Breakdown of Tas adik saya hampir seberat tas saya karena penuh buku.
adalah
to be
buku
the book
karena
because
tas
the bag
adik
the younger sibling
saya
my
penuh
full
hampir
almost
seberat
as heavy as
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Questions & Answers about Tas adik saya hampir seberat tas saya karena penuh buku.
Where is the verb "is" in this sentence?
In Indonesian, adjectives and comparative phrases can function as the predicate without a verb. So Tas adik saya hampir seberat tas saya literally says "My younger sibling's bag almost as heavy as my bag." You don't use adalah before adjectives/comparatives; adalah is mainly for linking nouns (e.g., Dia adalah dokter).
How does seberat work?
se- + adjective means "as ADJ as." Seberat = "as heavy." The structure is se-ADJ + [comparison noun phrase]: seberat tas saya = "as heavy as my bag." Other examples: setinggi tembok (as tall as the wall), semahal mobil itu (as expensive as that car).
Where should hampir go?
Put hampir before the equality phrase it modifies: hampir seberat tas saya. Acceptable alternatives: hampir sama beratnya dengan tas saya or beratnya hampir sama dengan tas saya. Don't say seberat hampir tas saya.
Why not seberat dengan tas saya?
With the se- pattern you don't use dengan. Use se-ADJ + [NP]: seberat tas saya. If you use the sama ... dengan pattern, then you need dengan: sama beratnya dengan tas saya.
What are some natural alternative phrasings?
- Tas adik saya hampir sama beratnya dengan tas saya.
- Berat tas adik saya hampir sama dengan berat tas saya.
- Tas adik saya nyaris seberat tas saya. (using near-synonym nyaris)
What exactly does adik mean?
Adik is a younger sibling (gender-neutral). If needed, specify gender: adik laki-laki (younger brother), adik perempuan (younger sister). For an older sibling you'd say kakak. Adik saya means "my younger sibling."
How does possession work in tas adik saya?
The possessor follows the noun: tas [adik saya] = "my younger sibling's bag." Compare tas saya = "my bag." To make ownership extra explicit you can say tas milik adik saya. Informally, you can also use suffixes (see next Q).
Can I use -ku instead of saya (e.g., tasku)?
Yes. -ku (my) and -mu (your) are common, more informal or casual-written. So you could say: Tas adikku hampir seberat tasku karena penuh buku. Using saya is more neutral/formal: tas adik saya, tas saya.
Is penuh buku correct, or should it be penuh dengan buku?
Both work.
- penuh buku = "full of books" (concise, very natural).
- penuh dengan buku = also natural; a bit more explicit.
- berisi buku = "contains books" (not necessarily full).
- More formal/literary: dipenuhi (oleh) buku = "is filled with books."
Do I need to pluralize buku as buku-buku?
No. Indonesian often uses the base noun for general or plural meaning. penuh buku already implies many books. Use buku-buku only if you want to emphasize plurality/variety.
How does karena work here? Where can it go, and do I need a comma?
Karena introduces the reason clause.
- Current order (main clause + reason): Tas adik saya ... karena penuh buku. No comma is needed.
- Reason-first order: Karena penuh buku, tas adik saya ... Use a comma after the reason clause. You can repeat the subject for clarity: karena tas adik saya penuh buku, but it's not required. Related connectors: sebab (formal), soalnya (colloquial), gara-gara (often implies a negative/blame).
How would I say "heavier than" instead of "almost as heavy as"?
Use the comparative pattern lebih ADJ daripada/ketimbang/dibandingkan dengan:
- Tas adik saya lebih berat daripada tas saya. This changes the meaning from equality to superiority.