Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Guru menekankan bagian paling penting di awal presentasi. - The teacher emphasizes the most important part at the beginning of the presentation.

Root: tekan (press, put pressure on)
Prefix: meN- (active voice) → initial t drops: tekan → menekan
Suffix: -kan (causative/applicative) → menekankan “to put emphasis on something” Note: menekan without -kan is “to press/pressure; to suppress,” not “to emphasize.”

Is menekankan transitive? Do I need a preposition after it?

Yes, it’s transitive and can take a direct object: menekankan [noun phrase]. You’ll also see:

menekankan pada [noun] (very common, especially in writing)
With recipients: menekankan kepada [people] (e.g., “to the students”) Avoid: menekankan ke [noun] for people; use kepada.

Can I use a clause after it, like “that …”?

Yes. Use bahwa:

Guru menekankan bahwa … = “The teacher emphasized that …” You can also use an object noun phrase: menekankan pentingnya … (“emphasized the importance of …”).

Is bagian paling penting okay without , or should it be ?