Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kerupuk renyah disajikan bersama kuah sop. - Crispy crackers are served together with soup broth.

In Indonesian, adjectives usually come after the noun they describe. So kerupuk renyah literally reads “crackers crispy.” You can also say kerupuk yang renyah to emphasize or specify “the crackers that are crispy,” but for simple descriptions, noun + adjective is the norm.

What does disajikan mean, and why is it passive?

Disajikan means “is/are served.” It’s the passive form built from the root saji (“serve”) with the passive prefix di- and the suffix -kan: di- + saji + -kan. Indonesian uses the passive a lot to highlight the thing affected (here, the crackers) and to omit the agent (who served them) when it’s not important.

Active: Pelayan menyajikan kerupuk renyah bersama kuah sop. (The waiter serves…)
Passive (agent omitted): Kerupuk renyah disajikan bersama kuah sop.
Passive (agent included): Kerupuk renyah disajikan oleh pelayan bersama kuah sop.

What’s the difference between bersama and dengan?

Both can translate as “with.”

bersama = “together with,” slightly more formal or emphasizing accompaniment.
dengan = the general “with,” the most common choice. In this sentence, disajikan bersama kuah sop and disajikan dengan kuah sop are both natural. You may also see bersama dengan (a common, slightly more formal pairing).

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

Indonesian doesn’t mark plural by default, so kerupuk can mean “cracker” or “crackers,” depending on context. To be explicit:

Plural: kerupuk-kerupuk, beberapa kerupuk (some crackers), banyak kerupuk (many crackers)
Singular/counting: satu kerupuk, or use a classifier that fits the shape, e.g. selembar kerupuk (a sheet-like cracker), sekeping kerupuk (a thin piece). People also say sebuah kerupuk, though shape-based classifiers often sound more natural.

Is kuah sop redundant? Why say “broth of soup”?

Not redundant. Kuah means the liquid/broth part; sop/sup is the soup dish (usually with solids). Kuah sop focuses on “the soup’s broth (liquid).” You might see:

sop/sup = the soup dish itself
kuah = broth/gravy/liquid part
kaldu = stock/broth base (culinary term) Spelling note: both sop and sup are used in Indonesia; sop is very common in menus and everyday usage.

Can I use dihidangkan instead of disajikan?

Yes. Dihidangkan and disajikan are close synonyms for “is/are served.” Hidang can sound a bit more traditional or formal; saji is very common. Either works in this sentence.

Where is the “by” phrase? How do I include the doer in the passive?

Indonesian often omits the agent in passive sentences. To include it:

Formal: Kerupuk renyah disajikan oleh pelayan.
Less formal (spoken): Kerupuk renyah disajikan pelayan. Both mean “Crispy crackers are served by the waiter.”

Could I say Kerupuknya renyah? How is that different from kerupuk renyah?

Kerupuk renyah = “crispy crackers” (adjective directly modifies the noun; attributive phrase).
Kerupuknya renyah = “The crackers are crispy” (predicate; -nya often makes it definite/specific, roughly “the”). So the first is a noun phrase; the second is a full statement about the crackers’ quality.

Do I need yang before renyah?

Not here. Yang is used for relative clauses or when you want to specify/contrast: kerupuk yang renyah (“the crackers that are crispy,” distinguishing them from non-crispy ones). Plain kerupuk renyah is the normal, neutral way to say “crispy crackers.”

How would this look in active voice?

Pelayan menyajikan kerupuk renyah bersama kuah sop. (The waiter serves…)
Restoran itu menyajikan kerupuk renyah bersama kuah sop. (The restaurant serves…) Active voice puts focus on the doer; passive focuses on the item served.

Can I switch the order and start with the soup?

Yes: Kuah sop disajikan bersama kerupuk renyah. That makes the broth the topic/focus. Indonesian word order is flexible as long as the grammar (especially passive vs. active) stays consistent.

Pronunciation tips for key words?

kerupuk: ke-ruh-POOK (the first “e” is a schwa; “u” like “oo” in “food”)
renyah: re-NYAH (ny = “ny” in “canyon”; final “h” is a light breath)
kuah: KOO-ah (two syllables)
sop: “sop” (like English “sop,” not “soap”)
disajikan: dee-sah-JEE-kahn (Indonesian “j” as in “jam”; final “-kan” is “kahn”)

What does the suffix -kan do in disajikan?

With many verbs, -kan marks causative/benefactive or aligns with a transitive pattern “do X to/for something/someone.” For saji, the standard transitive form is menyajikan (“to serve [something]”), and the passive is disajikan (“[something] is served”). You’ll rarely see disaji in modern standard Indonesian; disajikan is the norm.

How do I say “served with” vs. “served in” vs. “served on top of”?

With: disajikan dengan/bersama [X]
In: disajikan dalam [X]
On top of: disajikan di atas [X] Example: Bakso disajikan dalam kuah. (Meatballs are served in broth.)
Here, disajikan bersama kuah sop means the crackers come alongside the soup’s broth.

Is kerupuk the same as keripik?

No.

kerupuk: puffy, airy crackers (often starch-based), e.g., kerupuk udang (prawn crackers).
keripik: thin, crispy chips, e.g., keripik singkong (cassava chips).
You might also hear emping (melinjo nut crisps) or rempeyek (peanut-laced cracker).