Saya melihat singa dari dekat di kebun binatang.

I see a lion up close at the zoo.

Breakdown of Saya melihat singa dari dekat di kebun binatang.

• sebuah: a
• saya: I
• di: at
• melihat: to see
• kebun binatang: the zoo
• singa: the lion
• dari dekat: up close

Questions & Answers about Saya melihat singa dari dekat di kebun binatang.

What is the difference between saya and aku in this sentence? Can I say Aku melihat singa…?

Both mean “I”, but they differ in formality and context:

• saya: neutral–polite, used in most situations (speaking to strangers, older people, in class, at work, in writing). Safest default.
• aku: informal/intimate, used with close friends, family, or in songs, poems, etc.

So:

• Saya melihat singa dari dekat di kebun binatang. – polite/neutral.
• Aku melihat singa dari dekat di kebun binatang. – casual, to a friend.

Grammatically both are fine; choosing one just changes the level of formality.

Does melihat mean “to see” or “to look at”? Is there a difference between lihat and melihat?

melihat covers both “to see” and “to look at”, depending on context.

• lihat is the base verb (dictionary form).
• melihat is meN- + lihat, a common verb form in standard Indonesian.

In actual use:

• melihat – common in standard speech and writing:
  
  • Saya melihat singa… – I saw a lion / I looked at a lion.
• lihat – also used, especially in casual speech or commands:
  
  • Lihat singa itu! – Look at that lion!

Here, melihat is the normal, standard choice.

What does dari dekat literally mean, and why is dari used, not dengan?

Literally:

• dari = from
• dekat = near / close

So dari dekat literally is “from close(-by)”, but idiomatically it means “up close / from a short distance”.

Using dengan would be strange here:

• dengan dekat is not natural Indonesian.
• To express “closely” as a manner adverb, you might say dengan jarak dekat (with a short distance), but for “see something up close”, dari dekat is the normal phrase.

So melihat … dari dekat is an established collocation: “to see … up close.”

Is the word order fixed? Can I say Saya di kebun binatang melihat singa dari dekat?

The original order is the most natural:

• Saya melihat singa dari dekat di kebun binatang.

You can say:

• Saya di kebun binatang melihat singa dari dekat.

This is still grammatical, but it slightly shifts the focus:

• Saya di kebun binatang (As for me, at the zoo), (I) saw a lion up close.

In everyday speech, both orders are possible, but placing di kebun binatang at the end is very common and sounds smooth and neutral. For a learner, stick with the original order.

Is singa here singular (“a lion”) or plural (“lions”)? How do I show that clearly?

Indonesian nouns usually do not mark singular/plural. singa can mean “a lion” or “lions”, depending on context.

To make it clearer:

• Singular, “a lion”:
  • seekor singa – one (classifier for animals)
    
    • Saya melihat seekor singa… – I saw a lion…
• Plural, “lions”:
  • singa-singa – lions (reduplication)
  • banyak singa – many lions
    
    • Saya melihat banyak singa dari dekat… – I saw many lions up close…

So the original sentence is neutral about number; translation chooses “lion” or “lions” based on context.

If I want to say “the lion” (a specific lion), do I need itu in singa itu?

Yes, itu is the usual way to mark a specific, known referent, similar to “that/the” in many contexts.

• singa – a lion / lions (general, non-specific)
• singa itu – that lion / the lion (the one we are both thinking of)

Examples:

• Saya melihat singa dari dekat. – I saw a lion / (some) lions up close.
• Saya melihat singa itu dari dekat. – I saw that lion / the lion up close.

You can also combine with a classifier:

• Saya melihat seekor singa itu dari dekat. – uncommon; more natural:
• Saya melihat singa itu dari dekat.

Why is di used in di kebun binatang? What is the difference between di and ke?

• di = in / at / on (location)
• ke = to (direction/movement)

In this sentence, you are already at the zoo when you see the lion, so you use di:

• di kebun binatang – at the zoo

Compare:

• Saya pergi ke kebun binatang. – I go / went to the zoo. (movement)
• Saya melihat singa di kebun binatang. – I saw a lion at the zoo. (location)

Can I drop saya and just say Melihat singa dari dekat di kebun binatang?

In Indonesian, subject pronouns can be dropped when they are obvious from context, especially in informal speech or writing.

So:

• Melihat singa dari dekat di kebun binatang.

can be understood as “(I) saw a lion up close at the zoo.” if the context is clear.

However:

• In formal or careful Indonesian (essays, exams, textbooks), keeping saya is better.
• For learners, it’s safer to keep the subject until you’re comfortable with when omission is natural.

English uses the past tense “I saw…”. Why is Indonesian using melihat without any tense marker?

Indonesian verbs generally do not change for tense. melihat can mean see / sees / saw / will see depending on context.

If you want to be explicit about time, you add separate time words:

• tadi – earlier, just now
• kemarin – yesterday
• sudah – already
• akan – will

Examples:

• Saya tadi melihat singa… – I saw a lion earlier / just now.
• Saya sudah melihat singa… – I have already seen a lion…
• Saya akan melihat singa… – I will see a lion…

In your sentence, context would tell the listener it’s past, even though melihat itself is not marked for tense.

Is kebun binatang a fixed phrase meaning “zoo”? Can I just say zoo with an Indonesian accent?

Yes, kebun binatang is the standard Indonesian phrase for “zoo”.

Literally:

• kebun = garden
• binatang = animals

So kebun binatang = “animal garden”, but idiomatically it means zoo.

People will understand zoo pronounced in an English way, especially in big cities, but:

• In standard Indonesian and in writing, kebun binatang is the normal and more appropriate term.