Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya kenal dia dari perpustakaan.

kenal = to know someone in the sense of being acquainted with them.
- Saya kenal dia. → I know him/her (we’ve met / I’m acquainted with this person).
tahu = to know information or facts.
- Saya tahu dia dokter. → I know (that) he’s a doctor.
- Saya tahu namanya. → I know his/her name.
mengenal = a more formal / complete version of kenal, often used in writing or more formal speech.
- Saya mengenal dia dari perpustakaan. → same meaning, but sounds a bit more formal.

In daily conversation, kenal is very common when talking about people you’ve met or are acquainted with.

Why is dia used for both “he” and “him”? Doesn’t Indonesian distinguish subject and object pronouns?

Indonesian does not change pronouns for subject vs object like English does.

dia can mean he, she, him, or her, depending on position and context:
- Dia datang. → He/She comes. (subject)
- Saya kenal dia. → I know him/her. (object)

The role is determined by word order, not by changing the pronoun form.

Can I say Aku kenal dia instead of Saya kenal dia? What’s the difference?

Yes, both are correct:

saya
- more neutral and polite
- used in most formal or semi-formal situations
aku
- more informal / intimate
- used with friends, close family, or in casual speech

So:

Saya kenal dia dari perpustakaan. → neutral/polite.
Aku kenal dia dari perpustakaan. → casual, friendly tone.

Is dari the right preposition here? Why not di perpustakaan?

In this sentence:

dari perpustakaan literally = from the library (as the source of your acquaintance).

Saya kenal dia dari perpustakaan.
→ The library is where/how I came to know this person (we met there / that’s the context where I got to know them).

If you say di perpustakaan:

Saya kenal dia di perpustakaan.
→ I know him/her at the library (emphasizing the location of the knowing/meeting).

Both can be used, but:

dari perpustakaan emphasizes origin / context of the acquaintance.
di perpustakaan emphasizes place where you know or meet them.

For the English idea “I know him from the library”, dari is a very natural choice.

Could dari perpustakaan also mean “He works at the library” or “He’s from the library staff”?

By itself, Saya kenal dia dari perpustakaan is slightly ambiguous. It usually means:

We met / I came to know him through the library context.

But in context, it can also suggest:

He is connected to the library (e.g. works there, is a librarian, is a regular there).

If you specifically want “He works at the library,” you would normally say:

Dia bekerja di perpustakaan. → He works at the library.
Dia petugas perpustakaan. → He is a library staff member.

The original sentence only clearly states how you came to know him, not his job.

Can I drop any words and still sound natural? For example, just Kenal dia dari perpustakaan?

Yes, in casual spoken Indonesian you can drop saya:

Kenal dia dari perpustakaan.

This is understood as Saya kenal dia dari perpustakaan, especially if the context makes it clear that you are the subject.

However, don’t drop dia or dari perpustakaan, because that would change the meaning or make it incomplete.

For clear and neutral speech (especially as a learner), Saya kenal dia dari perpustakaan is safest.

How do I show tense here? How do I say “I got to know him at the library” (past) vs “I know him from the library” (present)?

Indonesian doesn’t change the verb form for tense. Kenal stays kenal. You add time words or context if you need to be precise.

For general present meaning (“I know him from the library”):

Saya kenal dia dari perpustakaan.
(Context usually implies present.)

To emphasize past (when you first got acquainted):

Dulu saya kenal dia dari perpustakaan.
→ In the past / back then, I got to know him from the library.
Saya pertama kali kenal dia di perpustakaan.
→ I first got to know him at the library.

So tense is conveyed by adverbs/time expressions, not by changing kenal.

Is there a more formal or polite version of this sentence?

Yes. You can make it more formal in two main ways:

Use mengenal instead of kenal:
- Saya mengenal dia dari perpustakaan.
Use beliau instead of dia for a respected person (elder, teacher, etc.):
- Saya mengenal beliau dari perpustakaan.

That would sound polite and appropriate in formal contexts or writing.

Can dari perpustakaan be moved to a different place in the sentence?

Yes, Indonesian word order is quite flexible for adverbial phrases like dari perpustakaan, but the basic version is still the most natural.

Standard / most natural:

Saya kenal dia dari perpustakaan.

Other possibilities:

Saya dari perpustakaan kenal dia. → possible, but sounds less natural and a bit awkward in everyday speech.
Dari perpustakaan, saya kenal dia. → stylistic; used for emphasis in writing or storytelling.

For normal conversation, keep:

Saya kenal dia dari perpustakaan.

What’s the difference between dia, ia, and beliau?

All refer to third-person singular, but with different usage:

dia
- very common in speech
- neutral respect level
- can mean he or she
ia
- mostly used in written or more formal style
- usually as a subject, not as an object
- rare in casual conversation
- e.g. Ia datang. → He/She comes.
beliau
- respectful form for he/she
- used for elders, teachers, leaders, etc.
- conveys politeness/respect
- e.g. Saya kenal beliau dari perpustakaan.

In your original sentence, dia is the normal choice.

Does perpustakaan always mean “library”? Are there shorter or more casual forms?

Yes, perpustakaan means library.

Root: pustaka = book(s) / literature (a bit formal/old-fashioned in modern usage)
perpustakaan = place of books → library

In casual speech, people sometimes shorten it:

perpus (very colloquial, mostly spoken or in chat)
- Aku kenal dia dari perpus. → very informal.

For standard Indonesian, especially as a learner, stick to perpustakaan.

Why isn’t there a word for “the” before perpustakaan? How do you say “the library” specifically?

Indonesian generally has no articles like a/an/the.

perpustakaan can mean a library or the library, depending on context.

If you need to make it very specific, you can add more detail:

perpustakaan kampus → the campus library
perpustakaan itu → that library / the library (previously mentioned)
perpustakaan sekolah → the school library

So Saya kenal dia dari perpustakaan is usually understood as “I know him/her from the library” in normal context.