Penjaga kebun binatang menjelaskan bahwa ular jinak tetap harus dihormati.

The zookeeper explains that even tame snakes still have to be respected.

Breakdown of Penjaga kebun binatang menjelaskan bahwa ular jinak tetap harus dihormati.

• tetap: still
• harus: must
• bahwa: that
• menjelaskan: to explain
• ular: the snake
• jinak: tame
• penjaga kebun binatang: the zookeeper
• dihormati: to be respected

Questions & Answers about Penjaga kebun binatang menjelaskan bahwa ular jinak tetap harus dihormati.

What does penjaga kebun binatang literally mean, and why is it used instead of just one word for “zookeeper”?

Penjaga kebun binatang is a noun phrase made of:

• penjaga = guard / keeper / caretaker (from jaga, “to guard, watch, take care of”)
• kebun binatang = zoo (literally “animal garden”)

So the literal meaning is “the keeper/guard of the zoo.” Together, it functions like the English word “zookeeper.”

Indonesian often builds specific professions by combining a general role word (like penjaga) with the thing/place involved (kebun binatang, toko = shop, etc.), instead of having a single, fused word for “zookeeper.”

Why is kebun binatang used for “zoo”? It looks like it means something else literally.

Yes, kebun binatang is literally:

• kebun = garden, plantation, yard
• binatang = animal

So kebun binatang literally means “animal garden.” This is simply the standard Indonesian term for “zoo.”

Many languages use similar ideas (like “animal park”), and Indonesian uses the image of a garden filled with animals rather than just a single word borrowed from “zoo.”

What is the role of bahwa in this sentence, and can it be left out?

In “Penjaga kebun binatang menjelaskan bahwa ular jinak tetap harus dihormati,” the word bahwa introduces a subordinate clause, similar to “that” in English:

• menjelaskan bahwa… = explained that…

So the structure is:

• Main clause: Penjaga kebun binatang menjelaskan
• Subordinate clause (introduced by bahwa): ular jinak tetap harus dihormati

You can often drop bahwa in everyday spoken Indonesian without changing the meaning:

• Penjaga kebun binatang menjelaskan (bahwa) ular jinak tetap harus dihormati.

With bahwa, it sounds a bit more formal/explicit; without it, more casual and conversational, but still correct.

What does menjelaskan mean exactly, and how is it different from just “saying”?

Menjelaskan comes from jelas (clear) + meN- (verb prefix), so it literally means “to make clear,” “to explain.”

• menjelaskan = to explain (give reasons, make something clear)
• mengatakan = to say (report speech)
• berkata = to say / speak (more like “to utter words”)

In this sentence:

• Penjaga kebun binatang menjelaskan bahwa…
  = The zookeeper explained that…

You would not normally use mengatakan here if you want to emphasize clarifying or instructing; menjelaskan fits better when you’re giving an explanation or teaching.

Why is ular (snake) not marked as singular or plural? The English meaning is “snakes.”

Indonesian nouns generally do not have grammatical singular/plural marking the way English does. Ular can mean:

• a snake
• the snake
• snakes

The correct English number is inferred from context, not from the Indonesian word form. If you wanted to be explicitly plural, you could say:

• ular-ular jinak = tame snakes (reduplication for emphasis on plurality)

But in everyday Indonesian, context (“rules in a zoo,” general statement) makes it natural to understand ular jinak as “tame snakes” in general.

Why does the adjective jinak (tame) come after ular, not before it?

Indonesian noun-adjective order is typically:

• noun + adjective

So you say:

• ular jinak = tame snake(s)
• kucing besar = big cat
• rumah baru = new house

Putting the adjective first (jinak ular) would be incorrect in standard Indonesian. So ular jinak follows the regular pattern: noun (ular) followed by its describing word (jinak).

What exactly does jinak mean, and how is it different from words like ramah (“friendly”)?

Jinak primarily means:

• tame, domesticated, not wild / not dangerous (by nature or behavior).

Examples:

• anjing jinak = a tame dog (not feral, under control)
• burung jinak = a tamed bird

Ramah means “friendly, welcoming” (more about personality, not wildness). For animals, ramah can sound a bit anthropomorphic or cutesy; jinak is the neutral, standard word for “tame.”

So ular jinak focuses on them being tame / under control, not necessarily that they are “friendly.”

How should I understand tetap harus? Why use both tetap (“still”) and harus (“must”)?

Tetap and harus together give a nuance of “even so / nonetheless, still must.”

• tetap = still, remain, continue to be
• harus = must, have to

In ular jinak tetap harus dihormati, it suggests:

Even though the snakes are tame, they still must be respected.

This combination often appears when there’s a contrast with something that might reduce the need for the action, but doesn’t:

• Walaupun sudah divaksin, kita tetap harus berhati-hati.
  = Even though we’ve been vaccinated, we still must be careful.

Could I say ular jinak harus tetap dihormati instead? Is there a difference?

Yes, you can say:

• ular jinak harus tetap dihormati

Both:

• tetap harus dihormati
• harus tetap dihormati

are grammatically acceptable and mean roughly the same: “must still be respected.”

Very subtle nuance:

• tetap harus can feel a bit more like “they still have to be…”
• harus tetap can feel slightly more like “they must continue to be…”

In most everyday contexts, the difference is minimal, and both sound natural. The original tetap harus is very common and idiomatic.

What does dihormati mean, and how is it formed?

Dihormati is the passive form of menghormati (“to respect, to honor”).

• Root: hormat = respect, honor
• menghormati = to respect (active: someone respects something/someone)
• dihormati = to be respected (passive)

So:

• ular jinak tetap harus dihormati
  literally: tame snakes still must be-respected.

In English we translate this as “tame snakes still have to be respected.” The di- prefix is the usual marker for passive verbs in Indonesian.

Who is doing the “respecting” in dihormati? It isn’t stated.

In Indonesian passive sentences, the agent (the doer) is often left implicit if it’s obvious from context or general (people in general, we, you, everyone).

In this sentence, the implied meaning is:

• (Para pengunjung / kita / orang-orang) tetap harus menghormati ular jinak.
  = (Visitors / we / people) still must respect tame snakes.

The focus is on the snakes and the necessity of respecting them, not on explicitly naming “zoo visitors.” That’s why the passive dihormati without an agent is natural here.

Could this sentence be written in active voice instead? How would it look and how would the nuance change?

Yes, you can make it active:

• Penjaga kebun binatang menjelaskan bahwa kita tetap harus menghormati ular jinak.
  = The zookeeper explained that we still must respect tame snakes.

Here:

• kita (“we”) is the subject doing the action.
• menghormati is the active verb.

Nuance difference:

• Passive (ular jinak … dihormati):
  Emphasizes the snakes and the required attitude toward them.
• Active (kita … menghormati ular jinak):
  Emphasizes us and what we must do.

The original sentence keeps the focus more on the snakes as the thing that must be respected.

Does dihormati mean “respected” or “honored”? Is it too strong for animals?

Menghormati / dihormati can mean both:

• to respect (in a general sense)
• to honor (in more formal or ceremonial contexts)

For animals, menghormati does not sound too strong or strange. It’s commonly used to mean:

• treat with respect / proper caution / proper attitude,
  not casually, carelessly, or cruelly.

In the zoo context, ular jinak tetap harus dihormati implies:

• Don’t underestimate them.
• Don’t treat them roughly.
• Maintain a respectful, careful attitude.

So “respected” is the best everyday translation here, not “honored” in a ceremonial sense.

Is Penjaga kebun binatang a fixed phrase like “zookeeper,” or can I change the order?

The normal, natural phrase is:

• penjaga kebun binatang = zookeeper

Breaking or reordering it like:

• kebun binatang penjaga
• penjaga di kebun binatang (keeper at the zoo)

has different effects:

• kebun binatang penjaga → incorrect word order; sounds wrong.
• penjaga di kebun binatang → grammatical, but describes a keeper who works at a zoo, not the compact role name “zookeeper” itself. It’s more descriptive.

For a job title or role (like “zookeeper”), penjaga kebun binatang is the standard expression.