Breakdown of Dia memotong wortel dan tomat di talenan kayu.
dia
he/she
dan
and
di
on
memotong
to cut
talenan
the cutting board
kayu
wooden
wortel
the carrot
tomat
the tomato
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Questions & Answers about Dia memotong wortel dan tomat di talenan kayu.
What does the pronoun "dia" mean here? Is it gendered?
Dia is gender-neutral and can mean “he” or “she.” For style/nuance:
- ia: more formal/literary, usually as subject.
- beliau: respectful “he/she” (for elders or important people).
- mereka: plural “they.”
Why is it "memotong" and not just "potong"?
Memotong is the active verb form (meN- prefix + base potong). In speech/writing, use memotong for “to cut.” Bare potong appears as an imperative or in set phrases (e.g., “Potong!” = “Cut!”).
How does the prefix change from potong to memotong?
The active prefix meN- assimilates:
- With a base starting with p, the p drops and the prefix becomes mem- → mem
- (p)otong = memotong. Similar patterns: t → men-, k → meng-, s → meny- (with the initial consonant dropping).
What’s the difference between memotong, mengiris, and mencincang?
- memotong: to cut (general).
- mengiris: to slice (thin, flat pieces).
- mencincang: to chop/mince (small pieces).
You can be more specific with results: memotong dadu (dice), mengupas (peel), etc.
Could I say memotongi or memotongkan instead?
Yes, but meanings change:
- memotongi: cut something in many places or cut various parts (repeatedly).
- memotongkan: cut something for someone (benefactive).
For a simple “cut,” stick with memotong.
Does memotong indicate a specific tense?
Indonesian has no verb tense inflection. Dia memotong can mean “cuts/is cutting/was cutting,” depending on context. To be explicit:
- Progressive: sedang (Dia sedang memotong…) or colloquial lagi.
- Past: tadi/kemarin; future: akan.
Is “Dia lagi motong…” correct in casual speech?
Yes. In colloquial Indonesian, the meN- is often dropped after lagi: Dia lagi motong… is very natural. The formal version is Dia sedang memotong…. Both are acceptable; choose based on register.
Do nouns show plural? How do I say carrots vs a carrot?
Nouns are unmarked for number. wortel dan tomat can be “carrot(s) and tomato(es).” To be specific:
- Use numbers/quantifiers: dua wortel, beberapa tomat, banyak wortel.
- Reduplication (wortel-wortel) marks plurality but is less common in everyday counting.
- Classifiers help (see next).
Which classifiers fit wortel and tomat?
- General classifier: buah → sebuah/tiga buah tomat.
- Shape-appropriate: batang for long objects → sebatang/dua batang wortel. You can also say tiga wortel without a classifier; it’s fine.
Does “dan” definitely mean both items are being cut?
Yes. wortel dan tomat means both carrots and tomatoes are included. If you mean “carrots and also tomatoes (in addition),” you can also use serta (more formal), but dan is the default.
Why is it “di talenan kayu” and not “di atas talenan kayu”?
Both work. di marks location generally; with surfaces, di often already implies “on.” di atas emphasizes “on top of” the surface. So:
- di talenan kayu: natural, compact.
- di atas talenan kayu: explicit “on top of.”
Is “di” here a preposition or the passive prefix?
A preposition. As a preposition, di is written separately: di talenan. The passive prefix di- attaches to verbs with no space: dipotong (“is/was cut”). Spacing changes the meaning.
What does “talenan kayu” literally mean, and can I say “kayu talenan”?
Head–modifier order: talenan kayu = “wooden cutting board” (cutting board of wood). kayu talenan is ungrammatical. To stress material, you can also say talenan dari kayu (“a cutting board made of wood”).
Are there synonyms for talenan?
Yes:
- talenan: the standard word for cutting board.
- papan potong: understandable and used, but less common.
- papan kayu: a wooden board in general (not necessarily a cutting board).
How do I say “on the wooden cutting board” vs “on a wooden cutting board”?
Indonesian has no articles. Use context or add determiners:
- Definite: di talenan kayu itu/tersebut; or possession: di talenan kayunya (“on his/her cutting board”).
- Indefinite: plain di talenan kayu.
Could “di talenan kayu” be modifying only “tomat”?
Not as written. A di-phrase modifies the verb by default. To specify “tomatoes that are on the cutting board,” use yang: tomat yang di talenan kayu.
Can I move the location phrase to the front?
Yes: Di talenan kayu, dia memotong wortel dan tomat. This topicalizes the location and is natural in writing or storytelling.
Any pronunciation tips?
- dia: two syllables, di-a.
- memotong: final ng is the velar nasal [ŋ] (like “sing”).
- talenan: the e is a schwa [ə] (tə-lə-nan).
- wortel, tomat: stress is light and even; vowels are pure.