Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya membeli ayam bakar di warung kecil.

beli is the base verb and is very common in everyday speech.
membeli is the formal/politer form with the meN- prefix (meN- + beli → membeli). It’s frequent in writing and careful speech.

Examples:

Does this mean I bought or I am buying? How do I show tense in Indonesian?

Indonesian verbs don’t change for tense; context and time words do the work.

Is Saya required? Can I drop the subject?

You can drop it if context is clear. Indonesian is pro‑drop.

(Saya) beli ayam bakar di warung kecil. In writing or when clarity matters, keep Saya.

What’s the difference between saya and aku (and other I-words)?

saya = neutral/polite, safe with strangers and in writing.
aku = informal/intimate, common with friends and in many regions (esp. Java).
Colloquial regional options: gue/gua (Jakarta), ane (Betawi), beta (eastern).
If unsure, use saya.

Why is it warung kecil and not kecil warung?

Adjectives usually follow nouns in Indonesian.

N + Adj: warung kecil = small stall.
To say the small stall is cheap: Warung kecil itu murah.
To specify the one that is small: warung yang kecil (contrastive/identifying).

What does di mean here, and how is it different from ke and dari?

How do I tell di the preposition from the passive prefix di-?

Preposition di is a separate word before a noun: di warung.
Passive prefix di- attaches to a verb (no space): dibeli = be bought.
Example: Ayam bakar itu dibeli saya di warung kecil.

Why ayam bakar and not bakar ayam?

ayam bakar is a noun phrase: chicken + grilled = grilled chicken (a dish).
bakar ayam is a verb phrase: to grill chicken.
So you order ayam bakar, you bakar ayam when cooking.

Do I need words for a/the? How do I say at the small stall?

Indonesian has no articles.

Indefinite is just bare: di warung kecil (at a small stall).
Make it definite with itu: di warung kecil itu (at the small stall).
You can add a classifier-like sebuah for singular countable things: di sebuah warung kecil (at a small stall), but it’s often optional.

Do I need a classifier with ayam?

For food/dishes, no classifier is needed. Use portion words if you want quantity:

seporsi ayam bakar (one portion), sepotong ayam bakar (one piece).
For a live animal, use seekor:
seekor ayam (a chicken).
Examples:
Saya membeli seporsi ayam bakar di warung kecil.
Saya membeli seekor ayam di pasar.

How do I negate this sentence?

Use tidak to negate verbs and adjectives:

Saya tidak membeli ayam bakar di warung kecil.
Use bukan to negate nouns/pronouns:
Itu bukan warung kecil.

Can I move di warung kecil around in the sentence?

Yes. Common patterns:

Neutral: Saya membeli ayam bakar di warung kecil.
Topicalize place: Di warung kecil, saya (membeli) ayam bakar.
Avoid splitting the verb and its object awkwardly (e.g., Saya membeli di warung kecil ayam bakar) in careful Indonesian.

How do I ask Where did you buy the grilled chicken?

What exactly is a warung?

A warung is a small, usually family-run shop or eatery, often simple/roadside. Related terms:

Any natural colloquial versions of the whole sentence?

Any quick pronunciation tips?