Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kasir menawarkan jaminan perbaikan tanpa biaya. - The cashier offers a repair guarantee at no cost.

Past: add tadi, barusan, sudah/telah. Example: Kasir sudah menawarkan jaminan perbaikan tanpa biaya.
Present: simple statement or add sedang/lagi (in progress): Kasir sedang menawarkan...
Future: add akan or a future time: Kasir akan menawarkan... besok.

Why is there no article like a or the?

Indonesian has no mandatory articles. Definiteness is inferred from context or added with:

seorang/sebuah/seekor (a/one, human/object/animal), e.g., seorang kasir.
-nya to imply “the/its,” e.g., jaminan perbaikannya = the repair guarantee.
para for plural humans, e.g., para kasir (the cashiers). Omitting an article here is completely normal.

What’s the difference between menawarkan and menawari?

Both come from tawar but differ in focus:

menawarkan [thing] kepada [recipient] = offer something to someone (focus on the thing).
- Example: Kasir menawarkan jaminan perbaikan kepada saya.
menawari [recipient] [thing] = offer someone something (focus on the recipient).
- Example: Kasir menawari saya jaminan perbaikan. Both are correct; choose based on what you want to emphasize.

How do I say this in the passive voice?

Two common passives:

Recipient-focused: Saya ditawari jaminan perbaikan (oleh kasir). = I was offered a repair guarantee.
Thing-focused: Jaminan perbaikan ditawarkan (oleh kasir). = A repair guarantee was offered. Using oleh (by) is optional if the agent is clear or unimportant.

Does tanpa biaya mean the same as gratis or cuma-cuma?

They’re close:

tanpa biaya = without cost (neutral/formal).
gratis = free (very common; neutral).
cuma-cuma = free of charge (slightly more formal/literary). Common collocation: tanpa biaya tambahan = at no additional cost.

Is jaminan the same as garansi?

garansi is the usual term for a product warranty. Collocations: garansi resmi, garansi servis, garansi 1 tahun.
jaminan is a broader “guarantee/assurance” and can also mean collateral (e.g., jaminan for a loan). Your phrase jaminan perbaikan is understandable, but in retail you’ll more often hear garansi servis or garansi perbaikan.

Why is it jaminan perbaikan and not perbaikan jaminan?

Indonesian noun–noun compounds are head-first:

jaminan perbaikan = a guarantee (head) of repair (modifier).
perbaikan jaminan would mean an improvement/repair of the guarantee itself, which is a different idea.

Does perbaikan always mean repair? Can it mean improvement?

Both. perbaikan can be physical repair or abstract improvement:

Physical: perbaikan mobil, perbaikan jalan.
Abstract: perbaikan kualitas, perbaikan nilai. Here it clearly means repair service.

What are the word-formation patterns for menawarkan, jaminan, and perbaikan?

tawar (root) → menawar (to bargain) / menawarkan (to offer; meN- + -kan) → tawaran (an offer).
jamin (root) → menjamin (to guarantee) → jaminan (a guarantee/collateral).
baik (good) → memperbaiki (to repair/improve) → perbaikan (repair/improvement; per- -an noun). The suffix -kan often focuses on the thing; -i often focuses on the recipient/location.

Is there a risk of confusing menawarkan with menawar?

Yes.

menawar = to haggle/bargain (about price).
menawarkan = to offer (present something as an option). They’re related but used in different contexts.

Where do I put the recipient in this sentence?

Two natural options:

After the thing with kepada: Kasir menawarkan jaminan perbaikan tanpa biaya kepada saya/pelanggan.
Directly after the verb with menawari: Kasir menawari saya/pelanggan jaminan perbaikan tanpa biaya.

Is tanpa biaya modifying the offering or the guarantee?

By default it modifies the guarantee: a repair guarantee that costs nothing to obtain. If you wanted to say the act of offering is free (odd here), you’d rephrase. In practice, retailers usually mean the guarantee itself is free to the customer.

How can I emphasize “at no cost whatsoever”?

Useful intensifiers:

tanpa biaya tambahan = no additional charge.
tanpa biaya sama sekali = absolutely no cost.
tanpa biaya sepeser pun = not a single penny of cost.

Is kasir the best word for “cashier” here?

Yes, kasir is standard for the person at the checkout. Alternatives/context:

petugas kasir / staf kasir = cashier staff (more formal).
pramuniaga = shop attendant/sales clerk (broader than cashier).

How would this sound in formal vs casual Indonesian?

Formal/neutral: Petugas kasir menawarkan garansi servis tanpa biaya.
Casual/colloquial (Jakarta-style): Mbak kasir nawarin garansi servis gratis. Notes: nawarin is the colloquial reduction of menawari; mbak/mas address female/male staff politely.

Can I use menyediakan instead of menawarkan?

menawarkan = to offer (present an option).
menyediakan = to provide/make available. If the store actively gives a warranty with every purchase, use menyediakan: Toko menyediakan garansi servis gratis. If it’s optional at checkout, menawarkan fits better.

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

Kasir: ka-seer; flap the r slightly.
menawarkan: mə-na-war-kan (the first e is a schwa).
jaminan: ja-mee-nan (j as in English “jam”).
perbaikan: pər-bai-kan (the ai is like “eye”; e is a schwa). Stress is usually on the second-to-last syllable.