Breakdown of Saya asal Bandung, dan umur saya dua puluh delapan.
adalah
to be
saya
I
dan
and
saya
my
asal
the origin
Bandung
Bandung
umur
the age
dua puluh delapan
twenty-eight
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Questions & Answers about Saya asal Bandung, dan umur saya dua puluh delapan.
Is Saya asal Bandung correct, or should it be Saya berasal dari Bandung?
Both are correct. The differences are mainly in formality and style:
- Saya asal Bandung. Casual and common in speech.
- Saya berasal dari Bandung. Neutral–formal and very standard.
- Other natural options: Saya dari Bandung. / Saya orang Bandung. / Saya asli Bandung.
Where is the verb “to be”? Why is there no “am” or adalah?
Indonesian doesn’t require a verb like English be to link subjects and predicates. Noun/adjective phrases can serve as predicates directly:
- Saya asal Bandung (no be-verb needed)
- Umur saya dua puluh delapan You can add adalah in formal writing, but it’s usually omitted in everyday speech.
Do I need to include tahun after the number?
It’s optional but common. All are acceptable:
- Umur saya dua puluh delapan. (understood as years)
- Umur saya dua puluh delapan tahun. (explicit, natural)
- Very casual: Saya 28 or 28 tahun.
Is the comma before dan necessary?
No. Indonesian usually doesn’t put a comma before dan when simply linking two clauses. You can write:
- Saya asal Bandung dan umur saya dua puluh delapan. Using a comma is not wrong but is less common in this case. Many speakers prefer two short sentences: Saya asal Bandung. Umur saya dua puluh delapan.
Why repeat saya? Can I avoid it?
Yes, you can avoid repetition:
- Saya asal Bandung dan berumur dua puluh delapan (tahun).
- Saya asal Bandung; umur saya dua puluh delapan.
- Casual: Saya dari Bandung, 28 tahun.
What’s the difference between umur and usia, and between berumur and berusia?
- umur: common, neutral in everyday speech.
- usia: a bit more formal/official.
- Verbal forms: berumur and berusia both mean “to be aged.” Examples:
- Umur saya 28 (tahun).
- Usia saya 28 tahun.
- Saya berumur 28 tahun.
- Saya berusia 28 tahun.
Can I say asal dari Bandung?
Yes, people do say asal dari Bandung and asalnya dari Bandung in speech. In careful/formal usage, berasal dari is preferred; in casual contexts, asal Bandung or asal dari Bandung are both fine.
How do I ask about someone’s origin and age?
- Origin:
- Kamu dari mana?
- Asalnya dari mana?
- Formal: Anda berasal dari mana?
- Age:
- Umur kamu berapa?
- Berapa umur Anda? (formal)
- Usianya berapa?
Is dua puluh delapan written with hyphens?
No. Indonesian writes tens and units as separate words, without hyphens: dua puluh delapan. Using digits is very common: 28 (often with tahun in writing). In casual text you’ll also see th or thn for tahun.
Pronunciation tips for this sentence?
- saya: sah-yah (the y is like English y).
- asal: ah-sahl (clear a vowels).
- Bandung: bahn-doong; final ng is a single nasal sound, not an n+g.
- umur: oo-moor (u like food).
- dua puluh delapan: doo-ah poo-looh də-lah-pahn; the final h in puluh may be lightly audible; the e in delapan is a schwa.
What’s the difference between asal, asli, and orang in this context?
- asal: origin/from (neutral).
- asli: native/true local (emphasizes being originally from there), e.g., Saya asli Bandung.
- orang [place]: “a person from [place],” e.g., Saya orang Bandung.
Is Umur saya adalah dua puluh delapan okay?
Grammatically yes, and it sounds formal. In conversation Indonesians usually drop adalah: Umur saya dua puluh delapan (tahun).
How do possessives work here—why umur saya and not saya umur?
Indonesian places the possessed noun before the possessor: umur saya (my age). Alternatives:
- umurku (informal, with -ku suffix)
- umur Anda (formal)
- umur kamu (casual)
Should I join the ideas with dan, or use two sentences?
Both are fine. Many learners find two short sentences more natural:
- Saya dari Bandung. Umur saya 28 tahun. Using dan is also acceptable, especially in speech.