Questions & Answers about Bayi itu tidur di kamar.
Itu is a demonstrative that literally means that, but very often it just marks that the noun is definite (already known or specific), similar to the in English.
- bayi = a baby / babies (non‑specific, could be any baby)
- bayi itu = that baby / the baby (a particular baby that both speaker and listener know about)
In a sentence like Bayi itu tidur di kamar, in natural English we usually translate it as The baby is sleeping in the room, not That baby…, unless the context really contrasts it with another baby.
Indonesian normally doesn’t use a separate word for “to be” (is/are/am) before verbs. The verb itself is enough.
- English: The baby is sleeping in the room.
- Indonesian: Bayi itu tidur di kamar.
You do not add adalah here. Adalah is mainly used:
- before a noun phrase:
- Dia adalah dokter. = He/She is a doctor.
- or in more formal/written language for emphasis.
With action verbs like tidur (to sleep), you simply use the verb, no is needed.
Indonesian verbs do not change form for tense (past, present, future). Tidur can mean:
- sleep(s)
- is sleeping
- was sleeping
- will sleep
The exact meaning comes from context or from time words like:
- sekarang (now)
- tadi (a while ago)
- kemarin (yesterday)
- besok (tomorrow)
So:
- Bayi itu tidur di kamar.
= The baby sleeps in the room. (habit)
= The baby is sleeping in the room. (right now)
If you really want to stress the ongoing action (like English is sleeping), you can add sedang:
- Bayi itu sedang tidur di kamar. = The baby is sleeping in the room (right now).
Di is a preposition that usually means in, at, or on, depending on context. In di kamar:
- di = in / at
- kamar = room
So di kamar = in the room.
Other common uses:
- di rumah = at home
- di meja = on the table
- di sekolah = at school
The exact English preposition (in/at/on) depends on the noun and natural English usage, but Indonesian just uses di.
These three prepositions show location vs movement:
- di kamar = in/at the room (location, where something is)
- ke kamar = to the room (movement toward)
- dari kamar = from the room (movement away from)
Examples:
- Bayi itu tidur di kamar. = The baby is in the room (sleeping).
- Ayah masuk ke kamar. = Dad goes into the room.
- Ibu keluar dari kamar. = Mom comes out of the room.
Both are often translated as in the room, but there is a nuance:
- di kamar = in the room (neutral, most common)
- di dalam kamar = inside the room (slightly more explicit about being inside, can sound a bit more descriptive or formal)
In many everyday contexts, di kamar and di dalam kamar are interchangeable, and people just say di kamar because it’s shorter.
Both can be correct depending on context:
- kamar = room (general: could be a bedroom, guest room, etc.)
- kamar tidur = bedroom (literally: sleeping room)
In everyday speech, kamar often implies bedroom, especially in a house context:
- Dia ada di kamar.
Most people will understand this as He/She is in the bedroom.
If you need to be explicit or are in a context with many kinds of rooms, say kamar tidur for bedroom.
You can say Bayi tidur di kamar, but the meaning is slightly different:
- Bayi tidur di kamar.
= A baby / babies sleep in the room. (general or new information, not a specific known baby.) - Bayi itu tidur di kamar.
= The baby (that we both know about) is sleeping in the room. (specific, definite)
In natural conversation, if you’re talking about a particular baby, bayi itu is more natural than just bayi.
Indonesian usually doesn’t mark plural on nouns, so bayi can be singular or plural, depending on context. Technically:
- bayi itu could mean that baby / the baby
- or those babies / the babies, if the context makes it clear there is more than one.
If you want to clearly say babies, you have options:
- para bayi = the babies (more formal/collective)
- bayi-bayi = babies (reduplication is one way to show plurality)
Examples:
- Para bayi itu tidur di kamar. = Those babies are sleeping in the room.
- Bayi-bayi itu tidur di kamar. = The babies are sleeping in the room.
Sedang marks an action as in progress (similar to English is doing, are doing).
- Bayi itu tidur di kamar.
Can mean The baby sleeps in the room (habit) or The baby is sleeping in the room (right now), depending on context. - Bayi itu sedang tidur di kamar.
Clearly The baby is sleeping in the room (at this moment).
You often add sedang when:
- You answer What is he/she doing (now)?
- You want to emphasize right now / currently.
Seorang is a classifier/numeral that roughly means one (person).
- seorang bayi = one baby (as a person)
- seorang anak = one child
- seorang guru = one teacher
You usually use seorang when:
- you want to stress the number one:
- Seorang bayi tidur di kamar. = One baby is sleeping in the room.
- or introduce a new, unspecified person in a story (like a baby / a teacher in English narrative style).
In Bayi itu tidur di kamar, we already have itu (that/the), which makes the baby specific, so we don’t need seorang here.
In Indonesian, when itu is used after a noun, it usually acts like the or that:
- bayi itu = that baby / the baby
When itu comes before a noun (itu bayi), it normally doesn’t form a single noun phrase. It sounds more like:
- Itu bayi… = That (one is a) baby… / That’s a baby…
For example, pointing at something:
- Itu bayi, bukan anak kecil.
= That’s a baby, not a small child.
In your sentence we’re talking about the baby as the subject, so we say Bayi itu, not Itu bayi.
Pronunciation (roughly using English sounds):
bayi: ba‑yi
- ba like ba in barn (but shorter)
- yi like yee in yes but with a clearer ee sound
- Stress is usually on the first syllable: BA‑yi
kamar: ka‑mar
- ka like ca in car (but shorter)
- mar like mar in market (no strong r at the end in many accents, but you can tap it)
- Stress usually on the first syllable: KA‑mar
Indonesian is generally pronounced as it’s written, with each vowel clearly sounded.