Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kami percaya pada guru kami.

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?

Both are acceptable with percaya before a person.
kepada sounds a bit more formal/elevated; pada is neutral and very common.
With pronouns, you often see clitic forms: kepadanya/padanya.

Examples:

Kami percaya kepada guru kami. (formalish)
Kami percaya pada guru kami. (neutral)

When do I use percaya akan?

Use it mainly with abstract nouns or ideas:

percaya akan keadilan (justice)
percaya akan masa depan (the future)
percaya akan janji-janji (promises)

With a person (e.g., a teacher), use pada/kepada: percaya pada/kepada guru. If you switch to an abstract about the teacher, both are possible, e.g., percaya pada/akan kemampuannya.

Can I say percaya sama or percaya dengan?

percaya sama is very common in everyday, informal speech: Gue percaya sama guru gue.
percaya dengan is heard, but many teachers consider it nonstandard. In careful Indonesian, stick to pada/kepada (or akan with abstract nouns).

Why not use di?

di is locative (“at/in/on”), not the preposition used after percaya. Wrong: Kami percaya di guru kami. Correct: Kami percaya pada/kepada guru kami.

Is guru singular or plural here?

Indonesian nouns are usually unmarked for number, so guru can be singular or plural from context. To be explicit:

Plural: para guru kami, guru-guru kami, semua guru kami
Singular/definite: guru kami itu, or use a name/title: Pak Budi, guru kami
“One of our teachers”: seorang guru kami

Why is kami repeated? Could I say Kami percaya pada guru?

Repeating kami is natural: the first kami is the subject “we,” the second marks possession “our.”

Kami percaya pada guru = we believe in teachers (in general)
Kami percaya pada guru kami = we believe in our teacher(s) (specific)

What’s the difference between guru kami and guru kita?

guru kami = our teacher(s), excluding the listener
guru kita = our teacher(s), including the listener

To a classmate you’d likely say: Kita percaya pada guru kita. To someone outside your class: Kami percaya pada guru kami.

Can I mix kami and kita in one sentence?

It’s possible but can be confusing. For clarity, match the subject and the possessor:

Clear: Kami percaya pada guru kami.
Clear: Kita percaya pada guru kita. Mixed forms (e.g., Kita percaya pada guru kami) imply the subject includes the listener but the possessor group excludes them—a rare, specific context. Avoid unless you intend that nuance.

Could I use a possessive suffix instead of kami? For example, guruku?

For “my teacher,” yes: guruku (informal) or guru saya (neutral/formal).
There’s no suffix for “our.” You must say guru kami (our, excluding listener) or guru kita (our, including listener).
Other possessives: gurumu/guru kamu (your), guru Anda (your, formal), gurunya/guru dia (his/her—the -nya form relies on context).

What’s the basic word order, and can I move things around?

Default order is Subject–Verb–[Prepositional Phrase]:

Kami (S) percaya (V) pada guru kami (PP).

You can add adverbs without changing the structure:

Kami sangat percaya pada guru kami.

Fronting the prepositional phrase for emphasis is possible but sounds literary:

Pada guru kami, kami percaya. (emphatic/rhetorical)

How do I negate it or change the time reference?

Negation: tidak before the verb
- Kami tidak percaya pada guru kami.
Common time markers:
- Completed: sudah — Kami sudah percaya pada guru kami.
- Not yet: belum — Kami belum percaya pada guru kami.
- Ever: pernah — Kami pernah percaya pada guru kami.
- Future: akan — Kami akan percaya pada guru kami. Note: Progressive markers like sedang are uncommon with stative verbs like percaya.