Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Dia tarik tunai di ATM dekat kantor tadi pagi. - He/She withdrew cash at the ATM near the office this morning.

It’s the banking set phrase for a cash withdrawal. Literally “pull cash,” but idiomatically “withdraw cash.” In casual speech it works as a verb phrase: Dia tarik tunai = “He/She withdrew cash.” The formal noun is penarikan tunai (“a cash withdrawal”).

Why is there no prefix in dia tarik tunai? Shouldn’t it be menarik?

In everyday Indonesian, bare verb roots are common, especially in fixed phrases. Dia tarik tunai is normal speech. More formal options:

Dia menarik uang (tunai) di ATM…
Dia melakukan tarik tunai di ATM… (very formal/official)

Is menarik tunai correct?

Not really. If you use the meN- verb, you typically say menarik uang (tunai). The set phrase is tarik tunai (without the prefix). The noun is penarikan tunai.

Does menarik also mean “interesting”? Is that confusing?

Yes, menarik can mean “to pull/draw” or “interesting.” In context, menarik uang clearly means “to withdraw money,” while menarik as “interesting” appears as an adjective, e.g., Film itu menarik (“That movie is interesting”).

Does di ATM mean “at the ATM” or “from the ATM”? Could I use dari?

di ATM = “at the ATM” (location), the most common wording.
dari ATM = “from the ATM” (source), also fine: Dia tarik uang dari ATM…
Both are acceptable; di ATM is what you’ll hear most.

Is di mesin ATM okay, or is it redundant like “ATM machine”?

It’s redundant, but very common and natural: di mesin ATM. You can also just say di ATM.

How do Indonesians pronounce ATM?

By spelling out the letters in Indonesian: roughly “ah-teh-em” (A–Te–Em).

What exactly does dekat kantor mean? Do I need di or dengan?

It means “near the office.” Variants:

Informal: dekat kantor
More formal: di dekat kantor or dekat dengan kantor
All are acceptable; dekat kantor is the most concise.

Whose office is kantor? There’s no article or possessive—how do we know?

Indonesian has no articles. Context tells you which office. To be explicit:

dekat kantor saya (near my office)
dekat kantornya (near his/her/their office)
dekat kantor kami (near our office)

Can I move the time phrase? Is Tadi pagi dia tarik tunai… also correct?

Yes. Time/place phrases are flexible:

Dia tarik tunai di ATM dekat kantor tadi pagi.
Tadi pagi dia tarik tunai di ATM dekat kantor.
Dia tadi pagi tarik tunai di ATM dekat kantor.
All are fine; fronting time adds emphasis.

What’s the difference between tadi pagi, pagi tadi, and pagi ini?

tadi pagi and pagi tadi: both mean “earlier this morning” (today); tadi pagi is more common.
pagi ini: “this morning” (the morning period of today, often still ongoing when said).

How late in the day can I still say tadi pagi?

Anytime later the same day. Even at night, tadi pagi still refers to “this morning (earlier today).” For yesterday morning, use kemarin pagi.

What’s the formality level of the original sentence?

Casual-neutral. More formal: Dia melakukan penarikan tunai di ATM dekat kantor tadi pagi or Dia menarik uang tunai…. Very informal: Dia narik duit di ATM… (with slang narik/duit).

Are there common synonyms for tarik tunai?

Yes:

Neutral: ambil uang (di/dari ATM)
Informal: narik duit di ATM, ngambil duit di ATM
Formal noun: penarikan tunai

How do I negate it?

Use tidak (or informal nggak/gak) with the verb:

Dia tidak tarik tunai di ATM…
Informal: Dia nggak narik duit di ATM…
Don’t use bukan to negate verbs.

How do I ask “Did he/she withdraw cash…?” in Indonesian?

Several options:

Apakah dia tarik tunai di ATM dekat kantor tadi pagi? (neutral/formal)
Dia tarik tunai di ATM dekat kantor tadi pagi, ya? (confirmation)
Dia tarik tunai… nggak? / Dia tarik tunai… atau tidak? (informal/neutral)

Can I use the passive voice?

Yes, for different focus:

Uangnya diambil dari ATM dekat kantor tadi pagi.
Formal/report style: Penarikan tunai dilakukan di ATM dekat kantor tadi pagi.

When would I use ke ATM instead?

ke ATM expresses movement “to the ATM” (not necessarily withdrawing): Dia ke ATM dekat kantor tadi pagi = “He/She went to the ATM near the office this morning.”

Do I need yang to link ATM and dekat kantor?

Optional. di ATM dekat kantor is fine. di ATM yang dekat kantor adds a clearer “that is near the office,” useful if you’re distinguishing it from other ATMs.

Can I drop tunai and just say Dia tarik di ATM?

That sounds odd. Better alternatives:

Dia tarik uang di/dari ATM…
Or keep the set phrase tarik tunai.