Questions & Answers about Kami percaya pada guru kami.
Why is it kami and not kita?
Both mean “we,” but:
- kami = we (excluding the person you’re talking to)
- kita = we (including the person you’re talking to)
So Kami percaya pada guru kami implies the listener is not part of that “we.” If you want to include the listener (e.g., you and your classmate share the same teacher), say: Kita percaya pada guru kita.
Why is pada used after percaya?
The verb percaya normally takes a preposition before a noun phrase:
- With people or concrete referents: percaya pada/kepada + [person]
- With a clause: percaya bahwa + [clause]
- With abstract nouns: often percaya akan + [abstract] (see below)
Hence: Kami percaya pada guru kami.
Can I drop the preposition and say Kami percaya guru kami?
In casual speech you’ll hear it, but in careful/standard Indonesian you should keep the preposition:
- Informal: Aku percaya dia.
- Standard: Saya percaya kepadanya or Saya percaya pada dia.
For writing or formal speech, prefer pada/kepada.
What’s the difference between pada and kepada here?