Breakdown of Dari langit-langit, debu jatuh sedikit; tukang akan bersih-bersih sesudah selesai.
sedikit
a little
akan
will
dari
from
selesai
to finish
Questions & Answers about Dari langit-langit, debu jatuh sedikit; tukang akan bersih-bersih sesudah selesai.
Why is it written as langit-langit and not just langit?
Because langit means “sky,” while the reduplicated form langit-langit is a fixed word meaning “ceiling.” This is lexicalized reduplication. You’ll also see the loanword plafon used for “ceiling.” In standard spelling, reduplication is written with a hyphen: langit-langit.
Is dari the right preposition here? Could I use di instead?
- dari = “from,” marking the source/origin: Debu jatuh dari langit-langit (Dust falls from the ceiling).
- di = “at/on/in,” marking location: Ada debu di langit-langit (There is dust on the ceiling).
Don’t use daripada here; that’s for comparisons (e.g., “than”).
Is fronting the phrase Dari langit-langit natural, or should it go at the end?
Fronting to set the scene or topic is fine and common in Indonesian. You could also put the source at the end:
- Debu jatuh sedikit dari langit-langit. Both orders are acceptable; choose the one that highlights what you want to talk about first.
What exactly does sedikit modify here? Is there a difference between Debu jatuh sedikit and Sedikit debu jatuh?