Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Tukang datang membetulkan genteng yang bocor di atas kamar. - A worker comes to fix the leaking roof tiles above the room.

To be specific: tukang atap / tukang genteng (roofer), tukang bangunan (construction worker), tukang listrik (electrician), tukang ledeng (plumber).
It’s not gendered.

Do I need an article? Should it be seorang tukang?

Indonesian has no articles. Tukang can mean “a handyman” or “the handyman” from context.

Use seorang to emphasize “a”: Seorang tukang datang…
Use the clitic -nya to signal a known/definite one: Tukangnya datang… (“the handyman [we know/expected] came”).

Is datang membetulkan correct without untuk?

Yes. Indonesian often drops the purpose marker before a second verb.

Neutral/formal: datang untuk membetulkan
Colloquial: datang buat membetulkan
Bare purpose (also natural): datang membetulkan

What’s the difference between membetulkan and memperbaiki? Which fits best here?

Both mean “to fix/repair.”

Memperbaiki = general “repair/improve,” more formal/neutral.
Membetulkan = “to correct/put right,” often smaller fixes; common in speech. For a roof, both are fine. Also useful:
benerin (colloquial for “fix”)
menambal (to patch)
mengganti (to replace)

Should I use genteng or atap?

Genteng = roof tiles.
Atap = the roof as a whole. Commonly you’ll hear atap bocor (“the roof leaks”). Genteng bocor implies a tile is leaking/broken.

What does yang do in genteng yang bocor?

Yang introduces a relative clause: genteng yang bocor = “the tile(s) that is/are leaking.”

You can sometimes drop it to get genteng bocor, but yang is standard and clearer for “the one(s) that …”.

Is bocor a verb or an adjective here? Do I need sedang?

Bocor is a stative predicate (“leaking/leaky”). In yang bocor, read it as “that is leaking.”

Add sedang for an ongoing feel: yang sedang bocor, but it’s not required.

How do I mark past or future? The sentence has no tense.

Use time/aspect words:

Past/completed: tadi, kemarin, sudah, baru saja. Example: Tukang tadi datang… / Tukang sudah datang…
Future: akan, nanti, besok. Example: Tukang akan datang… / Tukang datang nanti sore…

Does di atas kamar mean “upstairs room”? I’m confused.

No. Di atas kamar = “above/on top of the room.” For “upstairs room,” say:

kamar di atas, kamar atas, or kamar di lantai atas.

Could di atas kamar be ambiguous? How can I make it clearer?

It can be if the listener isn’t sure what’s “above” what. To clarify:

Name the room: di atas kamar tidur
Restructure: Atap di atas kamar itu bocor or Atap kamar itu bocor (very natural).

Where should di atas kamar go in the sentence? Can I move it?

Keep it close to the noun it modifies (the leaky roof/tiles), not the verb datang.

Natural: …membetulkan genteng yang bocor di atas kamar.
Avoid: Tukang datang di atas kamar… (sounds like the handyman came on top of the room!)

Is genteng singular or plural here?

Indonesian doesn’t mark plural by default. Genteng can mean “tile” or “tiles.”

To show plural: genteng-genteng, beberapa genteng, banyak genteng.

Any more natural alternatives for casual vs. formal styles?

Casual: Tukangnya datang buat benerin atap yang bocor di atas kamar tidur.
Formal/explicit: Seorang tukang atap datang untuk memperbaiki atap yang bocor di atas kamar tidur.

Can kamar by itself mean “bedroom”?

Often yes in home contexts. To be explicit, use kamar tidur. Other rooms:

kamar mandi (bathroom), kamar tamu (guest room).

Is it okay to say atas kamar without di?

No. Use the preposition: di atas (“on/above”). Atas alone is a noun (“top/superior”) and doesn’t replace the preposition.

Should I say terbocor instead of bocor?

No. Bocor is the normal form. Terbocor is not used. For a noun, use kebocoran (“a leak”): Ada kebocoran di atap.

Would mengganti genteng be better than membetulkan genteng?

Use mengganti genteng if you’re replacing tiles. If you’re patching/reseating tiles, membetulkan or menambal fits.

Is tukang respectful, or should I use something else?

Tukang is neutral and common. More formal/technical options include teknisi or pekerja bangunan (general). When addressing a person directly, add polite titles like Pak, Bu, or Mas.