Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Dosen kami menjelaskan materi kuliah dengan sabar. - Our lecturer explains the lecture material patiently.

"Dosen" means a university/college lecturer or instructor. "Guru" means a teacher at primary or secondary level. For higher education, use "dosen" (unless you specifically mean a professor with the rank "Profesor").

Why is "kami" placed after "dosen"? Is that how you say “our lecturer”? How is it different from "kita"?

Yes—placing the pronoun after the noun makes a possessive: dosen kami = our lecturer. "Kami" is exclusive (excludes the listener), while "kita" is inclusive (includes the listener). If you and your listener are in the same class, dosen kita would be more natural.

Does "menjelaskan" mean “explains” or “explained”? How do I show tense in Indonesian?

Indonesian verbs don’t change form for tense; menjelaskan can mean explains, is explaining, or explained, depending on context. Add time words or markers:

Past/completed: sudah, tadi, kemarin (e.g., Dosen kami sudah menjelaskan…)
Progressive: sedang or colloquial lagi (e.g., Dosen kami sedang menjelaskan…)
Future: akan (e.g., Dosen kami akan menjelaskan…)

What is the root of "menjelaskan," and how is the word formed?

The root is jelas (clear). menjelaskan = meN- + jelas + -kan, meaning “to make clear, to explain.” Related words: penjelasan (explanation), memperjelas (to clarify/make clearer). Note the nasal assimilation: meN- + j → menj-.

Why use "menjelaskan" instead of "mengajar" or "menerangkan"?

menjelaskan = to explain a specific point or concept (cause something to be clear).
mengajar = to teach (a class/subject) in general.
menerangkan is a near-synonym of “explain,” often interchangeable with menjelaskan, though menjelaskan is slightly more common in academic contexts.

What does "materi kuliah" literally mean, and are there alternatives?

Literally, materi kuliah = “lecture/course material” (materi = material/content; kuliah = lecture/college course). Alternatives include bahan kuliah (teaching materials) and more formal materi perkuliahan. Kuliah can also be a verb meaning “to study at university” (e.g., Saya kuliah di UI).

Can I move "dengan sabar" to another position in the sentence?

Yes. Common options:

Dosen kami menjelaskan materi kuliah dengan sabar. (neutral)
Dosen kami dengan sabar menjelaskan materi kuliah. (slight emphasis on the manner)
Dengan sabar, dosen kami menjelaskan materi kuliah. (fronted for emphasis) All are natural.

Is "sabar" an adjective or an adverb? Do I need "dengan"?

Sabar is an adjective (“patient”), and with dengan it becomes an adverbial phrase (“patiently”). You usually say dengan sabar after a verb. You can also restructure: Dosen kami sabar menjelaskan materi kuliah (using “sabar” to qualify the subject’s manner), but menjelaskan … sabar (without “dengan”) is not natural.

How would I say this in the passive voice?

Use the di- passive: Materi kuliah dijelaskan (dengan sabar) oleh dosen kami. Often the agent phrase oleh dosen kami can be dropped: Materi kuliah dijelaskan dosen kami dengan sabar. There’s also the “short passive” with 1st/2nd person agents, e.g., Materi kuliah kami jelaskan dengan sabar = “We explained the course material patiently” (note: this changes the meaning; it’s not “our lecturer” anymore).

Is "dosen kami" singular or plural?

It can be either, depending on context. To make plural explicit, you can say para dosen kami or dosen-dosen kami, or quantify: beberapa dosen kami (several of our lecturers).

How do I express that this happened earlier, yesterday, or habitually?

Add time adverbs:

Earlier/today: tadi, barusan (e.g., Tadi dosen kami menjelaskan…)
Yesterday: kemarin (e.g., Kemarin dosen kami menjelaskan…)
Habitually: selalu, sering, setiap pertemuan (e.g., Dosen kami selalu menjelaskan…)

How can I intensify “patiently” (very patiently, so patiently)?

Use degree words or nouns:

dengan sangat sabar, sabar sekali, begitu sabar
dengan penuh kesabaran You’ll also see dengan sabarnya, which adds a warm, emphatic tone (“so patiently”/“with all his/her patience”).

How do I say “impatiently” or “not patiently”?

Common options:

dengan tidak sabar = impatiently (can also mean “eagerly” in other contexts)
kurang sabar = not very patient
dengan kurang sabar = in a less-than-patient manner Be mindful that tidak sabar alone often means “can’t wait/eager.”

Can I just say "Dosen kami menjelaskan materi kuliah sabar" without "dengan"?

No—that’s unnatural. Use dengan sabar, or restructure as Dosen kami sabar menjelaskan materi kuliah or Dosen kami menjelaskan materi kuliah dengan sabar.

How would I refer to “our professor” instead of “our lecturer”?

If the person holds the academic rank, say Profesor kami. Otherwise, dosen kami is the normal term. In real life you often use a title plus name (e.g., Pak Andi or Bu Sari) when referring to or addressing them.

How is the sentence pronounced?

A rough guide: Dosen (DOH-sen), kami (KAH-mee), menjelaskan (mən-jeh-LAS-kan; the first “e” is a schwa), materi (mah-TEH-ree), kuliah (koo-LEE-ah), dengan (dəNG-an; “ng” as in “sing”), sabar (SAH-bar). Indonesian stress is light and fairly even; keep vowels clear and short.

Does "menjelaskan" require an object?

Yes, it’s typically transitive and expects a thing being explained (e.g., materi kuliah). In conversation, the object can be omitted if it’s obvious from context, but learners should include it.

How do I form a relative clause like “the lecturer who explained the course material patiently”?

Use yang: Dosen yang menjelaskan materi kuliah dengan sabar (itu)… For the object: Materi kuliah yang dijelaskan (dengan sabar) oleh dosen kami…

How do I say “the” or “this/that” with “materi kuliah”?

Indonesian has no articles. Use demonstratives if needed: materi kuliah ini (this course material), materi kuliah itu/tersebut (that/the aforementioned course material). Context usually supplies definiteness.