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Questions & Answers about Kita foto bareng sekalian, lalu gantian memegang kamera.
What’s the difference between kita and kami, and why use kita here?
kita is inclusive “we” (speaker + listener). kami is exclusive “we” (speaker + someone else, not the listener). Because the sentence suggests an activity that includes the listener, kita is appropriate. Using kami would imply the listener isn’t part of the group.
Is kita foto grammatical? Should it be berfoto or memotret?
Yes, kita foto is common in casual speech, where foto functions as a verb. Nuances:
- berfoto (bersama) = be in a photo/take a photo as subjects.
- memotret/memfoto = take photos as the photographer. Here, foto bareng implies “be in a photo together,” which fits the context.
What does bareng mean, and how does it differ from bersama or bareng-bareng?
bareng = “together/with” (casual). bersama = neutral-to-formal “together/with.” bareng-bareng emphasizes “all together.”
- Casual: Kita foto bareng.
- Formal/neutral: Kita berfoto bersama.
- Emphatic: Kita foto bareng-bareng.
What nuance does sekalian add? How is it different from juga and sekaligus?
sekalian suggests “while we’re at it/as part of the same occasion,” adding an extra action to something already planned. juga simply means “also/too,” without the “since we’re at it” feel. sekaligus often means “all at once” or “in one go.” The sentence uses sekalian to mean “since we’re here, let’s also take a photo.”
Where can sekalian be placed? Is Kita sekalian foto bareng okay?
All are acceptable, with slight emphasis differences:
- Sekalian kita foto bareng, ... (fronted, emphasizes “while we’re at it.”)
- Kita foto bareng sekalian, ... (end position, very common in speech.)
- Kita sekalian foto bareng, ... (also heard; grammatical.)
How does lalu compare with kemudian, terus, and habis itu?
All mean “then/after that,” but register varies:
- lalu: neutral, slightly written.
- kemudian: more formal/written.
- terus: very colloquial.
- habis itu: conversational. You can swap lalu with any of these depending on tone.
What exactly does gantian mean here?
gantian means “taking turns/in turns” (colloquial). It indicates a sequence where people alternate roles. More formal alternatives: bergantian or bergiliran.
Is gantian a verb? Why is there no subject after it?
gantian behaves like a predicate/adverb meaning “(do it) in turns.” The subject kita is understood from the previous clause—subject repetition is often omitted in Indonesian. You can say: lalu kita gantian memegang kamera or lalu kita bergantian memegang kamera for clarity.
Should I use bergantian instead of gantian?
Both are fine. gantian is more casual; bergantian is neutral-to-formal and explicitly verbal. In writing or formal speech, bergantian is safer: Kita bergantian memegang kamera.
Why use memegang and not pegang or megang?
- memegang = standard transitive “to hold.”
- pegang = bare root; very common in casual speech: pegang kamera.
- megang = colloquial variant of memegang. Choose based on register: formal/neutral (memegang), casual (pegang/megang).
If we mean “take turns taking the photo,” should it be memotret instead of memegang?
Yes. memegang kamera literally means “hold the camera.” To stress taking the photos:
- Neutral: lalu bergantian memotret
- Casual: lalu gantian motret
- Formal: lalu bergantian mengambil foto The original is still understandable—people infer the holder will take the shot.
Is the comma before lalu necessary?
Optional. A comma can mark the pause between clauses: Kita foto bareng sekalian, lalu... Without it is also fine in short sentences.
How formal is this sentence? How could I make it more formal or more casual?
Current sentence: casual.
- More formal: Mari kita berfoto bersama sekalian, lalu kita bergantian memotret.
- Very casual: Yuk foto bareng sekalian, terus gantian megang kamera.
- Neutral: Sekalian kita berfoto bersama, lalu bergantian memotret.
Can I repeat kita in the second clause?
Yes. Both work:
- ..., lalu gantian memegang kamera. (subject implied)
- ..., lalu kita gantian memegang kamera. (subject explicit) Repeating kita can add clarity in longer sentences.
Can I use saling here to mean “each other”?
Yes, but it changes the nuance:
- Kita saling memotret. = we photograph each other (mutual, not necessarily sequential).
- Kita bergantian memotret. = we take turns (sequential, one after another). For passing the camera around, bergantian/gantian is more precise.
Is memfoto correct, or should I say memotret?
Both are used. memotret is standard; memfoto (and colloquial motret) are common and acceptable in everyday speech: Nanti kita bergantian memotret/memfoto.