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Questions & Answers about Rumah tangga kami sederhana.
What exactly does the phrase rumah tangga mean?
Rumah tangga is a set phrase meaning a household, domestic life, or married life (the running of a home). It does not literally mean “house + ladder/stairs” even though tangga on its own means ladder/stairs; in this compound, it’s idiomatic. It’s widely used in everyday Indonesian.
How is rumah tangga different from keluarga?
- Keluarga = the family unit (the people).
- Rumah tangga = the household or domestic/married life (how the home is run, the lifestyle). So keluarga kami sederhana = our family is modest/ordinary; rumah tangga kami sederhana = our domestic life/household is simple.
Why is there no word for “is”? Why not use adalah?
Indonesian doesn’t need a copula with adjectives. Adjectives can be predicates by themselves, so Rumah tangga kami sederhana is complete. Adalah is typically used to equate two nouns (e.g., X adalah Y), not before adjectives.
Is Rumah tangga kami adalah sederhana acceptable?
It’s unnatural. Say Rumah tangga kami sederhana. If you want emphasis, you can add intensifiers: Rumah tangga kami sangat sederhana, or topicalize with itu: Rumah tangga kami itu sederhana.
Why does kami come after the noun?
Possessive pronouns usually follow the noun: rumah tangga kami = our household. Another option for first-person singular is the suffix -ku (e.g., rumah tanggaku = my household). There’s no suffix for kami, so you must use the separate pronoun.
What’s the difference between kami and kita here?
- Kami = we/us (excluding the listener).
- Kita = we/us (including the listener). Talking to a third party about your marriage: rumah tangga kami sederhana. Talking to your spouse: rumah tangga kita sederhana.
Does this sentence describe the physical house?
No. Rumah tangga refers to domestic life or the household as a social unit, not the building. To describe the building, say Rumah kami sederhana = our house is simple.
If I want a noun phrase like “our simple household” (not a full sentence), how do I say it?
The most natural way with a possessor is to use yang: rumah tangga kami yang sederhana. Without a possessor, simple attributive order is fine: rumah tangga sederhana. The form rumah tangga sederhana kami is possible but less common.
Is sederhana positive or negative?
Usually positive or neutral: modest, not flashy, down-to-earth. It does not necessarily mean poor. Antonyms would be mewah (luxurious) or berlebihan (excessive). A near-synonym is bersahaja (modest, often formal).
How can I intensify or soften sederhana?
- Intensify: sangat/amat/terlalu sederhana, sederhana sekali, colloquially sederhana banget.
- Soften: cukup sederhana (quite), agak sederhana (rather), lumayan sederhana (fairly).
- Add “just”: sederhana saja (just simple).
How do I negate it?
Use tidak with adjectives: Rumah tangga kami tidak sederhana. Depending on meaning, you might choose a clearer opposite: Rumah tangga kami mewah (luxurious) or Rumah tangga kami rumit/kompleks (complicated).
Is there any plural meaning here? Could it mean “our households”?
By default, Indonesian doesn’t mark plural, and rumah tangga kami will be read as singular unless context says otherwise. To show plural explicitly, use reduplication or a quantifier: rumah tangga-rumah tangga, beberapa rumah tangga. For example: beberapa rumah tangga kami (in a group context).
Can I add ini or itu to the subject? What changes?
Yes, after the noun phrase:
- Rumah tangga kami itu sederhana: topicalizes/emphasizes “that household of ours.”
- Rumah tangga kami ini sederhana: “this household of ours (the one relevant here) is simple.” Both make the subject feel definite and highlighted.
Any pronunciation tips for these words?
- rumah: final h is sounded; u like “oo” in “food”; roll the r slightly.
- tangga: pronounce ngg as [ŋg], so roughly “tang-ga.”
- kami: a as in “father,” i as in “machine.”
- sederhana: the first two e are schwa-like (about “suh-der-HAH-nah”); the h is pronounced. Indonesian stress is light; aim for even syllables.
Is rumah tangga formal or casual? Any alternatives to express the same idea?
Rumah tangga is neutral and used in both casual and formal contexts. Alternatives:
- Kami hidup sederhana = We live simply.
- Gaya hidup kami sederhana = Our lifestyle is simple.
- Kehidupan rumah tangga kami sederhana = Our household life is simple.