Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kebun binatang itu sering dikunjungi keluarga kami.

Itu is a demonstrative that usually means “that”, but in many contexts it also works like “the” in English, pointing to something specific that both speaker and listener know.

kebun binatang itu can be:
- “that zoo” (if contrasting with another zoo, or pointing at it)
- “the zoo” (the one you both already know about)

If you drop itu and just say kebun binatang, it sounds more general, like “a zoo” or “zoos” in general, not a specific one.

Why does the sentence start with kebun binatang itu if the family is the one doing the visiting?

The sentence is in passive voice (Indonesian passive type I):

Kebun binatang itu = the thing affected (the zoo)
sering dikunjungi = is often visited
keluarga kami = by our family (the doer/agent)

So the structure is:

[Thing affected] + [passive verb] + [agent]
Kebun binatang itu sering dikunjungi (oleh) keluarga kami.
“That zoo is often visited by our family.”

In Indonesian, it’s very natural to put the thing affected (the zoo) first in a passive sentence, even though the real doer is the family at the end.

What’s the difference between dikunjungi and mengunjungi?

Both come from the root kunjung (visit), but:

mengunjungi = active voice
- pattern: meN- + root + -i
- means: “to visit (something/someone)”
- example: Keluarga kami sering mengunjungi kebun binatang itu.
  “Our family often visits that zoo.”
dikunjungi = passive voice
- pattern: di- + root + -i
- means: “to be visited (by someone)”
- example: Kebun binatang itu sering dikunjungi keluarga kami.
  “That zoo is often visited by our family.”

So the main difference is voice:

mengunjungi focuses on who visits.
dikunjungi focuses on what is visited.

Why isn’t there a word for “by” before keluarga kami? Shouldn’t it be oleh keluarga kami?

In passive sentences, oleh = “by” is optional when the agent is clear and short:

Full form: Kebun binatang itu sering dikunjungi oleh keluarga kami.
Natural everyday form: Kebun binatang itu sering dikunjungi keluarga kami.

Both mean the same thing: “That zoo is often visited by our family.”

Leaving out oleh is very common and sounds natural, especially in speech. You normally add oleh:

when the agent is long/complex
when you want to emphasize or clarify the agent

Where does sering normally go in a sentence like this, and could it move?

Sering means often, and in this sentence it comes before the verb phrase:

Kebun binatang itu sering dikunjungi keluarga kami.

This is the most natural placement:
subject + sering + verb (phrase)

Other possibilities:

Kebun binatang itu dikunjungi keluarga kami sering.
Sounds less natural and a bit marked; feels like emphasis on how often.
Keluarga kami sering mengunjungi kebun binatang itu. (active voice)
Here again, sering goes before the verb mengunjungi.

So, general rule: put sering just before the main verb or verb phrase.

Is there any difference in meaning between
Kebun binatang itu sering dikunjungi keluarga kami
and
Keluarga kami sering mengunjungi kebun binatang itu?

The basic meaning (who visits what, and how often) is the same.

Differences are in focus and style:

Kebun binatang itu sering dikunjungi keluarga kami.
- passive
- focuses on the zoo (the place)
- natural if you’re already talking about that zoo or places people visit
Keluarga kami sering mengunjungi kebun binatang itu.
- active
- focuses on our family (the doer)
- natural if you’re describing your family’s habits

Both are correct and common; choice depends on what you want to emphasize: the zoo or the family.

What exactly does keluarga kami mean? Is keluarga singular or plural?

keluarga = family
kami = we / us (not including the listener)

So keluarga kami = “our family”.

In Indonesian, keluarga is grammatically singular, but it refers to a group of people, similar to English “family”. There is no separate plural form like “families” here; you’d say keluarga-keluarga if you really needed to pluralize it.

In this sentence, keluarga kami is treated as one unit: “our family” as a group that often visits the zoo.

Why is it kami and not kita in keluarga kami?

Indonesian distinguishes:

kami = we / our (excluding the listener)
kita = we / our (including the listener)

Keluarga kami means “our family (not including you)”.
If you say keluarga kita, it means “our family (including you)” – e.g., you and the person you’re talking to are in the same family.

So in most neutral cases where you talk about your own family to someone not in that family, you use keluarga kami.

How is tense expressed here? Does this sentence mean visited, has visited, or visits?

Indonesian verbs do not change form for tense. Dikunjungi itself is tenseless.

The sentence

Kebun binatang itu sering dikunjungi keluarga kami.

can be translated depending on context as:

“That zoo is often visited by our family.” (present/habitual)
“That zoo was often visited by our family.” (past habitual)

Because of sering (“often”), the basic idea is habit/repeated action, not a single event.

If you need to be explicit:

Dulu, kebun binatang itu sering dikunjungi keluarga kami.
“In the past, that zoo was often visited by our family.”
Sekarang, kebun binatang itu sering dikunjungi keluarga kami.
“Nowadays, that zoo is often visited by our family.”

Is dikunjungi always used with places, or can it be used with people too?

Dikunjungi = “to be visited” can be used both for places and people.

Examples:

Place:
Kebun binatang itu sering dikunjungi wisatawan.
“That zoo is often visited by tourists.”
Person:
Nenek saya sering dikunjungi tetangga.
“My grandmother is often visited by the neighbors.”

So the pattern is:
[person/place] + dikunjungi + [visitor].