Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya membeli roti tawar dan selai kacang di toko roti itu. - I buy white bread and peanut butter at that bakery.

In Indonesia, roti tawar is the standard sliced loaf used for sandwiches. It’s usually white, unsweetened, and soft—so “plain sandwich bread” is a good gloss. If you specifically want whole-wheat, say roti gandum. The word tawar literally means “bland/unsalted,” so it contrasts with sweet breads (roti manis).

Is selai kacang the same as “peanut butter”? Any other ways to say it?

Yes—selai kacang is “peanut butter.” Variants:

selai kacang tanah (more explicit; kacang tanah = peanut)
mentega kacang is understood, but more common in Malay; in Indonesia, selai kacang is the default. For other nut butters: selai kacang mete (cashew), selai almond (almond), etc.

Why is it di and not ke in di toko roti itu?

di = at/in (location where something happens).
ke = to (movement toward a place). Here, buying happens at the bakery, so di is correct. If you talk about going there, use ke: Saya pergi ke toko roti itu untuk membeli…

Does the sentence mean past, present, or habitual? Indonesian doesn’t mark tense—so how do we know?

It’s context-dependent. Without a time word, it could be past, present, or habitual. You can add:

Past/completed: tadi, kemarin, sudah, barusan (e.g., Saya tadi/sudah membeli…)
Ongoing: sedang (Saya sedang membeli…)
Habitual: biasanya, sering (Saya biasanya membeli…)

Why use membeli instead of beli?

Both are correct. membeli (with the meN- prefix) is more formal or neutral written style. In everyday speech, Indonesians often say beli: Saya/Aku beli roti tawar… Using membeli sounds a bit more careful/formal.

Can I use Aku instead of Saya? What’s the difference?

Saya: polite/neutral; safe with strangers, in service contexts, and writing.
Aku: informal/intimate; with friends/family or in casual contexts. Regional colloquials exist (e.g., gue in Jakarta), but saya/aku are the safest to learn first.

Why is itu after the noun (toko roti itu) instead of before like English “that bakery”? Do I need yang?

Demonstratives follow the noun: toko roti itu = “that bakery,” toko roti ini = “this bakery.”
Use yang itu only when the noun is omitted or for emphasis/contrast: toko roti yang itu (“that particular one”). You don’t need yang in the basic noun phrase.

Can I move the place phrase around, like to the front?

Yes. Word order is flexible for emphasis:

Neutral: Saya membeli … di toko roti itu.
Fronted place: Di toko roti itu, saya membeli … Both are natural; fronting highlights the location.

How do I specify quantities like “a loaf of bread” or “a jar of peanut butter”?

Use classifiers/containers:

Loaf/package of bread: sebungkus roti tawar, satu loaf roti tawar (loanword), sometimes satu bungkus roti tawar. For a slice: selembar/sekeping roti tawar.
Jar/bottle of peanut butter: sebotol selai kacang, sebuah toples selai kacang, satu jar selai kacang (loanword). Indonesians often use practical packaging terms (bungkus/pak/botol/jar).

How do I express “some bread” versus “the bread” when Indonesian has no articles?

Indonesian lacks “a/the.” Use:

Bare noun for nonspecific: Saya membeli roti tawar (“I bought some bread”).
Add itu or -nya for specific/known items:
- roti tawar itu (“that bread / the bread (we both know)”)
- roti tawarnya (“the bread” already understood in context; can also mean “his/her bread,” so rely on context).

How would I say it in passive voice? And what’s the difference between di (space) and di- (no space)?

Passive: Roti tawar dan selai kacang dibeli (oleh saya) di toko roti itu.

di with a space is a preposition meaning “at/in.”
di- attached to a verb is the passive prefix: dibeli = “(were) bought.”

What’s happening morphologically in membeli? Why mem-?

The base verb is beli. The active prefix meN- assimilates to the initial consonant:

Before b, meN- becomes mem- → mem
- beli = membeli. Compare: meN-
  - tulis → menulis; meN-
    - sapu → menyapu.

How do I switch between “this bakery” and “that bakery”?

This: toko roti ini
That: toko roti itu So: Saya membeli … di toko roti ini/itu.

Is toko roti the only way to say “bakery”? I see “Bakery” on shop signs.

toko roti is the standard Indonesian term. Many stores use the English loan Bakery in names/signs, but in everyday speech toko roti is natural. In Malay (Malaysia), you’ll also hear kedai roti.

Does roti mean only “bread,” or also buns/pastries?

In everyday Indonesian, roti can cover bread, buns, and many pastries. roti tawar narrows it to the sliced loaf. For pastries you might also hear kue depending on region and item.

Any quick pronunciation tips for the words in the sentence?

Stress is light and usually on the second-to-last syllable:

Saya (SA-ya), membeli (mem-BE-li), roti (RO-ti), tawar (TA-war), selai (se-LAI), kacang (KA-cang), toko (TO-ko), itu (I-tu). Vowels are pure; pronounce every syllable clearly.