Kami memilih topik penelitian yang sederhana.

We choose a simple research topic.

Breakdown of Kami memilih topik penelitian yang sederhana.

• sebuah: a
• kami: we
• sederhana: simple
• yang: that
• memilih: to choose
• topik penelitian: the research topic

Questions & Answers about Kami memilih topik penelitian yang sederhana.

What is the difference between kami and kita, and why is kami used here?

Indonesian has two ways to say we:

• kami = we (excluding the person you’re talking to)
• kita = we (including the person you’re talking to)

In Kami memilih topik penelitian yang sederhana, the speakers are talking about their group, not including the listener. If they wanted to say “we (including you) chose the topic,” they would say:

• Kita memilih topik penelitian yang sederhana.

What is the base form of memilih, and why does it take the prefix me-?

The base word is pilih (to choose).

memilih = me- + pilih

• The prefix me- (often written as meN- in grammar books) is used to form an active transitive verb (a verb that takes a direct object).

• memilih is the normal, standard form used in sentences like this when you have a subject and a direct object:

  • Kami memilih topik. = We choose/chose a topic.

Bare pilih is seen in certain fixed phrases (e.g. hak pilih “voting right”) or more casual commands (Pilih yang ini! “Choose this one!”), but with a clear subject and object in a normal sentence, you usually use memilih.

How do we know if memilih here means “choose,” “chose,” or “will choose”? There’s no tense marking.

Indonesian verbs do not change form for tense. memilih can mean:

• choose / are choosing / do choose (present)
• chose / were choosing / did choose (past)
• will choose / are going to choose (future)

The actual time is understood from context or from time words like:

• kemarin (yesterday), tadi (earlier), sudah / telah (already) → past
• sekarang (now) → present
• nanti, besok (later, tomorrow), akan (will) → future

For example:

• Kami sudah memilih topik penelitian yang sederhana. = We have already chosen a simple research topic.
• Besok kami akan memilih topik penelitian yang sederhana. = Tomorrow we will choose a simple research topic.

What is the role of yang in topik penelitian yang sederhana?

yang introduces a modifier (often like a relative clause or adjective phrase) describing a noun.
Here:

• topik penelitian = research topic
• yang sederhana = that is simple

So topik penelitian yang sederhana is literally:
“a research topic that is simple.”

In English we just say “a simple research topic,” but Indonesian often uses yang to connect a noun with a describing phrase.

Can I just say topik penelitian sederhana without yang? What’s the difference?

Both are possible, but they feel slightly different:

1. topik penelitian yang sederhana

   • Very natural and common.
   • Feels like “a research topic that is simple.”
   • Emphasizes “the research topic which is simple (as opposed to a complicated one).”

2. topik penelitian sederhana

   • Also grammatical.
   • Feels a bit more compact, like a tighter noun phrase.
   • Sometimes used more in written or formal style (titles, headings, etc.).

In everyday speech, topik penelitian yang sederhana is very typical and sounds very natural.

Is penelitian a noun or a verb here, and what is its root?

penelitian is a noun meaning research.

Its root is teliti (careful, thorough), and it takes the prefix pe- and suffix -an:

• teliti (careful, thorough)
• meneliti (to research, to investigate) – verb
• penelitian (research, investigation) – noun

So topik penelitian = research topic (literally “topic of research”).

How is topik penelitian structured? Is it like “topic of research”?

Yes. In Indonesian:

• topik (topic)
• penelitian (research)

When two nouns are put together like this, the usual pattern is:

• first noun = main noun
• second noun = “of …”

So: topik penelitian = “topic of research” → research topic.

This is very common:

• judul penelitian = research title
• hasil penelitian = research result(s)
• metode penelitian = research method(s)

Does topik here mean one topic or multiple topics? How do you show plural in Indonesian?

By itself, topik is number-neutral: it can mean topic or topics, depending on context. Indonesian usually does not mark plural on the noun.

To make it clearly plural, you can add words like:

• beberapa topik penelitian = several research topics
• banyak topik penelitian = many research topics
• dua topik penelitian = two research topics

If you strongly want “topic” (singular), you can add satu, but often context is enough:

• Kami memilih satu topik penelitian yang sederhana. = We chose one simple research topic.

What is the difference between sederhana and words like mudah or gampang?

All can be translated as simple in English in some contexts, but they aren’t the same:

• sederhana

  • basic, modest, not elaborate/complex
  • can describe things, style, lifestyle:
    
    • rumah yang sederhana = a modest house
    • hidup sederhana = a simple/modest life
  • for topics, it often means “not complex / not sophisticated.”

• mudah / gampang

  • easy (not difficult)
  • gampang is more informal/colloquial than mudah.
  • used for tasks or things you have to do:
    
    • soal ini mudah/gampang = this problem is easy.

For topik penelitian, sederhana is better because it’s about the complexity of the topic, not how “easy” it is to do as a task.

Is this sentence formal, informal, or neutral?

Kami memilih topik penelitian yang sederhana. is neutral, leaning slightly toward standard/formal because:

• It uses kami, not a slang pronoun.
• Vocabulary like topik, penelitian, sederhana is common in academic or formal contexts.

You can say it in everyday speech, especially in a school/university setting, and it will sound natural and appropriate.

Where would I add a time expression like “yesterday” or “tomorrow” in this sentence?

Time expressions are flexible, but two very common positions are:

1. At the beginning:

   • Kemarin kami memilih topik penelitian yang sederhana.
     = Yesterday we chose a simple research topic.

2. At the end:

   • Kami memilih topik penelitian yang sederhana kemarin.
     = We chose a simple research topic yesterday.

Both are natural. Beginning and end positions are preferred; putting it in the middle (e.g. between memilih and topik) is less common and can sound awkward.

Can I say Kami sudah memilih topik penelitian yang sederhana? What does sudah add?

Yes, and it’s very natural.

• Kami memilih topik penelitian yang sederhana.

  • Neutral about time; you need context to know if it’s past/present/future.

• Kami sudah memilih topik penelitian yang sederhana.

  • sudah means already.
  • Emphasizes that the action is completed:
    → We have already chosen a simple research topic.

You often use sudah to contrast with something not done yet, or to answer a question like Sudah memilih topik penelitian? (Have you chosen a research topic yet?).