Breakdown of Karpet ini terlalu tebal untuk ubin yang basah.
ini
this
adalah
to be
untuk
for
terlalu
too
yang
that
basah
wet
tebal
thick
karpet
the carpet
ubin
the tile
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Questions & Answers about Karpet ini terlalu tebal untuk ubin yang basah.
Why is ini placed after karpet (as in karpet ini) instead of before it?
In Indonesian, demonstratives follow the noun.
- karpet ini = this carpet
- karpet itu = that carpet If you’re choosing among several carpets, you can also say karpet yang ini (“this one (carpet)”). Note that ini karpet means “this is a carpet,” not “this carpet.”
What does terlalu mean here, and how is it different from sangat, sekali, or begitu?
- terlalu = too/excessively (beyond a desirable limit): terlalu tebal = too thick.
- sangat = very: sangat tebal = very thick.
- sekali (post-adjective) = very: tebal sekali = very thick.
- begitu = so: begitu tebal = so thick (not necessarily “too”). A formal synonym of terlalu is terlampau.
Why use untuk? Could I say buat or bagi instead?
- untuk is the standard choice for purpose/suitability: terlalu tebal untuk ubin... (“too thick for [use with] tiles...”).
- buat is a colloquial substitute: terlalu tebal buat ubin... (casual speech).
- bagi means “for (as for/for the benefit of)” and is used with recipients or viewpoints: terlalu sulit bagi anak-anak. With things like ubin, bagi sounds odd in this “suitability/purpose” sense, so avoid bagi ubin here.
What is the role of yang in ubin yang basah? Is it necessary?
yang introduces a describing clause, like “that/which/that are.”
- ubin yang basah = “tiles that are wet” (slightly more specific/emphatic).
- ubin basah = “wet tiles.” Both are grammatical; yang often adds clarity, emphasis, or formality.
Do adjectives usually come before or after nouns in Indonesian?
They usually follow the noun.
- Attributive: karpet tebal (a thick carpet), ubin basah (wet tiles).
- Predicate (adjective as statement): karpet itu tebal = “that carpet is thick.”
Is ubin singular or plural? How do I say “tile” vs “tiles”?
Indonesian doesn’t mark plural by default. ubin can mean “tile” or “tiles” from context.
- Explicit singular: satu ubin (one tile).
- Plural/quantity: beberapa ubin (several tiles), banyak ubin (many tiles).
- Reduplication (ubin-ubin) can mark plurality but is often unnecessary.
Does the sentence imply “to be used on”? How can I say that explicitly?
Yes. terlalu Adj untuk NP often implies purpose/suitability. To be explicit:
- Karpet ini terlalu tebal untuk dipakai/digunakan di atas ubin yang basah.
- With “place/put”: ...terlalu tebal untuk diletakkan di atas ubin yang basah.
Should I use ubin or lantai? What’s the difference?
- ubin = tiles/tiled surface specifically.
- lantai = floor (any material). If you mean a wet floor in general: lantai yang basah. If you specifically mean tile(s): ubin yang basah or lantai ubin yang basah (a tiled floor that’s wet).
How do I say “not too thick,” “very thick,” or “thick enough”?
- Not too thick: tidak terlalu tebal.
- Very thick: sangat tebal / tebal sekali.
- Thick enough: cukup tebal.
Can I move untuk ubin yang basah to another position?
Keep the core pattern [Subject] + terlalu + [Adjective] + untuk + [complement]. Fronting the context for emphasis is fine:
- Untuk ubin yang basah, karpet ini terlalu tebal. Avoid: Karpet ini untuk ubin yang basah terlalu tebal (unnatural).
Any pronunciation tips for words like karpet, yang, and basah?
- r is a light tap/trill: kaR-pet.
- ng in yang is a single nasal sound [ŋ], not “n” + “g.”
- Final h in basah is audible as a soft breath.
- Stress is relatively even; don’t over-stress syllables as in English.
What are some natural casual vs. formal rephrasings of the whole sentence?
- Neutral: Karpet ini terlalu tebal untuk ubin yang basah.
- Casual: Karpet ini terlalu tebal buat ubin yang basah.
- More explicit: Karpet ini terlalu tebal untuk dipakai di atas ubin yang basah.
- Formal: Ketebalan karpet ini terlalu besar untuk diaplikasikan pada ubin yang basah.