Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Di kebun binatang itu ada banyak binatang besar seperti singa dan gajah. - In that zoo there are many big animals such as lions and elephants.

Di kebun binatang itu ada banyak binatang besar...
Literally: In that zoo, there are many big animals...
This puts emphasis on the location first: As for that zoo, there are many big animals there.
Ada banyak binatang besar di kebun binatang itu.
Literally: There are many big animals in that zoo.
This feels more neutral and focuses on the existence/quantity of animals first.

Indonesian word order is flexible. Both versions are natural; changing the order mostly changes what feels like the “starting point” of the information but not the basic meaning.

What exactly does itu mean in kebun binatang itu? Is it “that zoo” or “the zoo”?

Itu is a demonstrative that basically means that, but in real use it often works like the in English.

kebun binatang = zoo
kebun binatang itu = that zoo / the zoo (already known from context)

So:

If speakers are already talking about a specific zoo, kebun binatang itu is like the zoo.
If they’re distinguishing it from other zoos (for example, pointing or referring to a particular one), it’s more like that zoo.

Context decides whether you translate itu as the or that.

What does ada do here? Is it like the verb “to be”, or “to have”?

In this sentence, ada is an existence marker, similar to there is / there are in English.

ada banyak binatang besar ≈ there are many big animals

Common uses of ada:

Existence / presence:
- Di rumah saya ada tiga kucing.
  There are three cats in my house.
Location of something/someone:
- Buku saya ada di meja.
  My book is on the table.
Sometimes “to have” (in a loose sense) in informal speech:
- Saya ada uang.
  I have money. (literally: I exist-with money)

Here, it’s use (1): stating that many big animals exist in that zoo.

Why is it banyak binatang, not banyak binatang-binatang for “many animals”?

Indonesian usually does not need a special plural ending. Plurality is often shown by:

banyak = many
numbers: dua binatang = two animals

So:

binatang can mean animal or animals, depending on context.
banyak binatang already clearly means many animals, so binatang-binatang is unnecessary.

Reduplication (like binatang-binatang) is possible, but it often adds nuances such as variety, emphasis, or a more “collective” feel. In everyday speech, banyak binatang is the normal, simple way to say many animals.

Why is it binatang besar and not besar binatang for “big animals”?

In Indonesian, the adjective usually comes after the noun:

binatang besar = big animal(s)
kebun binatang besar = big zoo
rumah baru = new house

So the pattern is:

noun + adjective

Putting besar before binatang (besar binatang) would be ungrammatical in this meaning. Adjectives like besar, kecil, lama, baru, panjang, etc. normally follow the noun.

What does seperti mean here, and how is it used?

Seperti means like, such as, or similar to.

In this sentence:

... banyak binatang besar seperti singa dan gajah.
= ... many big animals such as lions and elephants.

So the structure is:

X seperti A dan B = X such as A and B

Other examples:

Saya suka buah seperti mangga dan pepaya.
I like fruits such as mangoes and papayas.

You could also say:

... banyak binatang besar, misalnya singa dan gajah.
... many big animals, for example lions and elephants.

But seperti is more directly “like/such as”.

Why is there no word like “are” in ada banyak binatang besar?

Indonesian does not use a separate verb like to be (am/is/are) in this kind of structure. Instead:

ada covers the idea of there is / there are.
The rest is just noun and modifiers.

So:

Ada banyak binatang besar.
Literally: Exist many big animals.
Natural English: There are many big animals.

You don’t need anything like are after binatang besar.

How would I change this sentence to say “There were” or “There will be” many big animals?

Indonesian does not change ada for tense. You add time words if you need to be clear.

Present / general (as given):

Di kebun binatang itu ada banyak binatang besar...
In that zoo, there are many big animals...

Past (there were):

Dulu di kebun binatang itu ada banyak binatang besar...
In the past, there were many big animals in that zoo...

Or:

Kemarin di kebun binatang itu ada banyak binatang besar...
Yesterday, there were many big animals in that zoo...

Future (there will be):

Besok di kebun binatang itu akan ada banyak binatang besar...
Tomorrow, there will be many big animals in that zoo...

The key point: ada itself doesn’t change; you add time markers like dulu, kemarin, besok, akan, etc.

What does kebun binatang literally mean, and is it always “zoo”?

Literally:

kebun = garden
binatang = animal(s)

So kebun binatang = animal garden.

In modern Indonesian, kebun binatang is the standard word for zoo, not a general “garden with animals”. When you say kebun binatang, people will think of an organized zoo, not just any garden.

Why do we need di before kebun binatang itu?

Di is a preposition meaning in / at / on, depending on context. With places, it usually corresponds to in or at.

di kebun binatang itu = at/in that zoo

Without di, kebun binatang itu would simply be that zoo as a noun phrase, but the sentence needs a location phrase (in that zoo) to say where the animals are.

Compare:

Di sekolah ada perpustakaan.
At school, there is a library.
Di rumah saya ada dua anjing.
At my house, there are two dogs.

Is any classifier or measure word needed before binatang, like in some Asian languages?

No classifier is needed here. Indonesian can use classifiers, but they’re not obligatory in this kind of sentence.

You can say simply:

Ada banyak binatang besar.
There are many big animals.

If you want to be specific about number, you just add the number:

Ada tiga binatang besar.
There are three big animals.

Some nouns do use classifiers in certain contexts (like sebuah rumah, seekor kucing), and for animals seekor is common:

Ada tiga ekor singa.
There are three lions.

But with banyak binatang, no classifier is required; the sentence is natural as is.