Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Beasiswa kampus membantu mahasiswa yang rajin. - Campus scholarships help diligent students.

beasiswa = scholarship
kampus = campus/university (the institution)
Noun + noun compounds are common: the second noun modifies the first. So beasiswa kampus means scholarships run by/from the university (campus scholarships).

Is beasiswa kampus singular or plural? How do I show singular, plural, or definiteness?

Indonesian has no articles; beasiswa kampus can be singular or plural by context.
Singular: satu beasiswa kampus, or make it definite with beasiswa kampus itu.
Plural: beberapa/berbagai beasiswa kampus, or beasiswa-beasiswa kampus (emphatic).
Definiteness: add itu or tersebut after the noun phrase.

What does yang do in mahasiswa yang rajin?

yang marks a relative clause: mahasiswa yang rajin = students who are diligent (a specific subset).
It turns the predicate rajin into a clause modifying mahasiswa.

Can I drop yang and say mahasiswa rajin?

Yes, but nuance changes:
- mahasiswa rajin = diligent students (descriptive, general).
- mahasiswa yang rajin = the students who are diligent (restrictive subset, often contextually specific).
In many contexts both are acceptable; yang is more explicitly restrictive.

What is the tense of membantu here?

Indonesian verbs are tenseless. membantu can mean helps/helped/help(s) depending on context.
You can add time/aspect markers:
- Ongoing: sedang membantu
- Completed: sudah/telah membantu
- Future: akan membantu
- Habitual: sering/selalu membantu

What’s the difference between membantu and menolong?

membantu = to help/assist (general, everyday).
menolong = to help/save (often urgent or rescue-flavored).
In this sentence, membantu is the natural choice for institutional assistance.

Where does the mem- in membantu come from?

Root: bantu (help).
Prefix meN- forms an active transitive verb; before a word starting with b, it becomes mem- → mem+bantu = membantu.
In casual speech, the root alone often appears: bantu.

Is the word order fixed? Where must yang go?

Basic order is S–V–O: Beasiswa kampus (S) membantu (V) mahasiswa yang rajin (O).
yang must immediately follow the noun it modifies: mahasiswa yang rajin, not ✗ yang rajin mahasiswa.

How would I say this in the passive voice?

Mahasiswa yang rajin dibantu (oleh) beasiswa kampus.
di- marks passive. oleh (by) is optional, especially when the agent is clear.
Passive shifts focus to the students rather than the scholarship.

Is there a casual version of the sentence?

Yes: Beasiswa kampus bantu mahasiswa yang rajin.
Colloquial Indonesian often drops the meN- prefix and uses the bare root (bantu).

How can I make it clear the students are plural?

Add para (for human plurals): para mahasiswa yang rajin.
Reduplication is possible but heavier: mahasiswa-mahasiswa.
You can also pluralize the adjective for emphasis: mahasiswa yang rajin-rajin (those who are all diligent).

Should I use a preposition after membantu? Is membantu kepada/untuk correct?

With the verb, no preposition: membantu mahasiswa is correct.
With the noun bantuan (help), use a preposition: bantuan untuk/kepada mahasiswa.

Is kampus the right word for the institution? What about universitas?

kampus is common in everyday speech and can mean the institution or the physical campus.
universitas is more formal/precise for the institution.
You might also see pihak kampus (the university administration/side).

How do I intensify or vary rajin?

Intensifiers: sangat rajin, rajin sekali, amat rajin (very diligent).
Softer: cukup rajin (quite), lumayan rajin.
Negative: tidak rajin, kurang rajin.
Near-synonyms: tekun, giat (persistent/energetic).
Opposite: malas (lazy).

How do I say that only diligent students get help?

Add a focus limiter: Beasiswa kampus hanya/cuma membantu mahasiswa yang rajin.

Can yang rajin stand alone to mean the diligent ones?

Yes. Yang rajin dibantu (beasiswa kampus). = The diligent ones are helped (by the campus scholarship).
This is a headless relative clause; context supplies the head noun.