Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Tolong ambilkan gelas dari lemari. - Please get me a glass from the cupboard.

Tolong literally means “help (me)” and is the standard way to soften a command into a polite request. It’s neutral and common in everyday speech. More formal/fixed options include mohon (formal) or starting with Bisakah/Bolehkah.

What’s the difference between ambil and ambilkan?

Ambil = “take/get.”
Ambilkan = “take/get for (someone).” The suffix -kan makes it benefactive, implying you’re doing it for another person (often the speaker).

If ambilkan means “get for (someone), where do I put the person I’m getting it for?

You can:

Put the beneficiary after the verb: Tolong ambilkan saya gelas… (get me a glass…)
Use untuk: Tolong ambilkan gelas untuk saya…
For others: Ambilkan dia gelas… / Ambilkan gelas untuk dia/untuknya… Omitting the beneficiary is fine if it’s obvious from context (usually “me”).

Could I just say ambil gelas dari lemari without -kan?

Yes. Ambil gelas dari lemari is a straightforward command “take a glass from the cupboard,” without explicitly saying it’s for someone. If you want the “for me” nuance, use ambilkan or add untuk saya.

Why is it dari lemari and not di lemari?

Dari = “from” (source/origin), which matches “from the cupboard.”
Di = “at/in” (location). In informal speech you’ll hear ambil gelas di lemari and it’s understood, but dari is more precise for a source.

Do I need to say dari dalam lemari?

Not necessary. Dari lemari is enough. Dari dalam lemari adds emphasis that it’s from inside (useful if there’s any ambiguity).

What exactly does lemari mean?

Lemari is a general word for a storage cabinet/cupboard/wardrobe. The exact English choice depends on context:

lemari pakaian = wardrobe/closet
lemari piring = kitchen cupboard
kabinet (loanword) also exists, especially for kitchen cabinets.

Is lemari es the fridge?

Yes. Lemari es or kulkas = refrigerator. So dari lemari es means “from the fridge.”

Does gelas mean the material “glass” or a drinking glass?

Gelas = a drinking glass. The material “glass” is kaca. For a handled cup/mug, use cangkir or mug.

How would I say a glass of water?

Use the measure prefix se-: segelas air = “a glass of water.” In your sentence, gelas (without se-) is the object “a/the glass” itself.

How do I say a or the in Indonesian here?

Indonesian has no articles. You can:

Leave it bare: gelas (a/the glass, depending on context)
Make it explicitly singular with sebuah: sebuah gelas (one glass)
Make it definite with -nya: gelasnya (the glass / that glass already known)

What exactly does the suffix -kan contribute, grammar-wise?

Here it’s the benefactive -kan: doing the action for someone. It often allows two objects (beneficiary + thing). You’ll see the same with verbs like bawakan (bring for), bukakan (open for), tuliskan (write for).

Is there a casual version of ambilkan?

Yes, in colloquial Jakarta-style Indonesian, ambilin is common: Tolong ambilin gelas… You can also add softening particles like dong or ya: Tolong ambilin gelasnya dong.

What are other polite ways to phrase the request?

Bisa tolong ambilkan gelas dari lemari? (very common, friendly)
Bisakah Anda ambilkan gelas dari lemari? (polite/formal)
Mohon ambilkan gelas dari lemari. (formal)

Can I move the prepositional phrase earlier, like “Tolong ambilkan dari lemari gelas”?

Natural Indonesian keeps the place phrase at the end: …gelas dari lemari. Fronting for emphasis is possible in speech/writing (e.g., Dari lemari, tolong ambilkan gelas), but within the clause dari lemari normally follows the noun.

How do I say the negative (Don’t get me a glass…)?

Use jangan for prohibitions: Jangan ambilkan gelas dari lemari. Don’t use tidak for imperatives.

What changes if I add -nya to gelas or lemari?

gelasnya = the glass / that glass (or “his/her glass,” depending on context)
lemarinya = the cupboard / that cupboard (or possessive) -nya marks definiteness or possession; context decides which.

Which first/second-person pronoun should I use (saya, aku, Anda, kamu, gue)?

saya: neutral/polite; safest.
aku: informal/intimate.
Anda: polite/formal “you.”
kamu: informal “you.”
gue/lu: very informal Jakarta slang. Example: Bisakah Anda ambilkan gelas… (formal) vs Bisa tolong ambilin gelas… (casual).