Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Mikrofon baru tidak sebaik mikrofon lama; suara dia tidak sebesar suara guru. - The new microphone is not as good as the old one; his/her voice is not as loud as the teacher’s voice.

Because se- + adjective expresses an “as … as” structure. You only need the thing you’re comparing with after it. You use a “than”-type word (daripada/dari) with the lebih pattern, e.g., lebih baik daripada.

Can I say sama … dengan instead of using se-?

Yes. sama + adjective + (‑nya) + dengan is an alternative and equals se-:

sama baiknya dengan = sebaik
sama besarnya dengan = sebesar

Why is it tidak sebaik, not bukan sebaik?

Use tidak to negate adjectives, verbs, and prepositional phrases. Use bukan to negate nouns/pronouns. Since sebaik is adjectival, you need tidak.

Is mikrofon baru the same as mikrofon yang baru?

Both can refer to “the new microphone,” but yang adds specificity/emphasis (“the one that is new”). Without yang, context decides whether it’s “a new microphone” or “the new microphone.”

Why do the adjectives come after the nouns (e.g., mikrofon baru, mikrofon lama)?

In Indonesian, descriptive adjectives usually follow the noun: N + adjective. So “new microphone” is mikrofon baru, not the other way around.

Does lama always mean “old”?

lama means old/long-standing for objects or durations. For living beings, use tua (e.g., orang tua = parents; orang yang tua = an old person).

Is dia gendered?

No. dia is gender-neutral and means he/she. More formal written subject form: ia. Honorific for respected people: beliau.

Can dia refer to the microphone?

Normally no. dia/ia refer to people (and sometimes animals). For objects, use itu (that/it) or attach ‑nya to the noun (e.g., mikrofonnya = its microphone).

Is suara dia natural, or should I use suaranya?

Both are correct. suaranya (his/her voice) is very common and sounds smooth. suara dia is also fine and can emphasize the person. Avoid suara ia; use suaranya or suara dia instead.

Is besar the right word for “loud”? Should it be keras?

For loudness, keras is the most direct choice (e.g., suara dia tidak sekeras suara guru). besar can describe size and magnitude; in audio contexts Indonesians also say things like besarkan volume, so tidak sebesar can work, but tidak sekeras is more idiomatic for loudness.

How would I rephrase the first clause with the lebih pattern?

Mikrofon lama lebih baik daripada (atau: dari) mikrofon baru.
Or with the opposite adjective: Mikrofon baru lebih buruk daripada mikrofon lama.

Should I use daripada or dari with lebih?

Formally, daripada is preferred: lebih baik daripada. In everyday speech, dari is very common and acceptable: lebih baik dari.

What does suara guru mean structurally? Where’s the apostrophe?

Indonesian shows possession with noun–noun order (no apostrophe): suara guru = the teacher’s voice. Similarly, buku Ali = Ali’s book.

Is the semicolon used like in English?

Yes. It links two closely related independent clauses. Here you could also use a period or dan:

Mikrofon baru … lama. Suara dia … guru.
Mikrofon baru … lama, dan suara dia … guru.

Is mikrofon the standard spelling?

Yes, mikrofon is the standard form. You may also see mikropon. Colloquially people often say mik (from English “mic”).

How do I say “The new microphone is as good as the old one”?

Mikrofon baru sebaik mikrofon lama.

What’s the nuance difference between tidak sebaik X, kurang baik, and lebih buruk daripada X?

tidak sebaik X: a relative statement; it’s worse compared to X.
kurang baik: “not good enough/insufficiently good” in general, not necessarily compared to a specific thing.
lebih buruk daripada X: explicitly “worse than X,” stronger than tidak sebaik.