Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Inilah lampiran yang harus kamu baca. - This is the attachment that you must read.

Ini means “this.”
Inilah is “this (is the one)” with an emphatic, presentational feel, often used when handing something over or pointing it out. It’s like “Here is…” or “This is it.”
So Inilah lampiran… feels like “Here is the attachment…” with focus/emphasis on “this.”

Can I say Ini lampiran… or Ini adalah lampiran… instead? What’s the difference?

Ini lampiran… is casual/neutral: “This is the attachment…”
Ini adalah lampiran… is a bit more formal/explanatory: “This is the attachment…”
Inilah lampiran… is presentational/emphatic: “Here is the attachment…”
Don’t say Inilah adalah… (that’s ungrammatical; don’t combine them).

What is the function of yang in this sentence?

yang introduces a relative clause that describes a noun.
lampiran yang harus kamu baca = “the attachment that you must read.”
Think of yang as a relativizer (“that/which/who”), not as a pronoun by itself.

Can I omit yang and say Inilah lampiran harus kamu baca?

No. The yang is required to link the modifier clause to the noun. Without yang, it’s ungrammatical in standard Indonesian.

Why is it “yang harus kamu baca” and not “yang kamu harus baca”? Which order is better?

Both are possible:

yang harus kamu baca (very common, smooth).
yang kamu harus baca (also acceptable). They mean the same. Another option is passive: yang harus dibaca (oleh kamu), which is neutral and often more polite/impersonal.

Could I make it passive to avoid directly saying “you”?

Yes:

Inilah lampiran yang harus dibaca. (“Here is the attachment that must be read.”)
If needed, add the agent: …yang harus dibaca oleh Anda/kamu, but in many contexts you can omit the agent.

Why is it baca and not membaca after harus?

After modals/auxiliaries like harus, bisa, boleh, mau, akan, sudah, Indonesian commonly uses the base verb:

kamu harus baca (colloquial-neutral)
kamu harus membaca is also correct and somewhat more formal. Both are widely used; choose based on formality and rhythm.

How strong is harus? Are there alternatives?

harus = must/obligatory (strong).
wajib = mandatory by rule/law (stronger/formal).
mesti = must (common in speech; regional/colloquial in Indonesia, standard in Malay).
perlu = need to (weaker, more like “need”).

Is kamu polite? What should I use at work?

kamu is informal, used with peers/friends or to someone younger.
At work or with strangers/customers, use Anda (capital A).
To be impersonal/polite, use passive: yang harus dibaca.
Other options depending on context: use names/titles (Bapak/Ibu/Pak/Bu) instead of “you.”

Is kamu singular or plural? How do I say “you (plural)”?

kamu is singular.
kalian is plural “you.”
Polite plural can be Anda sekalian. In many contexts, Anda can be understood as singular or plural from context.

What exactly does lampiran mean? Is it for emails or books?

lampiran = attachment/appendix.
In emails: an attached file.
In documents/books: an appendix.
Word family:
- melampirkan = to attach
- terlampir = attached/enclosed (“as attached”)
- lampir-an: the -an forms the noun “attachment.”

Should I ever say lampirannya here? What does -nya do?

-nya can mark definiteness/possession.
Inilah lampirannya = “Here is the attachment (in question)/its attachment.”
Use -nya if the specific item is already known or possessed by something just mentioned. Without -nya is also fine if context already makes it clear.

How do I talk about multiple attachments?

Reduplication: lampiran-lampiran (plural), but this can sound formal/bookish.
More natural is to use a quantifier:
- beberapa lampiran = several attachments
- dua/ tiga lampiran = two/three attachments
- semua lampiran = all attachments
Example: Inilah beberapa lampiran yang harus kamu baca.

Are there more natural email formulas for “Here is/are the attachment(s)”?

Yes, very common options:

Terlampir [dokumen/daftar/file] yang harus Anda baca.
Berikut (ini) lampiran yang harus Anda baca.
Berikut adalah lampiran yang harus Anda baca.
Mohon baca lampiran berikut.

Can I say “Inilah yang harus kamu baca” without naming lampiran?

Yes. Inilah yang harus kamu baca = “This is the one you must read.” It’s a cleft-like focus: you’re highlighting “this” as the required item, without repeating the noun.

Is Ini dia a good alternative to Inilah?

Ini dia… is common and friendly: “Here it is…”
You can say Ini dia lampiran yang harus kamu baca.
Inilah sounds a bit more formal or emphatic; Ini dia sounds conversational.

Do I need a word like “to” before the verb, as in “must to read”?

No. Indonesian doesn’t use “to” before verbs in this way. It’s simply harus baca/membaca, not “harus untuk baca.”

What’s the difference between Inilah and Itulah?

Inilah = “this is the one (here/near me/present).”
Itulah = “that is the one (there/previously mentioned/at a distance).” Choose based on proximity or discourse focus.

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

Inilah: pronounce the final -h lightly; stress is generally near the end.
lampiran: tap the r; all vowels are pure: lahm-PEE-rahn.
yang: final -ng is the velar nasal (as in “sing”), not a hard “g.”
baca: c is “ch” (BAH-chah).
kamu: u is “oo.”

Can I use bahwa instead of yang here?

No. bahwa introduces a content clause (“that…”) after verbs of saying/thinking, not a relative clause. You’d use bahwa in sentences like Saya tahu bahwa kamu harus membaca lampiran itu (“I know that you must read that attachment”), but for “the attachment that you must read,” you need yang.