Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Dia suka rak buku kayu; saya sih lebih suka lemari pakaian putih. - He/She likes a wooden bookshelf; I prefer a white wardrobe.

sih adds a casual, personal, slightly contrastive nuance: “as for me,” “personally.”
It softens or highlights your stance, often contrasting with what was just said.
It’s optional. Without it, Saya lebih suka… is neutral.
It’s informal; avoid it in formal writing.
Placement: usually right after the topic/focus, e.g., Saya sih…, Rak ini sih….

Is dia “he” or “she”? How can I be specific?

dia is gender-neutral: it can mean he or she.
To specify: dia laki-laki/pria (male), dia perempuan/wanita (female), or use a name/title.
beliau is a respectful “he/she” for elders or respected figures.
ia is a more formal/written subject pronoun; after prepositions you use dia or -nya (e.g., kepadanya), not plain ia.

How does the word order in rak buku kayu and lemari pakaian putih work?

Indonesian noun phrases are typically: Head Noun + Noun Modifiers + Adjectives.
rak (head) + buku (book) + kayu (wood) → “bookshelf (made of) wood.”
lemari (head) + pakaian (clothes) + putih (white) → “white wardrobe (for clothes).”
You can add more: sebuah rak buku kayu besar (a big wooden bookshelf).

In lemari pakaian putih, does putih describe the wardrobe or the clothes?

It describes the wardrobe. The head noun is lemari, so putih applies to it.
If you mean white clothes, rephrase: lemari berisi pakaian putih or simply pakaian putih (white clothes).

Do I need daripada after lebih suka?

Not here, because the comparison is clear from the previous clause.
Full versions are fine: Saya sih lebih suka lemari pakaian putih daripada rak buku kayu.
Synonyms for daripada: ketimbang (colloquial), dibandingkan (dengan) (more formal).

What’s the difference between suka, menyukai, and gemar?

suka: the most common, neutral “to like.” Works with nouns: Saya suka kopi.
menyukai: more formal/literary, explicitly transitive “to like (something).” Ia menyukai musik klasik.
gemar: “to be fond of,” often hobbies/interests, slightly formal: Dia gemar membaca.
Colloquial note: suka
- verb can mean “tend to/oftentimes,” e.g., Dia suka telat (He tends to be late).

What’s the difference between rak and lemari?

rak: shelf/rack, usually open shelving.
lemari: cabinet/cupboard/wardrobe, typically with doors.
So rak buku = bookshelf (open shelves), lemari buku = bookcase (with doors), lemari pakaian = wardrobe.

Why are there no words for “a” or “the”?

Indonesian has no articles. Context covers what English marks with “a/the.”
To emphasize “a/one,” you can add a classifier like sebuah (inanimate): sebuah lemari…
To mark “that/the,” use demonstratives: lemari itu (that/the wardrobe), lemari ini (this/the wardrobe).

What tense is suka—present or past?

Verbs don’t inflect for tense. Dia suka… can be present, past, or general truth.
Add time/aspect words if needed: tadi, kemarin, akan, sedang, sudah, etc.

Is the meaning here singular or plural? How do I mark plural?

Nouns are unmarked for number; context decides.
To mark plural, use quantifiers or reduplication: banyak lemari, beberapa rak, rak-rak (multiple racks).
In compounds, don’t reduplicate the modifier: say rak-rak buku, not ✗rak buku-buku (unless you really mean “racks of multiple books” and even then it’s odd).

Is rak buku kayu the best way to say “wooden bookshelf”?

Yes, it’s natural and common.
More explicit options: rak buku dari kayu or rak buku yang terbuat dari kayu (“made of wood”).
rak kayu = wooden shelf (not necessarily for books).

Why not use yang: lemari pakaian yang putih?

Simple adjectives follow the noun directly: lemari pakaian putih.
Use yang for relative clauses or when picking a specific one: lemari pakaian yang putih itu (that white wardrobe), lemari pakaian yang terbuat dari kayu.

Why is there a semicolon in the sentence? Is that natural?

Semicolons are used much like in English: to join closely related independent clauses.
It’s fine, though many people would just use a comma or a period in informal writing.
In speech, it’s just a pause.

Any pronunciation tips for sih, rak, lemari, pakaian?

sih: say “see” + a short audible h at the end.
rak: final k is often unreleased or a glottal stop in casual speech.
lemari: leh-MA-ree; tap the r (like Spanish r in “pero”).
pakaian: pa-KAI-an; the ai is like English “eye,” often with a slight y-glide: pa-KA-yan in fast speech.