Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Dia meletakkan sikat gigi dan pasta gigi di depan cermin. - He/She puts the toothbrush and toothpaste in front of the mirror.

Dia is gender‑neutral (he or she). To specify, use something like laki‑laki itu (that man), perempuan itu (that woman), a name (Budi, Siti), or a role (dokter itu). In writing you may see ia (more formal). For respectful reference to an older/high‑status person, use beliau.

What’s the difference between meletakkan, menaruh, and menempatkan?

meletakkan: to put/place something down (neutral, a bit deliberate).
menaruh: everyday “put” in speech; slightly more casual. Colloquial: naruh.
menempatkan: to place/assign (more formal, often abstract or planned positioning). In this sentence, meletakkan or menaruh are natural; menempatkan sounds too formal.

Why is meletakkan written with a double k?

The root is letak. Adding the suffix -kan yields letak+kan → letakkan, then with the prefix it becomes meletakkan. The form meletakan is a common misspelling.

There’s no past tense marker. How do I show it happened in the past?

Indonesian doesn’t require tense marking. Use time/aspect words:

tadi, barusan (earlier/just now), kemarin (yesterday)
sudah/telah (already) Examples: Dia tadi meletakkan…, Dia sudah meletakkan… di depan cermin.

Why isn’t there “the” or “a”? How do I make nouns definite?

Indonesian has no articles. Use:

itu after the noun for “the/that”: sikat gigi itu, cermin itu.
-nya for known/definite or possessive: sikat giginya, di depan cerminnya.
satu (one) for “a/an”: satu sikat gigi.

How do I say “his/her toothbrush” clearly?

Use sikat giginya or sikat gigi dia. With a name: sikat gigi Budi. For both items: sikat giginya dan pasta giginya.

Is sikat gigi one word or two? What kind of construction is it?

Two words. It’s a Noun + Noun compound: sikat (brush, the head) + gigi (teeth, the modifier) → “toothbrush.” Similarly, pasta gigi = “toothpaste.”

Can I just say sikat to mean “toothbrush”?

Only if context already makes it obvious. sikat means “brush” in general (dish brush, shoe brush, etc.). Safest is sikat gigi.

Are there other common words for “toothpaste”?

Yes. Colloquial Indonesian often uses odol. In Malaysia, ubat gigi. Neutral/standard Indonesian is pasta gigi.

What exactly does di depan mean? How is it different from di hadapan or ke depan?

di depan = in front of (static location; neutral).
di hadapan = in front of (more formal/literary).
ke depan = to the front/forward (movement).

Why is di depan two words but diletakkan one word?

di as a preposition is separate: di depan, di rumah. di- as a passive prefix is attached to a verb: diletakkan. If it means “at/in/on,” write di separately.

How do I say this in the passive?

Sikat gigi dan pasta gigi diletakkan di depan cermin (oleh dia). In casual speech the agent is usually omitted: Sikat gigi dan pasta gigi diletakkan di depan cermin. With menaruh: Sikat gigi dan pasta gigi ditaruh di depan cermin.

Can I drop the subject dia?

In a neutral statement, keep it. You drop it for commands: Taruh/Letakkan sikat gigi dan pasta gigi di depan cermin! In conversation, subjects can be omitted if context is crystal clear, but in writing it’s safer to include dia.

How do I make the nouns plural, like “toothbrushes”?

Nouns don’t change form. Use a number or quantifier: dua sikat gigi, beberapa sikat gigi. Don’t use para (that’s for people).

Do I need a classifier or measure word?

Not required. Say satu/dua sikat gigi. For toothpaste (a substance), use quantities or containers: sedikit pasta gigi, satu tube pasta gigi. The plain number + noun form is most common.

Any pronunciation tips for words here?

c = “ch” as in “cherry”: cermin ≈ “cher‑MEEN”.
g is always hard (“go”): gigi = “GEE‑gee”.
Stress is usually on the penultimate syllable: me‑le‑TAK‑kan, CER‑min.

Is there a difference between cermin and kaca?

Yes. cermin specifically means “mirror.” kaca means “glass,” though people sometimes say kaca to mean “mirror” informally. For clarity, use cermin.