Kucing saya tidur di dalam lemari.

My cat sleeps inside the cupboard.

Breakdown of Kucing saya tidur di dalam lemari.

• kucing: the cat
• tidur: to sleep
• lemari: the cupboard
• saya: my
• di dalam: inside

Questions & Answers about Kucing saya tidur di dalam lemari.

Why is there no word for “is” in this sentence?

• Indonesian doesn’t use a separate verb for to be before verbs. The verb itself (tidur) serves as the predicate.
• You only use something like adalah in special cases (mainly linking two nouns), not before action verbs.
• So Kucing saya tidur naturally covers both English ideas of “my cat sleeps” and “my cat is sleeping,” depending on context.

How do I make it clear that the cat is sleeping right now?

• Add a progressive marker before the verb:
  • Kucing saya sedang tidur di dalam lemari. (neutral/formal)
  • Kucing saya lagi tidur di dalam lemari. (colloquial)
• You can also add time words like sekarang to make it explicit.

Why is the possessive after the noun (kucing saya) and not before it?

• In Indonesian, possessive pronouns typically follow the noun: kucing saya = my cat.
• You can also attach the clitic -ku to the noun: kucingku (informal, friendly).
• Another structure, saya punya kucing, means “I have a cat,” not “my cat.”

Can I say kucingku instead of kucing saya?

• Yes:
  • kucing saya: neutral, polite, widely acceptable.
  • kucingku: more intimate/informal.
• Both mean “my cat.” Choose based on formality and relationship with the listener.

Where are “the” and “a”? How do I show definiteness?

• Indonesian has no articles. lemari can be “a wardrobe” or “the wardrobe,” depending on context.
• To specify:
  • lemari itu = that/the wardrobe (already known or visible).
  • lemari ini = this wardrobe.
  • lemarinya can mean “the wardrobe” (context-known) or “his/her wardrobe” (possessive); context disambiguates.
• For “a(n),” you can use a classifier or numeral:
  • sebuah lemari = a wardrobe (object classifier).
  • For animals: seekor kucing = a cat.

What’s the difference between di dalam and di?

• di = at/in/on (general location).
• di dalam = in/inside (emphasizes being inside the interior).
  • Kucing saya tidur di lemari is fine.
  • Kucing saya tidur di dalam lemari emphasizes “inside,” not on top of or at the wardrobe.
• dalam alone can act as “in/within” (more formal or abstract), but for physical space di dalam is very common.
• For motion into something, use ke dalam (into).

Is di the same as the passive prefix di-?

• No. Spelling matters:
  • di as a preposition (location) is written separately: di dalam lemari, di rumah.
  • di- as a passive prefix attaches to verbs: diambil, dibuka.
• Don’t write didalam; correct is di dalam.

How do I make it plural: “My cats are sleeping …”?

• You can leave it contextually plural: Kucing saya tidur di dalam lemari (could be one or more).
• To be explicit:
  • Reduplication: kucing-kucing saya.
  • With number + classifier: dua ekor kucing saya.
  • With quantifier: beberapa kucing saya.
• para is mainly for people; avoid para kucing except stylistically.

Do I need a classifier for animals?

• Only when counting or specifying quantity:
  • seekor kucing (one cat), dua ekor kucing (two cats), where ekor is the animal classifier.
• Without numbers, just kucing is fine.

Can I front the location for emphasis?

• Yes, for emphasis or style:
  • Di dalam lemari, kucing saya tidur.
• The neutral order is Subject–Verb–Place: Kucing saya tidur di dalam lemari.

How do I negate this sentence?

• Use tidak before the verb:
  • Kucing saya tidak tidur di dalam lemari.
• If you want to negate the location specifically (not the fact of sleeping), you can use bukan with the prepositional phrase:
  • Kucing saya tidur, tapi bukan di dalam lemari.
• Rule of thumb: tidak negates verbs/adjectives; bukan negates nouns or contrasts a specific phrase.

Could I use ada instead of tidur?

• ada expresses existence/location: Kucing saya ada di dalam lemari = my cat is in the wardrobe (not necessarily sleeping).
• tidur focuses on the action/state of sleeping.
• berada is a more formal “to be located”: Kucing saya berada di dalam lemari (no implication of sleeping).

What are some useful related verb forms?

• tidur = to sleep (intransitive).
• menidurkan = to put someone to sleep (transitive).
• ketiduran = fall asleep unintentionally, doze off.
• tiduran = to lie down/rest (not necessarily asleep).

Any pronunciation tips for these words?

• kucing: c = ch in church; u like oo in food; ng as in sing.
• saya: roughly SAH-yah.
• tidur: tee-DOOR (trilled or tapped r).
• lemari: luh-MAH-ree (r is tapped/trilled). Stress generally on the penultimate syllable.

Is saya the only option for “I/my”? What about aku or gue?

• saya: neutral/formal, safe most of the time.
• aku: informal/intimate; kucing aku or kucingku.
• gue/gua (Jakarta slang) with lu/lo/elo for “you”: kucing gue tidur di dalem lemari (colloquial; note di dalem).
• Match your pronouns to the setting and your interlocutor.

Does lemari specifically mean wardrobe? Any synonyms?

• lemari is a general cabinet/cupboard/wardrobe. Context clarifies:
  • lemari pakaian / lemari baju = wardrobe/closet.
  • lemari es = refrigerator.
• kabinet can mean a display case or the political cabinet; not a wardrobe.
• almari is common in Malay; in Indonesian, lemari is standard.

How do I say “my black cat is sleeping in the wardrobe”?

• Adjectives follow the noun, and the possessor comes last:
  • Kucing hitam saya tidur di dalam lemari.
• You can also use kucing saya yang hitam to single out “the one that is black,” depending on context.