Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kami makan nasi dengan kuah hangat.

Kami = “we” (exclusive), which does NOT include the person you’re talking to. If you want to include the listener, use kita. So the sentence excludes the listener unless you swap kami for kita.

How is tense shown here? Is this past, present, or future?

Indonesian verbs don’t change form for tense. Makan can be past, present, or future; context or time words clarify:

Past: tadi, kemarin, barusan
Progressive/ongoing: sedang, lagi
Future: akan, nanti, besok

Without such markers, it’s a neutral statement.

Do I need an article like “the” or “a” with nasi?

No. Indonesian has no articles. Nasi can mean “rice,” “the rice,” or “some rice,” depending on context. Use ini/itu or -nya for specificity: nasi itu, nasinya.

What’s the difference between nasi and beras?

Beras = raw, uncooked rice grains.
Nasi = cooked rice (ready to eat). In meals, you almost always say nasi.

Why is it kuah hangat and not hangat kuah?

Adjectives generally follow nouns in Indonesian. So it’s:

Noun + Adjective: kuah hangat (warm broth) Putting the adjective first is ungrammatical in standard Indonesian.

Does dengan mean “with” in the sense of accompaniment or instrument? Could I use dan instead?

Dengan expresses “with” (accompaniment or means): nasi dengan kuah hangat = rice served with warm broth.
Dan means “and” (listing separate items): nasi dan kuah hangat = rice and warm broth (as two items). Different nuance.

Could I say pakai instead of dengan?

Yes, in everyday speech:

dengan = neutral/formal “with”
pakai = “with/using,” casual
Very casual: pake (spoken, informal spelling) Example: Kami makan nasi pakai kuah hangat.

What does kuah refer to exactly? How is it different from saus or sup/sop?

Kuah = broth/gravy-like liquid that accompanies a dish (often from stews, curries, or braises).
Saus = sauce/condiment (usually thicker, flavored sauce).
Sup/Sop = soup (a dish in itself). Here, kuah suggests the liquid component served over/with the rice.

How hot is hangat? What’s the difference from panas?

Hangat = warm (comfortable, not too hot).
Panas = hot (can be too hot to touch/drink). For “lukewarm,” you might hear suam-suam kuku. Colloquially, anget (Javanese-influenced) is often used for “warm.”

Can I drop the subject kami?

Yes. Indonesian allows subject omission when context makes it clear. Makan nasi dengan kuah hangat is fine in context. Including kami simply makes it explicit.

In this sentence, does dengan kuah hangat modify the verb makan or the noun nasi?

By default, it attaches to the closest noun phrase: it’s interpreted as “rice with warm broth.” If you wanted “eat with [an instrument],” you’d typically specify an instrument: makan dengan sendok/garpu. With kuah, it naturally reads as part of the dish.

When should I use yang as in kuah yang hangat?

Yang can:

Emphasize/clarify the adjective: kuah yang hangat (the broth that is warm).
Introduce a descriptive clause. Without yang, kuah hangat is already correct; adding yang often adds focus or contrast.

How do I specify portions, like “a plate of rice” or “a bowl of warm broth”?

Use classifiers:

sepiring nasi = a plate of rice
semangkuk kuah hangat = a bowl of warm broth Other common ones: segelas (a glass), secangkir (a cup), sebungkus (a packet).

Is there an alternative using ber-, like berkuah?

Yes:

nasi berkuah (hangat) = rice that comes with (warm) broth/gravy. This frames it as “saucy/brothy rice,” a bit more descriptive of the dish’s state.

What about makan vs memakan?

Makan is the normal everyday verb “to eat.”
Memakan is more formal/literary, can sound heavy, and also means “to consume/take up” (time/money) or “to claim (victims)” in news: Banjir itu memakan korban. For food, stick with makan in speech.

Any pronunciation tips for kuah hangat?

kuah: two syllables, “ku-ah”; the final h is lightly audible.
hangat: ng = [ŋ] as in “sing”; final t is usually unreleased. Syllables “ha-ngat.”

Can I make this passive?

Yes, with di-:

Nasi (itu) dimakan (oleh kami) dengan kuah hangat. Passive is common in writing or to background the agent. In conversation, the active form you have is more typical.