Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Mahasiswa baru itu bertanya tentang beasiswa. - That new student asks about scholarships.

mahasiswa: a university/college student.
siswa: a school student (elementary through high school).
murid: pupil/disciple; often used for school-age students, slightly more old-fashioned or teacher-centered in tone.

Examples:

Mahasiswa itu = that/the college student
Siswa SMA itu = that high‑school student

Why is baru placed after mahasiswa? Could baru also mean “just (now)”?

In noun phrases, adjectives follow the noun: mahasiswa baru = new student.
baru can also mean “just (now)” when it modifies a verb: baru bertanya = just asked.
So in the sentence, baru clearly modifies mahasiswa (new), not the verb.

What does itu do here? Is it “that” or “the”?

itu is a demonstrative placed after the noun phrase. It can mean “that” (deictic) or function like a definiteness marker (“the”) for something known/specific:

mahasiswa baru itu = that/the new student (specific, known).
Near the speaker: ini; farther/previously mentioned: itu.

Note: Itu mahasiswa baru (with itu before the noun) is typically read as a clause meaning “That is a new student.”

Is the subject singular or plural? How do I make it explicit?

Indonesian doesn’t mark plural by default, so mahasiswa baru itu could be one person or a specific group, depending on context. To be explicit:

Singular: seorang mahasiswa baru itu or more naturally just mahasiswa baru itu (context shows it’s one person).
Plural: para mahasiswa baru itu, or mahasiswa-mahasiswa baru itu, or add a number: dua mahasiswa baru itu.
Generic plural without itu: para mahasiswa baru = (the) new students.

Is bertanya tentang the right way to say “ask about”? How does it differ from menanyakan or menanyai?

bertanya (tentang X) = to ask (a question) about X; intransitive verb.
menanyakan (X) = to ask about X (makes X the direct object); transitive. Avoid doubling the preposition: prefer menanyakan beasiswa, not menanyakan tentang beasiswa.
menanyai (Y) = to question/interrogate Y (a person), often repeatedly.

Colloquial:

tanya / nanya are casual forms of bertanya: nanya soal beasiswa.

How do I say “ask someone about something” with the right prepositions?

Use:

bertanya kepada/pada [person] tentang [topic]
Example: Mahasiswa baru itu bertanya kepada dosen tentang beasiswa.
Colloquial: tanya ke/sama [person] soal [topic]
Example: Dia nanya sama petugas soal beasiswa.

Can I use something other than tentang? What’s the nuance of mengenai, soal, perihal?

Yes:

mengenai = about/regarding (neutral–formal)
soal = about/concerning (informal–neutral)
perihal/ihwal = about/regarding (formal/literary)
terkait/berkaitan dengan = related to (slightly formal)

Examples:

bertanya mengenai beasiswa (neutral–formal)
nanya soal beasiswa (colloquial)

What tense is this? Could it mean “asked,” “is asking,” or “will ask”?

Indonesian doesn’t inflect for tense. Context or time markers clarify:

Past: tadi/kemarin … bertanya (earlier/yesterday)
Progressive: sedang bertanya (is asking)
Immediate past: baru (saja) bertanya (just asked)
Future: akan/ nanti … bertanya (will ask)

How do I pronounce beasiswa?

Syllables: be‑a‑sis‑wa.
Approximate: bay‑ah‑SEE‑swah.
Notes:

bea is two syllables (be‑a), not like English “bee.”
siswa ≈ SEES‑wah.

If I want to say “ask for/apply for a scholarship,” should I still use bertanya?

No. Use:

“apply for”: mengajukan permohonan beasiswa, mendaftar beasiswa
“request” (formal): memohon beasiswa
“ask for” (plain request): meminta beasiswa (can sound like directly asking to be given one)
“look for”: mencari beasiswa

When would I use beasiswanya instead of beasiswa?

Adding -nya can mark definiteness or possession:

beasiswanya = the scholarship (already known) / his/her scholarship.
Examples:
bertanya tentang beasiswa = ask about scholarships (in general).
bertanya tentang beasiswanya = ask about the scholarship in question OR about his/her scholarship (context decides).

Is mahasiswa gendered? What about mahasiswi?

mahasiswa is widely used as gender‑neutral (student at university).
mahasiswi specifically refers to a female student; it’s still understood but many institutions prefer mahasiswa for all genders.

Can I front the topic and say “About the scholarship, the new student asked”?

Yes. Topicalization is natural:

Tentang beasiswa, mahasiswa baru itu bertanya.
You can also front the object with menanyakan:
Beasiswa itu, mahasiswa baru itu menanyakannya. (more formal/emphatic)

Do I need itu? What changes if I drop it?

With itu: specific/definite — mahasiswa baru itu = that/the new student.
Without itu: often more generic/indefinite — mahasiswa baru bertanya could be “a new student asked” or “new students ask,” depending on context.
To make “a” explicit, add a numeral/classifier: seorang mahasiswa baru bertanya = a new student asked.

Does mahasiswa baru mean “freshman”?

It means a newly admitted university student (a “new student”). For “freshman/first‑year,” you can say:

mahasiswa tahun pertama / tingkat satu / semester pertama
Campus slang: maba (from mahasiswa baru).

How would this sound in casual speech?

Colloquial variants:

Mahasiswa baru itu nanya soal beasiswa.
Add the addressee casually: Dia nanya soal beasiswa ke staf. / Dia nanya sama dosen soal beasiswa.
These use nanya (casual for bertanya) and soal (about) and ke/sama (to).