the cloth as topic)

How do I say “I keep it in the cupboard”?

Use the object clitic -nya:

Saya menyimpannya di lemari. (= I keep it there.) Here -nya stands for “it/them.” You can also say Saya simpan itu di lemari (more explicit, slightly more casual).

Does lemari mean any cupboard? What about wardrobe or cabinet?

lemari: general cupboard/cabinet/wardrobe context-dependent
lemari pakaian: wardrobe/closet for clothes
lemari piring: dish cupboard
lemari es: refrigerator
kabinet: “cabinet” (often kitchen/office); borrowed and used in specific contexts

Is lap the same as kain or serbet?

lap: a rag/cloth used for cleaning/wiping
kain: cloth/fabric in general; kain lap = cleaning cloth
serbet: napkin (table/cloth napkin)
tisu: tissue (paper)
saputangan: handkerchief Choose lap here because it’s for cleaning.