Saya mau tambah kerupuk renyah.

I want to have more crispy crackers.

Breakdown of Saya mau tambah kerupuk renyah.

• saya: I
• mau: want
• kerupuk: the cracker
• renyah: crispy
• tambah: to add

Questions & Answers about Saya mau tambah kerupuk renyah.

Is mau more like want or would like? Can it also mean going to?

Mau basically means want. In many situations (especially with food) it can sound as soft and natural as would like in English.

• Saya mau tambah kerupuk renyah.
  = I want / I’d like more crispy crackers.

Mau can also mean going to (future) depending on context:

• Saya mau makan. = I want to eat / I’m going to eat.
• Besok saya mau ke Bali. = Tomorrow I’m going to Bali.

In speech, context usually makes it clear whether it’s want or going to.

Why is there no word for to between mau and tambah?

Indonesian does not use a word like English to (as in to eat, to go) before verbs in this way. You simply put the verbs next to each other:

• Saya mau makan. = I want to eat.
• Saya mau tidur. = I want to sleep.
• Saya mau tambah kerupuk renyah. = I want to add/get more crispy crackers.

This pattern [subject] + mau + verb is completely normal and grammatical without any extra word for to.

What exactly does tambah mean here? Could I say lagi or lebih instead?

Tambah literally means to add. In this sentence it has the sense of get more / have an extra serving.

• tambah nasi = add more rice / another serving of rice
• tambah kerupuk = add more crackers

Lagi also means again / more, and is often used when asking for more of something:

• Mau kerupuk lagi. = (I) want more crackers / crackers again.

Lebih means more in a comparative sense (more than something else):

• lebih banyak kerupuk = more crackers (a larger amount)
• lebih renyah = crunchier

In a restaurant, both tambah kerupuk and kerupuk lagi sound natural. Tambah feels a bit like an extra portion, while lagi feels like some more. Lebih would usually need another word (like banyak) and sounds more like comparing quantities, not asking the waiter.

Is Saya mau tambah kerupuk renyah polite enough to say to a waiter?

Yes, it is understandable and not rude, but it’s quite direct. To sound more polite and natural, Indonesians often add softening words:

• Permisi, boleh tambah kerupuk renyah?
  Excuse me, may I have more crispy crackers?

• Pak, saya mau tambah kerupuk renyah, ya.
  Sir, I’d like more crispy crackers, okay?

• Bu, boleh minta kerupuk renyah lagi?
  Ma’am, may I ask for more crispy crackers?

Adding Pak (to a man), Bu (to a woman), tolong (please/help), boleh (may I), or minta (ask for) makes the request sound friendlier and more polite.

Can I drop Saya and just say Mau tambah kerupuk renyah?

Yes. Dropping the subject is very common in spoken Indonesian when it’s obvious from context:

• Mau tambah kerupuk renyah.
  = (I) want more crispy crackers.

In conversation, people will easily understand that mau here refers to you (the speaker). It sounds natural, especially when calling a waiter.

Why is renyah after kerupuk and not before, like in English?

In Indonesian, adjectives normally come after the noun:

• kerupuk renyah = crispy crackers
• nasi panas = hot rice
• air dingin = cold water
• baju merah = red shirt

So kerupuk renyah is the standard word order. Putting renyah kerupuk would be wrong in this context.

Does kerupuk here mean one cracker or some crackers? How do I make it clearly singular or plural?

Indonesian nouns usually don’t show singular/plural by themselves. Kerupuk here can mean cracker or crackers, depending on context. The default reading in this sentence is some crackers / more crackers.

To be specific:

• satu kerupuk = one cracker
• dua kerupuk = two crackers
• beberapa kerupuk = some crackers
• banyak kerupuk = many crackers

More natural with food is to specify the portion:

• satu piring kerupuk = one plate of crackers
• tambah sedikit kerupuk = add a little more crackers

But in a restaurant context, tambah kerupuk is enough; everyone assumes some more crackers, not just one piece.

Would Indonesians ever say kerupuk yang renyah instead of kerupuk renyah? What’s the difference?

Yes, kerupuk yang renyah is possible, but there’s a nuance.

• kerupuk renyah = crispy crackers (just describing the crackers)
• kerupuk yang renyah = the crackers that are crispy / crackers which are crispy

Yang often adds a feeling of selection or emphasis, as if you are distinguishing them from other crackers that might not be crispy:

• Saya mau kerupuk yang renyah.
  I want the crackers that are crispy (not the soft/stale ones).

In your original sentence, kerupuk renyah is simpler and more neutral. Use yang if you want to stress especially the crispy ones.

What is the difference between Saya and Aku here?

Both mean I / me, but the usage is different:

• Saya

  • More formal or neutral.
  • Used with strangers, in public, in polite situations.
  • Safe default for learners.

• Aku

  • More informal and intimate.
  • Used with friends, family, close people, in casual speech.

So:

• Saya mau tambah kerupuk renyah. = Polite/neutral.
• Aku mau tambah kerupuk renyah. = Casual, to someone close.

In a restaurant with staff you don’t know, Saya is more appropriate.

Is tambah a verb or an adjective here? Can I say menambah instead?

Here tambah is a verb meaning to add.

Indonesian often uses the base form of a verb in everyday speech, especially after mau:

• mau tambah = want to add
• mau makan = want to eat
• mau beli = want to buy

There is also a derived verb menambah, which is more formal or explicit:

• Saya mau menambah kerupuk. = I want to add (some) crackers.

You can say mau menambah, and it is correct, but in normal spoken Indonesian mau tambah kerupuk sounds more natural and relaxed.

Is this sentence used only with food? Can tambah be used in other contexts?

Tambah is very general and can be used in many situations, not just food:

• Tambah jam kerja. = add working hours / work overtime
• Tambah uang. = add money / pay extra
• Tambah satu orang. = add one more person
• Suhu tambah panas. = the temperature gets hotter (literally: adds heat)

So tambah kerupuk is just one specific case of tambah + noun to mean add more [noun].

Any tips for pronouncing kerupuk renyah correctly?

A few points:

• kerupuk:

  • ke-ru-puk, three syllables.
  • The r is tapped (like Spanish r), not like English r.
  • u is like oo in food.

• renyah:

  • re-nyah, two syllables.
  • ny is like ny in canyon or ñ in Spanish niño.
  • ah at the end is like a in father, not silent.

Stress is fairly even, but you can slightly stress the first syllable of each word: KÉ-ru-puk RÉ-nyah.