Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Ibu menuang minyak goreng ke wajan panas. - Mother pours cooking oil into the hot frying pan.

ibu (lowercase) is the common noun “mother.”
Ibu (capitalized) is also a respectful title like “Ma’am/Mrs.” or a polite way to refer to an older woman; it’s often shortened to Bu in speech.
In a sentence like this, Ibu can mean “Mom/Mother” if context is the speaker’s own mother, but it could also be “the mother” or “the lady,” depending on context.
To be explicit:
- “my mom” = ibu saya or ibuku (more informal/attached form)
- “that lady” = ibu itu
- “her/his mother” or contextually “the mother” = ibunya
- as a title: Ibu Sari (Mrs. Sari)

Is menuang present, past, or progressive? How do I show tense/aspect?

Indonesian verbs don’t change for tense. menuang can mean “pours,” “is pouring,” or “poured,” depending on context. Add time/aspect words if needed:

Ongoing: Ibu sedang menuang minyak goreng… (Mom is pouring…)
Completed/already: Ibu sudah menuang minyak goreng…
Recent past: Ibu baru saja menuang minyak goreng…
Earlier (past): Tadi Ibu menuang minyak goreng…
Future: Ibu akan menuang minyak goreng…

Why is it menuang and not tuang? And what about menuangkan?

The root is tuang (“to pour”). The active transitive prefix meN-
- a word starting with t causes the t to drop and the prefix surfaces as men-, giving menuang.
tuang is often used as an imperative: Tuang minyaknya! (Pour the oil!)
menuangkan adds -kan. It often emphasizes transferring something into/onto a target, especially when you mention the destination:
- Dia menuangkan susu ke gelas.
- Dia menuang susu. Both are correct; with a stated destination, menuangkan is very common and sounds a bit more goal-focused.

Should it be ke wajan or ke dalam wajan for “into the pan”? When do I use di?

ke wajan = “to/into the pan” (direction). Natural with motion verbs like menuang.
ke dalam wajan = explicitly “into the inside of the pan,” adding clarity/emphasis on entering the interior.
di wajan = “in the pan” (location, no movement).
Use kepada for recipients (people/abstract), not places: kepada Ibu, not “kepada wajan.”

What exactly is minyak goreng? Doesn’t goreng mean “fried”?

minyak = oil; goreng = fry. As a modifier, goreng means “for frying.” So minyak goreng = cooking oil (oil used for frying), not “fried oil.”
Other examples: minyak zaitun (olive oil), minyak kelapa (coconut oil).
Related words: menggoreng (to fry), digoreng (fried), gorengan (fried snacks).

What kind of pan is wajan? Can I say penggorengan or panci?

wajan is a wok-like frying pan (very common in Indonesia).
penggorengan can mean “frying pan” (the utensil) and is often used interchangeably with wajan in everyday speech.
panci is a pot (not for frying).
Informally, people may say teflon to mean a nonstick frying pan. In your sentence, ke wajan panas is perfectly natural.

Why does panas come after wajan? Do adjectives always follow the noun?

Yes—adjectives typically follow the noun in Indonesian:

wajan panas (hot pan), air dingin (cold water), baju baru (new clothes). For emphasis or longer descriptions, use yang:
wajan yang sangat panas (the pan that is very hot). “panas wajan” is not how Indonesian orders noun + adjective.

Do I need to add “the” or “some” before minyak goreng?

No articles like “the/a/some” are needed. A bare noun is fine. Use a quantifier if you want:

sedikit minyak goreng (a little oil)
dua sendok makan minyak goreng (two tablespoons of oil)
sebotol minyak goreng (a bottle of cooking oil) To mean “the oil” in context, use minyak goreng itu or minyaknya.

Can I replace Ibu with Dia? How do I say “my mom”?

dia = he/she. Dia menuang… is fine but gender is ambiguous (that’s normal in Indonesian).
To say “my mom,” use Ibu saya or ibuku.
If you’re talking to an older woman politely, you can address her as Bu: Bu, tolong tuangkan minyaknya.

How do I say this in the passive voice?

Use di- for passive:

Minyak goreng dituang ke wajan panas (oleh Ibu).
More common with the goal-focused form: Minyak goreng dituangkan ke wajan panas (oleh Ibu). The oleh Ibu part (by Mom) is optional and often omitted if obvious or unimportant.

Is the word order fixed? Where do object and destination go?

Default order is S–V–O–(goal):

Ibu menuang minyak goreng ke wajan panas. With -kan, both are common when the destination is stated:
Ibu menuangkan minyak goreng ke wajan. Avoid putting the destination before the object in this sentence (e.g., “Ibu menuang ke wajan panas minyak goreng” sounds unnatural). Fronting for emphasis is possible but more formal: Ke wajan panas, Ibu menuang minyak goreng.

Any pronunciation tips for wajan, menuang, and goreng?

w as in English “we”; j like English “j” in “jam.”
ng in menuang/goreng is the single sound /ŋ/ as in “sing,” not “n” + “g.”
Syllable/stress (typically penultimate):
- wa-jan → WA-jan
- me-nu-ang → me-NU-ang
- go-reng → GO-reng
Vowels are “pure”: u as in “food,” a as in “father.” The r is tapped/trilled.