Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kami bekerja bahu-membahu membersihkan ruang kelas setelah acara. - We work shoulder to shoulder to clean the classroom after the event.

Literally it’s “shoulder-to-shoulder.” Idiomatically it means working together closely and helping one another, with a strong sense of solidarity and joint effort. It’s more vivid than simply “together.”

Why is there a hyphen in bahu-membahu? Can I write bahu membahu?

The hyphen signals a set idiomatic reduplication; it binds the two parts into one expression. Writing it without the hyphen is nonstandard. Keep it as bahu-membahu.

Do I need both bekerja and bahu-membahu? Could I just say Kami bahu-membahu membersihkan …?

You can drop bekerja. Kami bahu-membahu membersihkan ruang kelas … is natural and common. Including bekerja is also idiomatic and slightly emphasizes the “working” aspect.

Can I replace bahu-membahu with something simpler like bersama-sama, bekerja sama, or bergotong royong?

Yes, with small nuance differences:

bersama-sama: together (neutral).
bekerja sama: cooperate (focus on coordination).
bergotong royong: community spirit of mutual help (cultural nuance). All can collocate with membersihkan.

Why is it bekerja and not berkerja?

The standard dictionary form is bekerja. It historically comes from the prefix ber- + kerja, but the fixed surface form is bekerja (just like belajar, not “berajar”). Berkerja is considered nonstandard.

What do the prefix meN- and the suffix -kan do in membersihkan?

They turn the adjective bersih “clean” into a transitive verb meaning “to make something clean; to clean something.” Morphology: meN- + bersih + -kan → membersihkan. The suffix -kan often adds the sense “cause/make [object] become [adjective].”

Why not mengbersihkan?

Indonesian meN- assimilates to the first sound of the base. Before b, it becomes mem-, so you get mem-bersih-kan → membersihkan. Compare: membaca (from baca), membeli (from beli).

Is it okay to have two verbs in a row like bekerja … membersihkan without untuk?

Yes. Indonesian allows verb sequences; the second verb often expresses purpose. You may add untuk for clarity—bekerja … untuk membersihkan—but it isn’t required.

What’s the difference between kami and kita?

Both mean “we,” but:

kami excludes the listener (“we, not including you”).
kita includes the listener (“you and I/we all”).
So in this sentence, the speaker is not including the person addressed.

Does this sentence show past, present, or future tense?

Indonesian verbs don’t inflect for tense. Time is inferred from context or time words. You can add markers like tadi/kemarin (past) or nanti/besok (future) if needed.

Can I move setelah acara to the front?

Yes: Setelah acara, kami …. Use a comma after the fronted time phrase. Both positions are natural.

Are setelah, sesudah, seusai/usai, and habis interchangeable?

They’re close in meaning (“after”), with register differences:

setelah/sesudah: neutral, standard.
usai/seusai: a bit more formal/literary.
habis/sehabis: more colloquial.
All work here, depending on tone.

Why ruang kelas and not just kelas?

Kelas can mean “class” (group/course) or “classroom,” so it can be ambiguous. Ruang kelas explicitly means “classroom (room).” Ruangan kelas is also heard; ruang kelas is a bit more concise/standard.

How do I say we cleaned multiple classrooms?

Use a plural marker or quantifier:

ruang-ruang kelas
beberapa ruang kelas (several)
semua ruang kelas (all)

Where should bahu-membahu go in the sentence?

Most natural is before the verb of the main action: Kami bahu-membahu membersihkan … or with bekerja: Kami bekerja bahu-membahu membersihkan …. Placing it after the object (… ruang kelas bahu-membahu) is possible but less common-sounding.

How would a passive version look?

Two common options:

Ruang kelas kami bersihkan setelah acara. (so-called “short passive,” very natural)
Ruang kelas dibersihkan (oleh kami) setelah acara. (di- passive; “oleh kami” optional)

Do I need itu after acara to make it “the event”?

Not necessarily. Indonesian doesn’t use articles; definiteness is usually clear from context. Add itu—setelah acara itu—if you want to explicitly refer to a specific, known event.

Can I omit the subject kami?

Yes, if it’s obvious from context: Bahu-membahu membersihkan ruang kelas setelah acara. However, keeping kami is clearer and more natural in isolation.

Is saling needed with bahu-membahu?

No. Bahu-membahu already implies mutual action. Use either saling membantu or bahu-membahu, but saling bahu-membahu is redundant.

Is membersihkan transitive? What if I don’t want to name an object?

Yes, membersihkan is transitive and normally takes an object. If you don’t want to specify one, you can use intransitive, activity-like verbs such as bersih-bersih or beres-beres (e.g., Kami bahu-membahu bersih-bersih setelah acara.)

Any pronunciation tips for tricky parts?

bahu-membahu: pronounce both “h” sounds; each vowel is clear and short.
ruang: final -ng is the velar nasal [ŋ], not “ngg.”
membersihkan: break it as mem-ber-sih-kan; the rs spans syllables smoothly.