Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kemeja biru itu sudah disetrika. - That blue shirt has already been ironed.

Itu is a demonstrative that makes the noun phrase definite, roughly “that” or contextually “the.” Kemeja biru itu = “that/the blue shirt” (a specific one already known or visible).

Is itu required? What changes if I drop it?

No. Kemeja biru sudah disetrika is fine if context already identifies which blue shirt you mean. Adding itu points to a specific, known one.

Why is itu placed after the noun phrase instead of before it?

In Indonesian, demonstratives follow the noun phrase: kemeja biru itu, orang itu, buku baru ini. Putting itu before (itu kemeja…) usually starts a different pattern (“That is a blue shirt…”).

Can I use ini instead of itu?

Yes. Kemeja biru ini sudah disetrika means “this blue shirt has been ironed” (near the speaker or newly introduced).

Why is the adjective after the noun (kemeja biru, not biru kemeja)?

Adjectives typically follow the noun in Indonesian: kemeja biru, rumah besar. Colors follow the same rule.

Do I need yang before the adjective (kemeja yang biru)?

Not for simple descriptions. Use yang when you mean “the one that is…” for contrast/selection: Kemeja yang biru sudah disetrika, yang putih belum.

What does sudah add?

Sudah marks completed aspect (“already/has”). It tells you the ironing is finished. Without sudah, the timing can be ambiguous or sound generic.

Difference between sudah, telah, and udah?

Sudah: neutral, most common.
Telah: formal/literary.
Udah: colloquial (spoken). All mean “already/has.”

How do I say “not yet” vs “not”?

Not yet: belum — Kemeja biru itu belum disetrika.
Not (plain negation): tidak — Kemeja biru itu tidak disetrika (sounds like “it doesn’t get ironed,” used in contrast/habitual contexts).

Why is the passive used (disetrika) instead of an active verb?

Indonesian often uses the passive to focus on the patient (the shirt) or when the agent is unknown/irrelevant. di- + verb stem (disetrika) forms the passive.

How do I add who ironed it?

Two natural options:

di-passive + agent: Kemeja biru itu sudah disetrika oleh Ibu.
Type-2 passive (very common): Kemeja biru itu sudah saya setrika. (agent pronoun before the bare verb)

What’s the difference between oleh passive and the Type-2 passive?

… disetrika oleh … is grammatical but can sound formal/heavy in speech.
… sudah saya/aku/dia setrika is very common and concise, especially with pronoun agents.

What is the active version?

Saya sudah menyetrika kemeja biru itu. Active uses the meN- prefix: menyetrika (from stem setrika).

Is the spacing correct in disetrika? Should it be di setrika?

Write the passive prefix di- together with the verb: disetrika. With a space, di is a preposition (“at/in/on”), which is wrong here.

Is it setrika or seterika? And menyetrika or menyeterika?

Standard modern Indonesian prefers setrika and menyetrika. You may hear seterika/menyeterika regionally, but setrika/menyetrika is the safer standard. The passive is disetrika.

Where does sudah go? Can I put it after the verb?

Place sudah before the verb phrase: Kemeja biru itu sudah disetrika. Don’t say disetrika sudah in standard Indonesian. You can front it for emphasis: Sudah disetrika kemeja biru itu (spoken style).

How do I ask “Has the blue shirt been ironed?”

Apakah kemeja biru itu sudah disetrika? (neutral/formal)
Kemeja biru itu sudah disetrika? (spoken, rising intonation)
Tag form: Kemeja biru itu sudah disetrika, belum?

What are the short answers to that question?

Use aspect words:

Sudah. = “Yes, it has.”
Belum. = “Not yet.”

How do I say “The blue shirt is being ironed”?

Use a progressive marker:

Kemeja biru itu sedang disetrika. (neutral)
Kemeja biru itu lagi disetrika. (colloquial)

What’s the difference between kemeja and baju?

Kemeja: a collared, usually button-up shirt (dress shirt).
Baju: generic “shirt/clothing.” If you mean a dress shirt, use kemeja.

Can I replace the demonstrative with -nya, like Kemejanya sudah disetrika?

Yes. -nya often marks definiteness (“the/that”) or possession (“his/her”). Kemejanya sudah disetrika typically means “The shirt has been ironed” (context-known shirt). For possession, use a clear possessor: Kemeja saya sudah disetrika.

Is Kemeja biru itu disetrika correct without sudah?

Grammatically yes, but it tends to read as generic/habitual (“the blue shirt gets ironed”) or as a bare passive with unclear timing. Add sudah/sedang/akan to make time/aspect clear.