Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Sang pelatih memuji si kecil karena berani bertanya. - The coach praises the little one for being brave to ask.

In sang pelatih, it’s roughly like saying “the coach” with a bit of extra emphasis, almost like “that (respected) coach” or “the coach (in question)”.

Key points about sang:

Often used in written language, narratives, or storytelling.
Common with titles or roles: sang raja (the king), sang guru (the teacher), sang juara (the champion).
Not used with your own name in normal conversation.
It doesn’t have a direct one-word equivalent in English; it’s part “the”
- part stylistic flavor.

You can understand sang pelatih as “the coach,” but with a slightly more elevated or narrative tone than just pelatih.

Can I just say pelatih memuji si kecil without sang? What changes?

Yes, you can say Pelatih memuji si kecil and it is grammatically correct.

Differences:

Sang pelatih: more specific and slightly literary or formal, as if you’re talking about a particular coach already known in the story/context.
Pelatih (without sang): more neutral, like “a coach” or “the coach,” depending on context.

So:

Sang pelatih memuji si kecil…
→ feels like narration/storytelling or slightly more formal writing.
Pelatih memuji si kecil…
→ more neutral, could appear in everyday writing or speech.

In normal spoken Indonesian, sang is less common; you’d more often hear just pelatih or pelatih itu (“that/the coach”).

What does si kecil mean exactly? Is kecil just “small”?

Literally, si kecil is “the small one”, but in context it usually means “the little one,” “the kid,” or “the little child.”

Components:

si: a particle used before names or nicknames, and also before descriptive words referring to a person or animal (often familiar, affectionate, or informal).
kecil: “small,” “little.”

Together, si kecil:

Does not just mean any random small object; it almost always refers to a person (usually a child).
Has an affectionate nuance, like “the little one”, “the kiddo”.

So si kecil in the sentence is understood as a specific child whom both speaker and listener presumably know or can identify from context.

What’s the difference between si kecil, anak kecil, and anak itu?

All can refer to a child, but with different nuances:

si kecil
- Affectionate / familiar: “the little one”, “the kiddo.”
- Often used when the child is someone you care about or are talking about in a warm way.
- Common in everyday speech and in writing with an emotional tone (e.g., parenting articles, anecdotes).
anak kecil
- Literally “small child / little child.”
- More descriptive and neutral: a child who is young.
- Often not referring to one very specific known child, more like “a little kid” or “little kids.”
anak itu
- Literally “that child.”
- Refers to a specific child already identified in the conversation or situation.
- A bit more neutral and factual, without the affectionate flavor of si kecil.

In the sentence, si kecil makes the child sound more endearing and close than anak itu would.

Why is there no pronoun like dia (he/she) in karena berani bertanya? How do we know who is brave?

Indonesian often omits pronouns when the subject is clear from context.

In the sentence:

The clause sang pelatih memuji si kecil already tells us who is being praised.
The reason clause karena berani bertanya (“because [he/she] was brave enough to ask”) clearly refers back to si kecil.

So, dia or ia is understood but not stated:

karena [dia] berani bertanya
→ the subject is “he/she,” referring to si kecil.

You can add the pronoun:

Sang pelatih memuji si kecil karena dia berani bertanya.

This is also correct and explicit, but the shorter version is natural and common because the subject is obvious.

What is the grammar of berani bertanya? Is berani a verb or an adjective here?

Berani is basically an adjective, meaning “brave,” “courageous.”

However, in Indonesian:

Adjectives can act like stative verbs, describing a state or quality without needing “to be.”
The pattern berani + verb means “to dare to [do something]” or “to be brave enough to [do something].”

So:

berani bertanya
→ “to dare to ask,” “brave enough to ask,” “daring to ask.”

Structure:

berani (adjective/stative verb: “to be brave”)
bertanya (verb: “to ask (a question)”)

This pattern is common:

berani mencoba – dare to try
berani mengatakan yang benar – dare to speak the truth

What is the root of memuji, and how is this verb formed?

The root word is puji, meaning “praise” (as a basic idea).

memuji is formed with the meN- prefix:

meN-
- puji → memuji (to praise)

Why memuji and not mepuji?

When meN- attaches to a root starting with p, the p usually drops, and the prefix becomes mem-.
So: meN-
- puji → memuji (p disappears).

Meaning:

memuji is a transitive verb: it takes an object.
- memuji si kecil – praise the child
- memuji murid-muridnya – praise his/her students

So in the sentence:

Sang pelatih = subject
memuji = verb
si kecil = object

Is karena the only way to say “because”? How is it different from sebab?

Both karena and sebab can mean “because”, but they differ in usage and feel.

karena
- The most common everyday word for “because.”
- Used as a conjunction: connects two clauses.
- Example: Dia datang terlambat karena macet.
  → He came late because of traffic.
sebab
- Also can be a conjunction, but sounds a bit more formal or literary.
- Often used as a noun meaning “cause, reason”:
  - Apa sebabnya? – What’s the cause?
- As a conjunction, it appears less often in casual speech than karena.

In this sentence, karena is the most natural choice:

Sang pelatih memuji si kecil karena berani bertanya.

You could say:

Sang pelatih memuji si kecil sebab ia berani bertanya.
This is correct but feels a bit more formal or written.

Can I change the word order, like: Karena berani bertanya, sang pelatih memuji si kecil?

Yes, that is also correct and natural.

Two versions:

Sang pelatih memuji si kecil karena berani bertanya.
→ Neutral order: main clause first, then the reason.
Karena berani bertanya, sang pelatih memuji si kecil.
→ Puts more emphasis on the reason (“because [the child] dared to ask”), suitable when you want to highlight why the praise happened.

Both are grammatical. Indonesian often allows the “because” clause (karena…) to come either before or after the main clause, as long as the meaning is clear.

How would I say this sentence in the passive voice?

The passive version would be:

Si kecil dipuji sang pelatih karena berani bertanya.

Changes:

memuji → dipuji (passive form: “was praised”)
The object (si kecil) becomes the subject.
The original subject (sang pelatih) is kept after the verb, as the agent.

Meaning stays similar:

“The little one was praised by the coach because (he/she) dared to ask.”

In passive, the focus shifts more to si kecil (the child) rather than sang pelatih (the coach).

What is the difference between bertanya and tanya?

Both are related to “asking,” but they behave differently.

bertanya
- Verb with the ber- prefix.
- Standard form meaning “to ask (a question)”.
- Used in more careful or neutral language:
  - Dia bertanya kepada gurunya. – He/She asked his/her teacher.
  - Jangan ragu untuk bertanya. – Don’t hesitate to ask.
tanya
- Basic root: can function as a noun (“a question”) or verb in informal speech.
- In formal/standard grammar, you usually use:
  - bertanya – to ask (intransitive)
  - menanyakan – to ask about something (transitive)
- In colloquial speech, you might hear:
  - Dia tanya ke gurunya. – He/She asked his/her teacher.
  - Saya mau tanya. – I want to ask.

In the sentence berani bertanya, the use of bertanya is standard and correct for both spoken and written Indonesian.

Is there any nuance in berani bertanya compared to just “wanting to ask” (ingin/mau bertanya)?

Yes, there is a nuance:

berani bertanya
→ “dare to ask,” suggests that asking was difficult, maybe because:
- The child is shy.
- The situation is intimidating (teacher, coach, authority figure).
- The question might be embarrassing or risky.
ingin bertanya / mau bertanya
→ “want to ask,” only focuses on desire or intention, without any idea of courage or risk.

So in the sentence:

Sang pelatih memuji si kecil karena berani bertanya.
The coach praises the child not simply for asking, but for having the courage to ask despite some barrier or fear.