Gigi saya sakit malam ini.

My tooth hurts tonight.

Breakdown of Gigi saya sakit malam ini.

• adalah: to be
• malam ini: tonight
• gigi: the tooth
• sakit: painful

Questions & Answers about Gigi saya sakit malam ini.

Where is the verb to be in this sentence? Why is there nothing like is?

Indonesian normally does not use a verb like to be (is/am/are) between a subject and an adjective or noun.
So:

• Gigi saya sakit literally: Teeth my painful → understood as My teeth are painful / My tooth aches.

There is no missing word; the sentence is already complete without an equivalent of is.

Is sakit a verb meaning hurt, or an adjective meaning painful / sick?

Sakit can function both ways:

• Like an adjective: Dia sakit → He/She is sick.
• Like a verb in English translation: Gigi saya sakit → My tooth/teeth hurt.

Grammatically, Indonesians usually treat sakit more like an adjective (in pain / sick), but in English we often translate it as a verb (hurt) for naturalness.

Why does the sentence start with gigi instead of saya? Could I say Saya sakit gigi malam ini instead?

The basic pattern is [body part] + [possessor] + sakit:

• Gigi saya sakit (malam ini).

You can say Saya sakit gigi, and it is correct, but the nuance changes slightly:

• Gigi saya sakit = Literally My teeth are painful (focus on the body part).
• Saya sakit gigi = Literally I am tooth-sick → I have a toothache.

Both are commonly used and natural, but the given sentence focuses more on the teeth themselves.

Can I say Malam ini gigi saya sakit instead of Gigi saya sakit malam ini?

Yes, both are natural:

• Gigi saya sakit malam ini.
• Malam ini gigi saya sakit.

Putting malam ini at the beginning emphasizes tonight a bit more, but the meaning is the same. Time expressions in Indonesian are flexible in position.

How do I distinguish my tooth hurts from my teeth hurt? Does gigi change form?

Gigi can mean tooth or teeth, depending on context. Indonesian usually does not change the word form for plural:

• Gigi saya sakit can be understood as My tooth hurts or My teeth hurt.

If you need to be very clear:

• Satu gigi saya sakit = One of my teeth hurts.
• Semua gigi saya sakit = All my teeth hurt.
• Beberapa gigi saya sakit = Some of my teeth hurt.

What is the difference between Gigi saya sakit and Saya sakit gigi?

Both are correct and commonly used, but:

• Gigi saya sakit (malam ini)

  • Structure: body part + possessor + sakit
  • Literally: My teeth are painful.
  • Focus: the teeth.

• Saya sakit gigi (malam ini)

  • Structure: subject + sakit + body part
  • Literally: I am tooth-sick.
  • Natural translation: I have a toothache.

In conversation, you can use either; they are very close in meaning.

Can I replace saya with aku or with the suffix -ku, like gigiku?

Yes, but the level of formality changes:

• Gigi saya sakit malam ini. – Neutral / polite, suitable almost anywhere.
• Gigi aku sakit malam ini. – More casual, used with friends / people your age.
• Gigiku sakit malam ini. – Also casual; -ku is a possessive suffix meaning my.

So:

• Formal/neutral: Gigi saya sakit malam ini.
• Informal: Gigiku sakit malam ini. / Gigi aku sakit malam ini.

What does ini do in malam ini? Does it literally mean this night?

Yes. Ini means this, and malam ini literally means this night.
In natural English we translate it as tonight.

Similar patterns:

• pagi ini = this morning / this a.m.
• siang ini = this midday / this noon / this afternoon (midday)
• sore ini = this late afternoon / early evening

So malam ini is the standard way to say tonight in Indonesian.

Can I add pada and say Pada malam ini gigi saya sakit? Is that more correct?

You can say Pada malam ini gigi saya sakit, and it is grammatically correct, but in everyday speech it sounds somewhat formal or written-style.

Most of the time people simply say:

• Malam ini gigi saya sakit.
• Gigi saya sakit malam ini.

Use pada more in formal writing or very careful speech, especially with dates and specific times (e.g. pada tanggal 5 Mei, pada pukul 8).

How can I emphasize that my tooth really hurts tonight?

You can add sekali or banget:

• Gigi saya sakit sekali malam ini. – Neutral / polite.
• Gigi saya sakit banget malam ini. – Informal, colloquial.

Both mean roughly My tooth really hurts tonight or My tooth hurts very much tonight.

Do I need sedang or lagi to show that this is happening now?

No, you do not need sedang or lagi here. Time expressions like malam ini already give the time frame.

You could say Gigi saya lagi sakit malam ini, but:

• lagi adds a nuance like is (currently) hurting / is in the process of hurting, and sounds more casual.
• sedang is more formal and usually used with actions, not states, so it is less natural with sakit.

The simplest and most natural is still Gigi saya sakit malam ini.

Is Gigi saya sakit malam ini formal, informal, or neutral?

Because it uses saya, the sentence is neutral–polite:

• Fine in everyday conversation.
• Acceptable in semi-formal or formal situations (e.g., talking to a doctor).

If you switch to aku or -ku (Gigiku sakit malam ini), it becomes more clearly informal, suitable for friends, family, or people your age.

Can I drop saya and just say Gigi sakit malam ini?

You can say Gigi sakit malam ini, and people will understand that it is your teeth from context, but:

• Without saya, it sounds a bit incomplete or general: Teeth hurt tonight (whose teeth?).
• Adding saya/aku/-ku makes it clear and more natural: Gigi saya sakit malam ini.

In real conversation, context sometimes allows you to drop saya, but as a learner it is safer and clearer to keep it.