Nama saya ada di daftar.

Breakdown of Nama saya ada di daftar.

di
on
saya
my
ada
to be
nama
the name
daftar
the list
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Questions & Answers about Nama saya ada di daftar.

What does ada do in this sentence? Can I drop it and just say Nama saya di daftar?
Ada marks existence/presence and is commonly used before a location phrase. So Nama saya ada di daftar states that your name exists/appears on the list. In casual speech, some people do say Nama saya di daftar, which is understood, but it’s less formal and feels a bit elliptical. With ada is the safest, most neutral choice.
Can I use adalah instead of ada here?
No. Adalah links two noun phrases (equational sentences), e.g., Nama saya adalah Andi. It is not used before a prepositional phrase. Since di daftar is a location phrase, you use ada, not adalah. So avoid Nama saya adalah di daftar.
Why is di used for “on” here? Shouldn’t it be di atas for “on top of”?
Di is a general location preposition that often corresponds to English in/at/on, depending on context. For physical contact on a surface you’d use di atas (on top of), e.g., di atas meja. But “on the list” is not a physical placement; it’s membership/appearance in a list, so Indonesian uses di (daftar) or dalam (daftar).
What’s the difference between di daftar and dalam daftar?

Both are used and correct.

  • Di daftar is common and neutral in speech and writing.
  • Dalam daftar literally “within the list,” feels a bit more formal or written. Meaning-wise they overlap heavily.
Could I say Nama saya berada di daftar?

It’s grammatical but sounds stiff/odd for everyday speech because berada is often used for people/things being located somewhere physically. For lists, natives prefer:

  • Nama saya ada di/dalam daftar (neutral)
  • Nama saya tercantum dalam daftar (my name is listed/printed)
  • Nama saya terdaftar (I am registered; not necessarily tied to a specific list)
What exactly does daftar mean? Is it ever a verb?

As a noun, daftar means “list/register/roll.” From the same root:

  • mendaftar = to register (oneself), to sign up
  • mendaftarkan = to register (something/someone)
  • pendaftaran = registration (the process/office)
  • terdaftar = registered
How do I negate this? Is it bukan or tidak?
Use tidak with ada: Nama saya tidak ada di daftar. You can also say Nama saya tidak tercantum dalam daftar. Don’t use bukan here; bukan negates nouns in equational sentences (e.g., Ini bukan daftar).
How do I say “already” or “not yet” in this sentence?

Insert aspect markers before ada:

  • Nama saya sudah ada di daftar (already)
  • Nama saya belum ada di daftar (not yet)
Can I front the existence for emphasis, like Ada nama saya di daftar?
Yes. Ada nama saya di daftar emphasizes the existence: “There is my name on the list.” It’s natural as an answer or when announcing the fact of presence.
How do I ask “Is my name on the list?” naturally?

Several options:

  • Apakah nama saya ada di daftar? (neutral/formal)
  • Nama saya ada di daftar? (informal; rising intonation)
  • Ada nama saya di daftar? (informal; existence-fronting)
How do I make it clear I mean “the list” (a specific one) rather than “a list”?

Indonesian has no articles, so add determiners:

  • di daftar itu = on that/the list (specified)
  • di daftarnya = on the list (definite; often “on its list” depending on context)
Are there more precise verbs than ada for things being “on a list”?

Yes, common choices:

  • tercantum = listed/mentioned (in documents)
  • tertera = written/printed (in documents)
  • terdaftar = registered (status)
  • masuk daftar = made the list/was added to the list Example: Nama saya tercantum dalam daftar peserta.
What’s the register difference between Nama saya, Namaku, and Nama aku?
  • Nama saya: neutral/polite; safe everywhere.
  • Namaku: informal; the suffix -ku is a familiar possessive.
  • Nama aku: informal/regional; less common than Namaku. Very informal Jakarta slang: Nama gue/gua.
Should di be written together with daftar (like didaftar)?
Not here. As a preposition, di is always separate: di daftar. When attached (as di-), it’s a passive verb prefix, e.g., didaftarkan (was registered). That’s a different structure and meaning from di daftar.
Any quick pronunciation tips for this sentence?
  • All a are like “ah.”
  • r in daftar is a tapped/flapped r.
  • Syllables: na-ma sa-ya a-da di daf-tar. Keep rhythm even; Indonesian is syllable-timed.