Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Jam tangan murah itu cocok dengan kemeja biru saya. - That cheap wristwatch matches my blue shirt.

In Indonesian, adjectives normally follow the noun. So “cheap watch” is jam tangan murah (noun + adjective). More modifiers just stack after the noun: kemeja biru baru = “a new blue shirt.”

What does “itu” do here, and why is it at the end?

Itu means “that/that one” and often marks something specific, a bit like English “the” when the item is known. It comes at the end of the noun phrase: jam tangan murah itu = “that cheap watch.”

How would I say “this cheap watch” instead?

Use ini at the end of the noun phrase: jam tangan murah ini.

Where is “is/are” in this sentence? Is “cocok” a verb or an adjective?

Indonesian doesn’t need a separate “to be” in such sentences. Cocok functions as a stative predicate meaning “matches/suits.” So Jam tangan murah itu cocok … = “That cheap watch matches …”

Do I need “dengan” after “cocok”? Can I drop or replace it?

Standard is cocok dengan. Colloquially, people say cocok sama. You can’t just drop the preposition in careful speech. Note: cocok untuk/buat means “suitable for (a purpose/person),” not “matching with.”

What’s the nuance between “cocok,” “pas,” “muat,” and “serasi”?

cocok: suitable/matching in style or appropriateness (colors, outfits, roles).
pas: the right size/fit (clothes, shoes), also “exact.”
muat: physically fits in/into something (bags, containers).
serasi: harmoniously matched (a bit more elegant than “cocok”).

Can I reverse the sentence and start with the shirt?

Yes. Kemeja biru saya cocok dengan jam tangan murah itu is equally natural. You just topicalize the shirt instead of the watch.

If I remove “itu,” what changes?

Without itu, it becomes indefinite/generic: Jam tangan murah cocok dengan kemeja biru saya ≈ “A cheap watch matches my blue shirt” (or a general statement).

How do I say “a cheap watch” explicitly?

Add the classifier sebuah: sebuah jam tangan murah = “a/one cheap watch.” In everyday speech, people often just say jam tangan murah and let context show it’s “a.”

Is “jam tangan” one word? Can I just say “jam”?

It’s a compound written as two words: jam tangan = “wristwatch.” jam alone means “clock/watch/hour,” so it’s ambiguous. To talk about time, Indonesians also use pukul (e.g., pukul dua = 2 o’clock).

What exactly is “kemeja”? Why not “baju”?

Kemeja is a collared, button-up shirt. Baju is a general word for “clothing/a top,” and kaos is a T‑shirt.

Can I say “my blue shirt” another way?

Yes:

kemeja biru saya (neutral default),
kemeja saya yang biru (the one among my shirts that’s blue; contrastive),
kemeja biruku (informal, using the -ku suffix for “my”).

What’s the difference among “saya,” “aku,” “gue,” and “Anda”?

saya: polite/neutral, widely safe.
aku: informal/intimate.
gue: very informal, Jakarta slang.
Anda: polite/formal “you,” often in customer-facing contexts.

How do I express plural, like “those cheap watches”?

Indonesian often leaves number unmarked and relies on context. Jam tangan murah itu can mean “that cheap watch” or “those cheap watches.” To be explicit, use quantifiers: beberapa jam tangan murah (some), banyak jam tangan murah (many), or a number: dua jam tangan murah. For “all those,” say jam tangan murah itu semua.

Can I use “yang,” as in “jam tangan yang murah itu”? What’s the difference?

Jam tangan yang murah itu literally “the watch that is cheap (that one),” adds a “which is …” feel and is often contrastive or clarifying. Jam tangan murah itu is a plain noun + adjective. Both are correct; with yang can sound a bit more specific.

Is “murah” ever negative? What about “murahan”?

Murah = inexpensive (neutral or positive). Murahan = “cheap-looking/trashy,” pejorative. Don’t call someone’s item murahan unless you mean to criticize.

Pronunciation tips for “cocok” and “kemeja”?

c is like English “ch”: cocok ≈ “cho-cho(k).”
j is like English “j”: kemeja ≈ “kuh-MEH-jah,” with the first “e” as a schwa. Indonesian vowels are short and clear; “r” is tapped/rolled.

Can I say “warna biru” instead of just “biru”?

Yes, for emphasis or formality: kemeja warna biru or kemeja berwarna biru. In everyday speech, plain kemeja biru is most natural.

Is “jam-tangan” with a hyphen correct?

No. Write it as two words: jam tangan.

Related words: what are “mencocokkan” and “kecocokan”?

mencocokkan: to match/compare/verify (actively), e.g., mencocokkan data.
kecocokan: compatibility/match (noun), e.g., kecocokan warna = color compatibility.