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Questions & Answers about Langkah ini mudah dan jelas.
Why is there no verb like be (is) in the sentence?
Indonesian does not use a linking verb before adjectives. A noun phrase can be followed directly by an adjective to form a complete sentence: Langkah ini mudah dan jelas. Using adalah before adjectives is generally unidiomatic. Use adalah when the predicate is a noun phrase, e.g., Langkah ini adalah solusi.
Why does ini come after langkah instead of before it?
In Indonesian, demonstratives follow the noun: langkah ini = this step, langkah itu = that step. If you put ini first, it becomes a standalone pronoun: Ini langkah yang mudah dan jelas = This is an easy and clear step.
What is the difference between ini and itu here?
- ini: proximal, something present, just mentioned, or being pointed to.
- itu: distal or previously mentioned; in discourse it often functions like English the.
So Langkah itu mudah dan jelas can mean the previously mentioned step is easy and clear.
What exactly does langkah mean?
Primarily, langkah means a step, both literal (a pace) and figurative (a step in a process). In policy or strategy contexts, it can mean a measure or action, e.g., langkah pemerintah = government measures. Near-synonyms depending on context include tindakan (action) and kebijakan (policy).
Can I use gampang instead of mudah?
Yes, gampang is a common informal synonym for mudah. In neutral or formal writing, prefer mudah. Examples: Soal ini gampang banget (very casual), Tugas ini sangat mudah (neutral/formal).
Does jelas mean clear like understandable, or clear like transparent?
jelas means clear as in understandable, obvious, or well-defined. For optical clarity (clear water, glass), use jernih. Example: Penjelasannya jelas (the explanation is clear), Airnya jernih (the water is clear).
How would I say these steps are easy and clear?
Use reduplication for plural: Langkah-langkah ini mudah dan jelas. Indonesian adjectives do not change for number, so mudah and jelas stay the same.
How do I make it stronger or weaker (very, too, quite)?
- Very: sangat mudah dan sangat jelas; or place sekali after each adjective: mudah sekali dan jelas sekali.
- Too: terlalu mudah dan terlalu jelas (often implies undesirable excess).
- Quite/fairly/enough: cukup mudah dan cukup jelas.
Note: mudah dan jelas sekali typically makes only jelas very; repeat the intensifier if you want both intensified.
How do I negate it?
Use tidak with adjectives. For both adjectives, repeat it: Langkah ini tidak mudah dan tidak jelas. More idiomatic alternatives include Langkah ini sulit dan tidak jelas (difficult and unclear) or Langkah ini kurang jelas (not very clear).
When should I use yang with adjectives here?
- Langkah ini mudah dan jelas states a fact about this step.
- Langkah yang mudah dan jelas means the step that is easy and clear (used to specify which step among others).
- Ini langkah yang mudah dan jelas = This is an easy and clear step.
- Langkah ini yang mudah dan jelas adds focus: It is this step that is easy and clear (implying others aren’t).
Is adalah ever used with this sentence?
Not before adjectives. But if your predicate is a noun phrase, you can use it: Langkah ini adalah solusi yang mudah dan jelas. Saying Langkah ini adalah mudah dan jelas is unnatural.
How do I turn it into a yes–no question?
You can add apakah: Apakah langkah ini mudah dan jelas? Or simply use rising intonation: Langkah ini mudah dan jelas? Both are correct; apakah is more formal/explicit.
How do I pronounce langkah?
Break it as lang + kah. The ng is a single nasal sound (like the ng in English sing), and when followed by k it becomes ŋk. The final h is pronounced as a light h. So roughly: lang-kah with an audible h.
Is there any agreement for number or gender with the adjectives?
No. Indonesian has no grammatical gender, and adjectives do not change for number. Whether it is langkah ini or langkah-langkah ini, the adjectives stay mudah and jelas.
What is the difference between langkah ini and langkahnya?
langkah ini unambiguously means this step. langkahnya can mean the step (definite) or his/her/its step, depending on context. If you need clarity and you mean this step in the text or conversation, langkah ini is safer.
How would I say the aforementioned step?
Use tersebut for a formal, aforementioned reference: Langkah tersebut mudah dan jelas. It points back to something already mentioned, similar to English the said/aforementioned step.