Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Nasihat guru itu sangat positif. - The teacher's advice is very positive.

Literally, guru itu = that teacher (the one already known in the conversation or situation).
Very often in Indonesian, itu is used simply to mark that the noun is definite (specific), so in natural English it’s often translated as “the teacher”.

So:

guru = a teacher / teacher (in general)
guru itu = that specific teacher / the teacher (we both know which one)

Context decides whether you say “that teacher” or “the teacher” in English.

Why is there no word for “is” in Nasihat guru itu sangat positif? Shouldn’t it be something like “Nasihat guru itu adalah sangat positif”?

In Indonesian, you do not need a verb “to be” when the predicate is an adjective.

Nasihat guru itu sangat positif.
– literally: “Advice of that teacher very positive.”

This is a complete, grammatical sentence. The “is” is understood.

If you insert adalah directly before an adjective, it often sounds unnatural:

✗ Nasihat guru itu adalah sangat positif. → sounds off / overly stiff.

You can use adalah mainly when:

The predicate is a noun phrase:
- Nasihat guru itu adalah hal yang penting.
  “The teacher’s advice is an important thing.”
You want a very formal style and link to a noun-like phrase.

With adjectives like positif, just skip “is.”

How is Nasihat guru itu structured? Does it mean “the teacher’s advice” or “advice for the teacher”?

Nasihat guru itu is a noun–noun structure, where guru itu modifies nasihat:

nasihat = advice
guru itu = that/the teacher
nasihat guru itu = the advice of that teacher / that teacher’s advice

The default reading is “the teacher’s advice” (advice given by the teacher), not advice for the teacher.

If you want “advice for the teacher,” you would normally show that more clearly:

Nasihat untuk guru itu.
“Advice for that teacher.”

Could I also say Nasihat dari guru itu sangat positif? What is the difference from Nasihat guru itu sangat positif?

Yes, Nasihat dari guru itu sangat positif is grammatically correct and natural.

Subtle differences:

Nasihat guru itu
- More compact, slightly more noun-like.
- Feels like a tight unit: “that teacher’s advice.”
- Very neutral and common.
Nasihat dari guru itu
- Literally “advice from that teacher.”
- Slightly more explicit about the source of the advice.
- Also natural, maybe a tiny bit more “spoken/explanatory.”

In most everyday contexts they’re interchangeable; the difference is small.

What does sangat mean exactly, and how is it different from sekali or amat?

Sangat is an adverb meaning “very.”

sangat positif = very positive

Other common intensifiers:

sekali
- Means “very” or “really” when placed after the adjective:
  - positif sekali = very positive
- Slightly more colloquial/neutral than sangat in many contexts.
amat
- Also “very,” but tends to sound more formal or literary
  - amat positif = very positive (formal/written style)

So:

Nasihat guru itu sangat positif.
Nasihat guru itu positif sekali.

Both are natural; choice is about style and rhythm, not correctness.

Is positif just the Indonesian version of the English word “positive”? Does it have exactly the same meaning?

Positif is a loanword from European languages, and it overlaps strongly with English “positive”, but usage isn’t always identical.

Common meanings of positif in Indonesian:

Favorable / good / constructive
- Nasihatnya sangat positif.
  “The advice is very positive/constructive.”
Positive (test result)
- Tesnya positif COVID.
  “The test is positive for COVID.”
Positive (in contrast to negative)
- Sisi positif dan negatif.
  “The positive and negative sides.”

For “positive” in the sense of optimistic / upbeat, people may say:

berpikir positif = think positively
orangnya positif = he/she is a positive-thinking person

In your sentence, sangat positif ~= very good / constructive / beneficial.

What’s the difference between nasihat and saran? Both seem to mean “advice.”

Both nasihat and saran can be translated as “advice,” but they have different nuances.

nasihat
- Often carries a sense of moral guidance, counsel, admonition.
- Common with teachers, parents, elders, religious leaders.
- Feels a bit more serious or ethical.
- Example: Nasihat orang tua itu sangat berharga.
  “That elder’s advice is very valuable.”
saran
- More like suggestion / recommendation / proposal.
- Often used for practical or technical matters.
- Example: Saya punya saran untuk proyek ini.
  “I have a suggestion for this project.”

In Nasihat guru itu sangat positif, nasihat suggests the teacher’s moral or character-building guidance, not just a casual suggestion.

In English, “advice” is uncountable. Is nasihat countable in Indonesian? Can I say “one advice”?

In Indonesian, nasihat can behave both like a mass noun and a countable noun, depending on context.

Countable use (one piece of advice, two pieces, etc.):

Satu nasihat = one piece of advice
Beberapa nasihat = several pieces of advice
Banyak nasihat = many pieces of advice
You can also say sebuah nasihat (using the general classifier sebuah).

Uncountable / mass-like use:

Dia sering memberi nasihat.
“He/She often gives advice.” (advice in general)

So unlike English, you can straightforwardly say:

Saya punya satu nasihat untuk kamu.
“I have one piece of advice for you.”

Why is the adjective positif placed after sangat? Can adjectives ever go before the noun, like in English (“positive advice”)?

In Indonesian:

The normal order for an adjective is after the noun:
- nasihat positif = positive advice
- guru baik = good teacher
Intensifiers like sangat usually go before the adjective:
- sangat positif
- sangat baik

In your sentence, sangat positif is the predicate, not a modifier inside the noun phrase:

Nasihat guru itu (subject)
sangat positif (predicate: “is very positive”)

If you wanted “very positive advice” as one noun phrase (not a whole sentence):

nasihat yang sangat positif
“very positive advice” (as a phrase)

You generally do not put adjectives before the noun in Indonesian like in English.

Could the sentence be Guru itu nasihatnya sangat positif? Would that change the meaning?

Yes, Guru itu nasihatnya sangat positif is also grammatical and natural.

Structure and nuance:

Guru itu = that teacher / the teacher
nasihatnya = his/her advice (literally: “the advice” with –nya = his/her/its)
sangat positif = is very positive

So the sentence means:

“That teacher, his/her advice is very positive.”

Compared with Nasihat guru itu sangat positif:

Original: focuses first on the advice.
Alternative: starts with the teacher and then comments on their advice.

Meaning is essentially the same; the difference is focus/emphasis and rhythm.

Can guru mean more than just a school teacher? For example, a spiritual teacher?

Yes. Guru most commonly means a school teacher, but it can also mean:

A spiritual teacher or religious teacher
- e.g., guru agama, guru ngaji
A mentor or master in some field (especially in certain contexts or more literary speech).

So Nasihat guru itu sangat positif could refer to:

a schoolteacher giving character-building advice, or
a religious/spiritual teacher giving moral guidance.

Context tells you which kind of guru is meant.

Sometimes I see nasehat instead of nasihat. Which one is correct?

The standard spelling in modern Indonesian is nasihat (with si, not se).

nasihat = recommended, official spelling
nasehat = older or nonstandard variant, still common in informal writing, songs, older books

In formal or careful writing (and when learning), you should use nasihat.