Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kami membayar sewa setiap bulan.

kami = we (excluding the person you’re talking to). kita = we (including the listener). In this sentence you’re telling someone outside your paying group (e.g., your landlord) about your group’s habit, so kami fits. If you’re speaking to someone who pays together with you (e.g., a roommate), use kita: Kita membayar sewa setiap bulan.

Is membayar required, or can I just say bayar?

In conversation, dropping the prefix is common: Kami bayar sewa tiap bulan. The prefixed form membayar is more formal or careful. Both are correct; choose based on context. In casual Jakarta speech you may also hear ngebayar (very informal).

Why not use menyewa here?

menyewa means to rent/lease something (to take something on hire), not to pay the rent. Compare:

Kami menyewa apartemen itu. = We rent that apartment.
Kami membayar sewa setiap bulan. = We pay the rent every month.

Is sewa a noun or a verb in this sentence?

A noun: sewa = the rent (the fee). As a verb idea, use menyewa/nyewa (to rent). You’ll also see sewa in noun compounds like sewa rumah (house rent).

What’s the difference between sewa, uang sewa, and harga sewa?

sewa: rent, the rental fee in general. Natural in this sentence.
uang sewa: the rent money (explicitly the payment).
harga sewa: the rental price/rate. All are correct; pick based on emphasis. Example: Kami membayar uang sewa tiap bulan is fine but heavier; Kami membayar sewa tiap bulan is leaner.

Can I say tiap bulan or per bulan instead of setiap bulan?

Yes:

tiap bulan = every month (slightly more casual).
per bulan = per month, often with amounts: Rp 3 juta per bulan. Related:
sebulan sekali = once a month.
setiap bulan and tiap bulan are interchangeable in most contexts.

Where can the time phrase go? Is Setiap bulan kami membayar sewa OK?

Yes. Common placements:

Kami membayar sewa setiap bulan. (neutral)
Setiap bulan kami membayar sewa. (slight emphasis on frequency)
Kami setiap bulan membayar sewa. (grammatical but less common in everyday speech)

How do I show tense or aspect (present, past, future) in Indonesian?

Indonesian has no verb tense. Use particles/adverbs:

Habitual (as given): Kami membayar sewa setiap bulan.
In progress: Kami sedang membayar sewa.
Already: Kami sudah membayar sewa.
Not yet: Kami belum membayar sewa.
Will: Kami akan membayar sewa.

Can I omit the subject and just say Membayar sewa setiap bulan?

You can drop the subject if it’s clear from context, but bare Membayar sewa setiap bulan can sound like a rule/instruction or a headline. If you mean “we,” keeping kami/kita avoids ambiguity.

How would the passive voice or fronting work?

Passive: Sewa dibayar setiap bulan (oleh kami).
Object fronting with definiteness: Sewanya kami bayar setiap bulan. These shift the focus onto the rent rather than the payer. The active sentence is the most neutral for everyday use.

How do I negate this sentence correctly?

Use tidak before the verb:

Kami tidak membayar sewa setiap bulan. For specific months:
Kami belum membayar sewa bulan ini. Don’t use bukan here; bukan negates nouns/adjectives, not verbs.

Is membayarkan acceptable, as in Kami membayarkan sewa?

membayarkan often implies paying something for someone (benefactive):

Kami membayarkan sewa adik kami. = We pay our younger sibling’s rent. Without a beneficiary, membayar is safer and more neutral for “pay (our) rent.”

Does bulan mean “month” or “moon” here? Any ambiguity?

bulan can mean both, but in time expressions like setiap bulan it means “month.” For the celestial body you’d typically have context like bulan purnama (full moon).

How do I say “our rent” naturally?

Prefer a fuller noun phrase:

Kami membayar uang sewa rumah kami setiap bulan. You can also topicalize:
Sewanya kami bayar setiap bulan. (= We pay the rent every month.) Plain sewa kami can be ambiguous without a head noun like rumah or apartemen.

Any colloquial or regional variants I should know?

Neutral casual: Kami bayar sewa tiap bulan.
Inclusive: Kita bayar sewa tiap bulan.
Jakarta colloquial: Gue bayar kos tiap bulan. Notes: kos/kost = boarding house; kontrakan = a rented house/unit, often monthly or yearly.

Do I need a preposition like “for,” as in “pay for rent”?

No. Indonesian uses a direct object: membayar sewa, not membayar untuk sewa. Use untuk only when you truly mean “for the purpose of”: Kami menabung untuk sewa tahun depan.

How does bulanan work? Can I say Kami membayar sewa bulanan?

bulanan is an adjective “monthly.” Use it to describe the type or amount:

Sewa bulanan kami Rp 3 juta.
Kami membayar sewa bulanan sebesar Rp 3 juta. Without an amount, Kami membayar sewa setiap bulan sounds more natural.

Any spelling/spacing tips for these words?

setiap bulan: two words.
per bulan: two words.
tiap bulan: two words; tiap bulannya adds a soft “each month (in general/regularly)” nuance in narratives. Avoid writing them as single words.