Breakdown of Saya membuat sup wortel dan tomat, lalu menggoreng tahu tempe dengan kecap.
saya
I
dan
and
dengan
with
membuat
to make
lalu
then
menggoreng
to fry
tahu
the tofu
tempe
the tempeh
kecap
the soy sauce
wortel
the carrot
tomat
the tomato
sup
the soup
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Questions & Answers about Saya membuat sup wortel dan tomat, lalu menggoreng tahu tempe dengan kecap.
Is this sentence in the past (I made) or present (I make)? How do Indonesians show tense?
Indonesian verbs don’t change for tense. The bare verbs in the sentence can be past, present, or future; context or time words make it clear.
- Past: Kemarin/tadi saya membuat..., lalu menggoreng...
- Completed aspect: Saya sudah/telah membuat..., lalu menggoreng...
- Future: Nanti/besok saya akan membuat..., lalu (akan) menggoreng...
What’s the nuance of bolded lalu? Can I use kemudian or terus instead?
All three mean “then/after that,” but differ in register:
- lalu: neutral, common in writing and speech.
- kemudian: a bit more formal.
- terus: very colloquial/spoken (“and then/and after that, next”). Also common: setelah itu (after that; explicit sequence), very clear in narratives. Avoid doubling with “dan” (e.g., prefer “..., lalu ...” over “..., dan lalu ...”).
Is the comma before lalu necessary?
It’s standard (and helpful) to put a comma when lalu links two clauses: Saya ..., lalu .... You’ll also see it without a comma in casual writing; both are acceptable, but the comma improves clarity.
Why is it menggoreng and not just goreng?
The root is goreng (“fry”). To make an active verb (“to fry”), Indonesian uses the meN- prefix: menggoreng. The bare root goreng appears in:
- Commands: Goreng tahu itu! (Fry that tofu!)
- Compound nouns/adjectival uses: tahu goreng (fried tofu), nasi goreng (fried rice)
How would I say this in the passive voice?
Use di- for passive:
- Tahu dan tempe digoreng dengan kecap. If you still want to mention the doer: Tahu dan tempe digoreng oleh saya. (In everyday speech, people more often use active or an object-fronting active: Tahu dan tempe saya goreng.)
Does sup wortel dan tomat mean one soup with both, or two different soups?
One soup containing both carrot and tomato. To mean two soups, repeat the head noun: sup wortel dan sup tomat.
Should it be sup or sop?
Both are correct variants in Indonesian, pronounced roughly “soop” for sup and “sop” for sop. Some dishes conventionally use sop (e.g., sop buntut). Sup is also common in writing and packaging.
Do I need dan between tahu and tempe?
You can say either:
- tahu tempe: a very common set phrase meaning “tofu and tempeh.”
- tahu dan tempe: explicitly says “tofu and tempeh.” Both are fine. You might also see a hyphenated tahu-tempe to emphasize the pair as a unit.
Could tahu here mean “to know”?
No—here it’s the noun tahu (tofu). The verb tahu (“to know”) is disambiguated by context and structure:
- Noun: Saya makan tahu. (I eat tofu.)
- Verb: Saya tahu. (I know.)
Does kecap mean ketchup?
False friend. kecap is soy sauce. Typically:
- kecap manis: sweet soy sauce (the default if you just hear “kecap” in Indonesia).
- kecap asin: salty (light) soy sauce. “Tomato ketchup” is saus tomat.
Does dengan kecap mean “cooked in soy sauce” or “served with soy sauce”?
It can mean either, depending on context. To be explicit:
- Cooked with/add soy sauce while frying: menggoreng ... sambil menambahkan kecap / menggoreng ... dengan sedikit kecap.
- Marinated then fried: memarinasi ... dengan kecap lalu menggorengnya.
- Served with soy sauce: menggoreng ..., lalu menyajikannya dengan (saus) kecap.
Can I use pakai or sama instead of dengan?
Yes, but register changes:
- dengan: neutral/standard.
- pakai: casual/spoken. Saya menggoreng tahu tempe pakai kecap.
- sama: very colloquial as “with.” Saya menggorengnya sama kecap. Prefer dengan in writing.
How do I show amounts/plurals for tahu/tempe?
Indonesian doesn’t mark plural on nouns. Use numerals or classifiers:
- dua potong tahu dan dua potong tempe (two pieces of tofu and tempeh)
- beberapa potong tahu dan tempe (several pieces)
- tahu/tempe goreng already implies multiple pieces in real life; plural is understood from context.
Is the word order “noun + modifiers” here normal?
Yes. Indonesian typically places the head noun first, then its modifiers:
- sup wortel dan tomat (soup [of] carrot and tomato)
- nasi goreng (rice fried = fried rice) Adjectives also follow the noun: orang cantik (a beautiful person).
Can I drop the subject Saya?
Often yes, if context is clear:
- Membuat sup wortel dan tomat, lalu menggoreng tahu tempe dengan kecap. This feels like a note or diary style. In careful writing, keeping Saya is clearer.
What’s the difference between menggoreng and menumis?
- menggoreng: fry (shallow or deep) in a relatively larger amount of oil; results in a fried texture.
- menumis: stir-fry/sauté with a small amount of oil, usually over high heat with stirring. If you meant sautéing tofu/tempeh briefly, use menumis.
Any pronunciation tips for tricky words here?
- kecap: ke-CHAP (c = “ch”; the first e is a schwa-like “uh”).
- tempe: TEM-peh (both e’s like “e” in “bed” for many speakers).
- tahu: TAH-hoo (two syllables).
- sup/sop: “soop” / “sop.”