Tips sederhana berguna saat belajar.

to be

Breakdown of Tips sederhana berguna saat belajar.

• belajar: to study
• sederhana: simple
• berguna: useful

Questions & Answers about Tips sederhana berguna saat belajar.

Why is the adjective after the noun in tips sederhana?

In Indonesian, adjectives normally follow the noun they modify. So you say tips sederhana (simple tips), not sederhana tips.

Do I need yang (as in tips yang sederhana)?

No. Yang isn’t needed for a simple noun + adjective phrase. Use yang when you want to restrict or emphasize:

• Tips sederhana berguna (simple tips are useful, generally).
• Tips yang sederhana itu saja yang berguna (only the ones that are simple are useful).

Is berguna an adjective or a verb? Do I need a “to be” verb?

Berguna is an adjective meaning useful. Indonesian doesn’t use a separate “to be” before adjectives. Tips sederhana berguna literally reads as “simple tips useful,” i.e., “Simple tips are useful.”

Why not use adalah here?

Adalah is typically used when the predicate is a noun phrase, not an adjective. You wouldn’t say adalah berguna. If you make the predicate a noun phrase, adalah fits: Tips sederhana adalah hal yang berguna (Simple tips are a useful thing).

Is tips singular or plural here? How do I show number?