Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya turun di halte dekat perpustakaan. - I get off at the bus stop near the library.

Saya turun di halte… = I get off at the stop…
Saya turun dari bus. = I get off from the bus.
Keluar means “to go out/exit,” better for leaving a room/building.
Menurunkan (transitive) means “to lower” or “to drop someone/something off” (what a driver does).
Menuruni means “to go down/descend along” something (e.g., stairs, a hill).

Why is it di and not ke?

Use di for the location where the action happens (at/in/on). turun implies you’re already arriving/alighting at that place, so di is correct. Use ke (“to”) when talking about moving toward a destination:

Saya akan turun di halte… (I will get off at the stop…)
Saya pergi ke halte… (I’m going to the stop…)

Is di halte dekat perpustakaan better than di halte di dekat perpustakaan?

Both are acceptable. The version without the second di (halte dekat perpustakaan) is concise and natural. halte di dekat perpustakaan is also common and slightly more explicit. You’ll hear both.

Do I need yang: halte yang dekat perpustakaan?

No. halte dekat perpustakaan is already a natural noun + postmodifier. Adding yang (halte yang dekat perpustakaan) is also correct and can sound a bit more explicit or careful, but it’s not required.

Does dekat need dengan? What’s the difference between dekat perpustakaan, dekat dengan perpustakaan, and di dekat perpustakaan?

dekat perpustakaan: common, especially when modifying a noun (e.g., halte dekat perpustakaan).
dekat dengan perpustakaan: also correct; many consider it slightly more formal/careful.
di dekat perpustakaan: used as a standalone locative phrase meaning “near the library” (e.g., Saya tinggal di dekat perpustakaan).

Is halte enough, or should I say halte bus?

halte alone usually implies a bus/BRT stop in Indonesian. People add bus (halte bus) for clarity if needed. Formal alternatives are pemberhentian bus or tempat pemberhentian bus, but they’re less common in everyday speech. For trains/metro, use stasiun, not halte.

How do I say “the stop” vs “a stop” in Indonesian?

Indonesian has no articles. halte can mean “a stop” or “the stop,” depending on context. To make it clearly definite, add itu/tersebut:

halte itu = that/the stop (already known) To emphasize indefiniteness, you can use sebuah halte, but it’s often unnecessary.

Can I drop Saya?

Yes, if context makes the subject clear: Turun di halte dekat perpustakaan. Pronoun choices:

saya: neutral/polite, widely safe
aku: informal
gue: very informal/Jakartan Keep saya in neutral/formal situations.

Should it be turun di halte or turun dari bus? Can I use both?

Use di for the place you alight at, and dari for the vehicle you alight from. You can combine them:

Saya turun dari bus di halte dekat perpustakaan.

Is the spacing of di correct? I’ve seen di- attached to words too.

There are two different di:

di (preposition for place) is written separately: di halte, di rumah.
di- (passive prefix) attaches to verbs: dibaca, diturunkan. So di halte is correct; dihalte is wrong.

How do I politely ask the driver to let me off there?

Use the transitive verb menurunkan:

Pak/Bu/Mas/Mbak, tolong turunkan saya di halte dekat perpustakaan, ya. A softer, very common alternative:
Pak, nanti saya turun di halte dekat perpustakaan, ya.

Can I say just Saya turun di dekat perpustakaan?

Yes, if you don’t need to mention the bus stop. di dekat perpustakaan = “near the library” (general area). If the presence of an actual stop matters, keep halte.

How do I show past or future time with this sentence?

Use time words; the verb form doesn’t change:

Past: Tadi/Kemarin saya turun di halte dekat perpustakaan.
Future: Nanti/ Besok saya akan turun di halte dekat perpustakaan.

Any pronunciation tips for the tricky words here?

halte: HAL-tuh (final e is the unstressed “uh” sound)
dekat: duh-KAHT (first e like “uh”)
perpustakaan: pər-poos-ta-ka-AN (many short syllables; don’t rush the ending) Indonesian r is a light tap; vowels are short and clear.

Is there a more exact word than dekat if I mean “right next to” the library?

Yes:

di sebelah perpustakaan or di samping perpustakaan = right next to/beside
di depan perpustakaan = in front of
di belakang perpustakaan = behind Use dekat when it’s just “near.”

How do I talk about number of stops, like “two more stops”?

Use numerals or lagi for “more”:

dua halte lagi = two more stops
satu halte lagi = one more stop
halte pertama/kedua = the first/second stop

Is the word order flexible? Could I say Saya turun dekat perpustakaan di halte?

Keep the noun phrase together. Saya turun di halte dekat perpustakaan is the natural order. Saya turun dekat perpustakaan is fine if you drop the stop, but … dekat perpustakaan di halte sounds awkward.