Kalender di dinding tidak sebesar jam dinding itu.

The calendar on the wall is not as big as that wall clock.

Breakdown of Kalender di dinding tidak sebesar jam dinding itu.

• adalah: to be
• itu: that
• tidak: not
• di: on
• dinding: the wall
• jam dinding: the wall clock
• kalender: the calendar
• sebesar: as ... as

Questions & Answers about Kalender di dinding tidak sebesar jam dinding itu.

Why is tidak used instead of bukan in tidak sebesar?

Because you negate adjectives and verbs with tidak. Sebesar is an adjective-based comparative (as big), so tidak is correct. Use bukan to negate a noun phrase.

• Correct: Kalender ... tidak besar / tidak sebesar ...
• Correct (for a noun): Itu bukan jam dinding.
• Incorrect here: Kalender ... bukan sebesar ...

What does the se- in sebesar mean, and how does this pattern work?

se- + adjective means “as (adjective) as.” Some examples:

• sebesar A (as big as A)
• setinggi dia (as tall as him/her)
• sepintar kamu (as smart as you) To say “not as … as,” use tidak se- + adjective + [comparison], as in tidak sebesar jam dinding itu.

Do I need a word like daripada, dari, or dengan after sebesar?

No. The pattern (tidak) sebesar + noun phrase does not require a connector. If you use different patterns:

• Equality with sama: sama besar dengan ...
• Comparative with lebih/kurang: lebih kecil daripada/dari ...

Can I say lebih kecil (daripada/dari) jam dinding itu instead of tidak sebesar?

Yes. They express the same idea in practice:

• tidak sebesar X = not as big as X
• lebih kecil daripada X = smaller than X You can also say kurang besar daripada X. Choose whichever sounds more natural in your context.

What does itu do in jam dinding itu?

Itu marks a specific, identifiable referent (“that/the”) and comes after the entire noun phrase.

• jam dinding itu = that specific wall clock
• jam dinding (no itu) = a wall clock (unspecified) Swap to ini for “this”: jam dinding ini. You can also attach itu to the subject: Kalender di dinding itu ... (“that calendar on the wall”).

Why is di dinding after kalender, not before it?

Modifiers follow nouns in Indonesian. So location phrases come after the noun:

• kalender di dinding (calendar on the wall) Fronting the prepositional phrase is possible for emphasis/topic: Di dinding, kalender itu ..., but the default is noun + modifier.

Is jam dinding different from kalender di dinding? Could I say kalender dinding?

• jam dinding is a set compound meaning “wall clock” (a type of clock).
• kalender di dinding describes where a particular calendar is (on the wall).
• kalender dinding is also common and means “wall calendar” (a type of calendar). Use it when you mean the product type, not just its current location.

Do I need yang (e.g., kalender yang di dinding)?

No. Kalender di dinding is already fine. Use yang when you want a relative-clause feel to single out one among others:

• Kalender yang di dinding itu ... = the calendar that is on the wall (as opposed to other calendars).

Can I use adalah here?

No. Don’t put adalah before an adjective or comparative. Indonesian allows adjective predicates without a copula.

• Natural: Kalender ... tidak sebesar ...
• Unnatural: Kalender ... adalah tidak sebesar ... Use adalah to link two noun phrases: Kalender itu adalah hadiah.

Can tidak be shortened? What about colloquial forms?

Yes:

• Formal/literary: tak sebesar
• Colloquial: nggak/gak sebesar They all negate adjectives; the difference is register, not meaning.

Can I say sebesar itu or sebesar ini?

Yes:

• sebesar itu = that big
• sebesar ini = this big So Kalender ... tidak sebesar itu means it’s not that big.

Which is better, di dinding or pada dinding? And what about tembok?

• di dinding is the everyday choice for physical location.
• pada dinding is more formal/technical and fine in written or formal contexts.
• dinding usually means an interior wall; tembok can mean a (brick/concrete) wall in general. di tembok is also fine, with a slight nuance difference.

Is there a difference between jam dinding itu and jam di dinding itu?

Yes:

• jam dinding itu = that wall clock (the wall-mounted type of clock).
• jam di dinding itu = the clock on that wall (the itu points to the wall: di dinding itu).

Why isn’t there a verb like “to be” here?

Indonesian doesn’t need a copula in adjectival predicates. The structure is simply:

• Subject: Kalender di dinding
• Predicate: tidak sebesar jam dinding itu (an adjective-based comparative phrase)