Saya sarapan roti tawar dengan selai kacang.

I have white bread with peanut butter for breakfast.

Breakdown of Saya sarapan roti tawar dengan selai kacang.

• saya: I
• dengan: with
• sarapan: to have breakfast
• roti tawar: the white bread
• selai kacang: the peanut butter

Questions & Answers about Saya sarapan roti tawar dengan selai kacang.

Is sarapan a verb or a noun?

Both. Historically it’s a noun (“breakfast”), but in everyday Indonesian it’s also used as a verb meaning “to have breakfast.”

• Verb: Saya sarapan. = I have breakfast.
• Noun: Untuk sarapan, saya makan roti tawar.

Why is there no past or present tense marking?

Indonesian doesn’t inflect verbs for tense. Time is shown by context or time words:

• Past: Saya sudah sarapan. / Tadi pagi saya sarapan.
• Future: Nanti saya sarapan. / Saya akan sarapan.

Can I say Saya makan sarapan?

It’s not natural. Say Saya sarapan. Two acceptable alternatives:

• Saya makan pagi. (everyday, slightly old-fashioned in some regions)
• Untuk sarapan, saya makan roti tawar.

Does roti tawar mean toast?

No. Roti tawar = plain sandwich loaf (unsweetened). Toast is roti bakar.
Example: Saya sarapan roti bakar dengan selai kacang.

What does tawar mean here? Is it the same as “to bargain”?

In roti tawar, tawar means “bland/unsweetened/plain.” The verb “to bargain” is menawar (related but different usage). Here it’s describing the bread’s taste, not bargaining.

Is dengan necessary? Can I use pakai or sama?

All are fine, with slight style differences:

• Neutral: … roti tawar dengan selai kacang.
• Informal: … roti tawar pakai selai kacang.
• Very colloquial: … roti tawar sama selai kacang.

What’s the difference between dengan and dan here?

• dengan = “with” (as accompaniment/means): roti tawar dengan selai kacang (bread with peanut butter spread on it).
• dan = “and” (listing items): roti tawar dan selai kacang suggests two separate items.

Is selai kacang always “peanut butter”? Are there other ways to say it?

Yes, selai kacang is commonly understood as peanut butter. You may also hear:

• selai kacang tanah (explicit “peanut”)
• mentega kacang (informal; also used)

How do I say “two slices of bread”?

Use counters:

• dua lembar roti (tawar) (sheets)
• dua iris roti (tawar) (slices)
• dua potong roti (tawar) (pieces) Example: Saya sarapan dua lembar roti tawar dengan selai kacang.

Can I drop Saya? What about aku or gue?

Yes, subjects are often dropped when clear: Sarapan roti tawar dengan selai kacang.
Pronoun choices:

• Saya = neutral/formal
• Aku = informal/intimate
• Gue/Gua = very informal Jakarta slang

How do I say “I’m eating breakfast right now”?

Use a progress marker:

• Saya sedang sarapan.
• Very casual: Saya lagi sarapan.

How do I say “I’ve already had breakfast” or “I had breakfast earlier”?

• Saya sudah sarapan.
• Tadi pagi saya sarapan.
• Saya barusan sarapan. (just now)

How would I order this in a café?

Polite, natural options:

• Saya mau roti tawar dengan selai kacang, ya.
• Boleh minta roti tawar pakai selai kacang?

Is sarapan pagi redundant?

A bit, since sarapan implies morning, but sarapan pagi is very common in speech. Either is fine.

How do I say “peanut-butter sandwich”?

• roti lapis selai kacang
• or simply sandwich selai kacang

How do I ask someone “What did you have for breakfast?” and answer with this sentence?

• Question: Kamu sarapan apa? (formal: Anda sarapan apa?)
• Answer: Saya sarapan roti tawar dengan selai kacang.