Pembeli menunggu dengan sabar di depan toko.

The buyer waits patiently in front of the shop.

Breakdown of Pembeli menunggu dengan sabar di depan toko.

• dengan: with
• menunggu: to wait
• di depan: in front of
• sabar: patient
• toko: the shop
• pembeli: the buyer

Questions & Answers about Pembeli menunggu dengan sabar di depan toko.

Is pembeli singular or plural here?

Indonesian doesn’t mark plural by default, so pembeli can mean “buyer” or “buyers,” depending on context. To be explicit:

• One buyer: seorang pembeli
• Several buyers: para pembeli, banyak pembeli, or pembeli-pembeli (reduplication is formal/literary and less common in everyday speech)

How do I say “the buyer” or “the buyers” specifically?

Make definiteness with demonstratives or -nya:

• The buyer: pembeli itu, or colloquially pembelinya (the previously mentioned/known buyer)
• The buyers: para pembeli itu or para pembelinya Note: -nya can mark definiteness or possession, so rely on context.

What’s the difference between pembeli and pelanggan?

• pembeli = buyer (someone who buys, possibly one-off)
• pelanggan = customer/client (someone who repeatedly uses a service or buys from a place) Example: Dia pembeli baru, but dia pelanggan setia.

Can menunggu take an object, or only a place?

It can do both.

• With an object: Kami menunggu bus. (We’re waiting for the bus.)
• With a place: Kami menunggu di depan toko. Avoid “menunggu untuk + noun.” Use a direct object instead. “Menunggu untuk + verb” can work: menunggu untuk berbicara (wait to speak), though often you’ll just say menunggu giliran berbicara.

Where can I place the adverb dengan sabar?

It’s flexible:

• Pembeli menunggu dengan sabar di depan toko.
• Pembeli dengan sabar menunggu di depan toko.
• Pembeli menunggu di depan toko dengan sabar. All are natural; placement changes emphasis slightly, not meaning.

Is secara sabar acceptable instead of dengan sabar?

Use dengan sabar. secara sabar sounds odd. Other natural options:

• Pembeli sabar menunggu di depan toko.
• Formal: Pembeli menunggu dengan penuh kesabaran.

Can I use sabar as a verb?

Use bersabar as the verb “to be patient”:

• Pembeli bersabar di depan toko.
• Pembeli bersabar menunggu giliran. You can also say Dia sabar menunggu, where sabar is an adjective describing the subject.

Do I need sedang (or lagi) to show an ongoing action?

No. Indonesian often omits progressive markers if the context is clear. You can add them for clarity:

• Neutral/formal: Pembeli sedang menunggu…
• Colloquial: Pembeli lagi nunggu…

What’s the nuance between di depan, di luar, and di hadapan?

• di depan = in front of (spatially ahead of something); here it implies outside facing the store front.
• di luar = outside (not inside the premises), without the “front-of” nuance.
• di hadapan = in front of/facing (more formal, often about facing someone), e.g., di hadapan juri.

Why is it di and not ke in di depan toko?

di marks location (static): menunggu di depan toko = waiting at/in front of the store. ke marks movement toward: pergi ke depan toko = go to the front of the store. You don’t use ke with a static verb like menunggu.

Can I front the place phrase?

Yes. Indonesian allows topicalization:

• Di depan toko, (para) pembeli menunggu dengan sabar. This is natural and adds emphasis to the location.

How would this sound in casual speech?

Colloquial possibilities:

• Pembeli lagi nunggu dengan sabar di depan toko.
• Pembeli lagi nunggu di depan toko. (often the adverb is dropped)
• Pembeli nunggu di depan toko. (nunggu = casual for menunggu)

Are there other useful forms from the root tunggu?

Yes:

• menunggui = to sit with/watch over someone/something: Dia menunggui adiknya di rumah sakit.
• menunggu-nunggu = to keep waiting for / to long for: Kami menunggu-nunggu kabar itu.
• ditunggu-tunggu = much-anticipated: Diskon akhir tahun yang ditunggu-tunggu. (Also penunggu = a “watcher/guardian/inhabitant” of a place, often mythical; unrelated to “waiting.”)

Could I say menantikan instead of menunggu?

Only if you add an object. menantikan means “to await/look forward to (something)”:

• Correct: Pembeli menantikan diskon besar.
• Not correct: Pembeli menantikan di depan toko. (You can’t pair it with only a place phrase.)

Does para always mark plural people? Any limits?

para marks plural human nouns: para pembeli, para siswa. Don’t combine it with numerals or quantifiers:

• Not: para tiga pembeli, para banyak pembeli Use either tiga pembeli or banyak pembeli, not with para.

What’s the nuance among toko, warung, kedai, and gerai?

• toko = store/shop (general, often brick-and-mortar retail)
• warung = small, simple stall/eatery/shop (informal, often family-run)
• kedai = shop/cafe; common in Malay and also used in Indonesian (slightly literary/regional)
• gerai = booth/outlet/kiosk (in malls/fairs)

What changes if I say di depan tokonya or pembelinya?

-nya marks “the/that” (known/previously mentioned) or possession:

• di depan tokonya = in front of the (aforementioned/his/her/their) store.
• pembelinya menunggu = the buyer(s) (we already know about) are waiting. Context decides whether it’s definite or possessive.