Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Sewanya bulanan dan kontrak sederhana sudah saya baca. - The rent is monthly and I have read the simple contract.

possessive: sewanya = “its/their rent,” referring back to something previously mentioned (e.g., an apartment, a room).
definiteness/topic: sewanya ≈ “the rent” (the one we have in mind).

In this sentence, it most naturally means “its/the the rent (for that place).” The referent of -nya should be clear from prior context.

Does sewanya bulanan mean “monthly rent” or “the rent is monthly”?

It can be read either as:

a noun phrase: “(the) monthly rent,” or
a small clause-like chunk: “the rent is monthly.”

In everyday usage, sewanya bulanan often conveys “the rent is monthly (payment).” If you want a straightforward noun phrase, sewa bulanan is also common.

Why does the sentence start with the objects? Isn’t Indonesian SVO?

Indonesian allows fronting the object for topic/focus. Here, Sewanya bulanan dan kontrak sederhana are put first to highlight what has been read. A neutral SVO version would be: Saya sudah membaca (informasi tentang) sewa bulanan dan kontrak sederhana. The fronted version is very natural in Indonesian to emphasize the objects.

Is this sentence passive?

It’s the so‑called “short passive” or object‑fronting pattern: [Object] + (aspect) + [pronoun actor] + [bare verb]. So … sudah saya baca literally “already I read.” It behaves like a patient‑focused construction without the di- prefix. A di‑passive equivalent is: Sewanya bulanan dan kontrak sederhana sudah dibaca (oleh) saya.

Why is it baca and not membaca?

In the short passive/object‑fronting construction, the verb appears in the bare form: … saya baca, not … saya membaca. If you use regular SVO, both Saya sudah membaca … (more formal) and Saya sudah baca … (colloquial) are fine.

Where does sudah go, and what does it mean?

Sudah marks completion (“already,” similar to English “have” in perfect aspect). In this pattern it typically precedes the actor pronoun: … sudah saya baca. You can also hear … saya sudah baca in speech. A more formal alternative is telah: … telah saya baca.

How would I say the same thing in a plain, non-fronted way?

Neutral/formal: Saya sudah membaca sewa bulanan dan kontrak sederhana (itu).
Neutral/colloquial: Saya sudah baca sewa bulanan dan kontrak sederhana. The fronted version simply puts focus on the items.

Do I need yang in sewanya (yang) bulanan?

Not required. Sewanya bulanan is fine. Adding yang (sewanya yang bulanan) can sound like you’re selecting that specific type (monthly vs yearly), making the attribute contrastive. Use it if you want to emphasize the distinction.

What exactly is bulanan?

It’s derived from bulan (month) + -an, and functions like an adjective meaning “monthly.” You’ll also hear per bulan (“per month”) in phrases like bayar per bulan. So sewa bulanan ≈ “monthly rent,” pembayaran bulanan = “monthly payment.”

What does kontrak sederhana tell me about adjective order?

Indonesian adjectives typically follow the noun. So kontrak sederhana = “simple contract.” You don’t need yang here because it’s a straightforward noun + adjective phrase.

Are both sewanya bulanan and kontrak sederhana the things being read?

Yes. They’re coordinated by dan and jointly serve as the fronted object/topic: those are the items (or pieces of information) that have been read. If you want to be explicit that you read information about them, you could say: Informasi tentang sewa bulanan dan kontrak sederhana sudah saya baca.

Could I replace saya with aku or ku-?

Neutral/formal: saya
Informal: aku In this pattern, you can also use the clitic ku-: … sudah kubaca. Example: Sewanya bulanan dan kontrak sederhana sudah kubaca. This is informal.

Can I just say Sudah saya baca on its own?

Yes. Sudah saya baca means “I’ve already read (it/them),” with the object understood from context. It’s a natural short answer or follow‑up.

Is Buku itu saya sudah baca-type word order acceptable?

Yes, many speakers say both Buku itu sudah saya baca and Buku itu saya sudah baca. The former is somewhat more common/neutral; the latter is colloquial but fine. The key is that with object fronting the verb stays bare: baca.

If the agent is a full noun (not a pronoun), should I still use this pattern?

With full noun agents, Indonesians often prefer the di- passive:

Sewanya bulanan sudah dibaca Budi. You may hear Sewanya bulanan Budi baca, but with non‑pronoun agents this can sound less natural/formal than the di- passive.

Could I say this with bahwa to make the “that‑clause” explicit?

Yes, if you want to present them as propositions you read:
Saya membaca bahwa sewanya bulanan dan (bahwa) kontraknya sederhana.
Your original sentence is more like topicalizing the information/items and saying you’ve read them.

How would I ask “Have you read …?” with the same structure?

Neutral: Apakah sewanya bulanan dan kontrak sederhana sudah kamu baca?
Conversational: Sewanya bulanan dan kontrak sederhana sudah kamu baca?
You can also use telah in formal writing: Apakah … telah kamu baca?

Is there any register difference between sudah and telah here?

Yes. Sudah is neutral and very common in speech and writing. Telah is more formal/literary/news‑like. Both mean the action is completed.