Kipas di kamar masih menyala.

Breakdown of Kipas di kamar masih menyala.

di
in
kamar
the room
masih
still
menyala
to be on
kipas
the fan
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Questions & Answers about Kipas di kamar masih menyala.

What does the word bolded as masih do in this sentence, and where does it go?
  • Masih means “still” (continuing from a previous state).
  • It goes right before the predicate (verb/adjective): Subject + masih
    • predicate.
  • Examples: Dia masih tidur.; Lampu masih menyala.
  • Contrast: tetap means “stay/remain (despite something).” Tetap menyala implies it stays on in spite of attempts/conditions; masih menyala just states it is still on.
Why is it menyala and not nyala or menyalakan?
  • Menyala is intransitive: “to be on/glowing/burning.”
  • Menyalakan is transitive: “to turn on (something).” Example: Tolong nyalakan kipas.
  • Nyala is a root/noun (“flame, glow”) and, in colloquial speech, can be used as a stative: Lampunya masih nyala. Standard/formal prefers menyala.
Could I use hidup or berputar instead of menyala?
  • Hidup = “on (powered).” Very common for devices: Kipas di kamar masih hidup.
  • Menyala = “lit/on” (often for lights/flames), but people do use it for devices too.
  • Berputar = “spinning,” emphasizes the blades moving: Kipas di kamar masih berputar.
Do I need a word for “is” in Indonesian here?
  • No. Indonesian doesn’t use a copula before verbs/adjectives in this way.
  • Menyala itself carries the meaning; you don’t add adalah here.
What exactly does di kamar mean—does kamar imply “bedroom”?
  • Kamar means “room,” but in everyday use it most often means “bedroom.”
  • For specific rooms:
    • ruang tamu (living room), kamar tidur (bedroom), kamar mandi (bathroom), ruang kerja (study/office).
  • So di kamar is usually understood as “in the bedroom” unless context says otherwise.
Is di kamar modifying the noun (kipas) or the verb (menyala)? Do I need yang?
  • Without yang, di kamar can be read as a locative for the whole clause: “The fan in the room is still on.”
  • If you need to specifically pick out which fan (e.g., several fans exist), add yang: Kipas yang di kamar masih menyala = “The fan that is in the room is still on.”
  • Both are acceptable; yang sharpens the noun modification.
How do I express “the fan” versus “a fan”? There’s no article in Indonesian, right?
  • Correct—no the/a articles. Context gives definiteness.
  • To make it clearly definite: add a demonstrative or determiner:
    • Kipas di kamar itu masih menyala. (that specific fan)
    • Kipas di kamar ini masih menyala. (this room’s fan)
  • To make it clearly indefinite:
    • Sebuah kipas di kamar masih menyala. (a fan in the room …) — used when introducing a new, countable item.
Can I move di kamar to other positions?
  • Yes. Word order is flexible for adverbials:
    • Kipas di kamar masih menyala. (neutral)
    • Kipas masih menyala di kamar. (slight end-focus on location)
    • Di kamar, kipas masih menyala. (topicalizes location)
Should I use di, dalam, or di dalam?
  • di = at/in/on (general location): di kamar is the default.
  • dalam = “inside (of)” as a noun.
  • di dalam = “inside” with extra emphasis: di dalam kamar stresses being inside the room rather than at it generally. All three can be correct depending on nuance; here di kamar is most natural.
How do I ask a yes–no question and how do I negate this sentence?
  • Yes–no question:
    • Kipas di kamar masih menyala? (casual)
    • Apakah kipas di kamar masih menyala? (formal)
  • Affirmative answers:
    • Ya, masih. / Masih menyala.
  • Negation:
    • Tidak, sudah mati. (No, it’s already off.)
    • Tidak, sudah dimatikan. (No, it’s been turned off.)
    • If it hasn’t turned on yet: Belum menyala. or Masih belum menyala.
I’m confused by di vs di-. Why is there a space here?
  • di as a preposition (at/in/on) is written separately: di kamar.
  • di- as a passive prefix attaches to verbs with no space: dimatikan, dipindahkan.
  • Compare: Kipas di kamar sudah dimatikan. (in the room … has been turned off)
How do I say “Turn the fan on/off” related to this sentence?
  • Turn on: Nyalakan kipas. / Hidupkan kipas.
  • Turn off: Matikan kipas.
  • Politer: Tolong nyalakan/matikan kipas di kamar.
Any pronunciation tips for menyala and kipas?
  • ny in menyala is a single sound /ɲ/, like Spanish ñ in “señor.”
  • Final r in kamar is tapped/trilled.
  • Vowels are pure: i as in “machine,” a as in “father.”