Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya suka drama keluarga di televisi.

The word order is very close to English here: subject – verb – object – place.
The only real difference is inside drama keluarga, where the modifying word (keluarga, “family”) comes after the noun, unlike English “family drama.”

Why is keluarga after drama, not before it like in English?

In Indonesian, most modifiers come after the noun they modify.

drama keluarga = family drama(s) (literally “drama family”)
film horor = horror movie
baju merah = red shirt

So drama is the main noun, and keluarga narrows down what kind of drama it is.
This is normal word order in Indonesian; putting keluarga before drama (keluarga drama) would be wrong.

Does drama keluarga mean one drama or many dramas?

By itself, drama keluarga is number‑neutral. It can mean:

“a family drama”
“family dramas”
“the family drama(s)”

Indonesian doesn’t mark plural with ‑s like English. If you want to be clear, you add words like:

banyak drama keluarga = many family dramas
beberapa drama keluarga = several family dramas
drama‑drama keluarga = family dramas (reduplication to show plural, more written/formal)

Why is there no word for “the” or “a” in the sentence?

Indonesian generally doesn’t use articles like “a” or “the.” Whether the noun is specific or general is guessed from context:

Saya suka drama keluarga di televisi
can be:
- “I like family dramas on TV (in general).”
- “I like the family drama(s) on TV (that we’re talking about).”

If you really need to be explicit, you use other words:

sebuah drama keluarga = a/one family drama
drama keluarga itu = that / the family drama

Is saya necessary, or can I just say Suka drama keluarga di televisi?

You can drop saya if the subject “I” is clear from context:

(Saya) suka drama keluarga di televisi.

In casual conversation, Indonesians often omit pronouns when it’s obvious who is being talked about. However, in isolation or in writing, including Saya is clearer and more natural.

What’s the difference between saya and aku?

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

saya
- Neutral / polite / standard
- Safe in almost any situation (formal or informal)
- Used with strangers, in the workplace, in writing, on TV news, etc.
aku
- More informal / intimate
- Used with close friends, family, or in songs, poems, and casual speech

So you could also say:

Aku suka drama keluarga di televisi.

That sounds more casual and personal than Saya suka…

Why is suka used here and not cinta?

Both translate as “to like/love,” but they’re used differently:

suka = to like, to enjoy, to be fond of
- For things, activities, and people you simply “like.”
- Saya suka drama keluarga. = I like family dramas.
cinta = (to) love (strong, romantic or deep love)
- Usually for people, sometimes for country/God/very strong passions.
- Saya cinta keluarga saya. = I love my family.

You don’t normally say Saya cinta drama keluarga unless you mean an exaggerated, very strong emotional “love” for that genre. Suka is the normal choice for TV genres.

Is there a more formal or written way to say suka, like menyukai?

Yes:

suka = everyday, neutral, very common
menyukai = more formal / written / slightly higher style

You could say:

Saya menyukai drama keluarga di televisi.

This is grammatically correct and sounds formal, maybe like something in an essay or article. In normal speech, Saya suka… is much more common and natural.

What does di televisi add to the sentence exactly?

di is a preposition for location (“in / at / on”), and televisi is “television.”
So di televisi = on TV / on television.

It specifies where you watch those family dramas: on TV, as opposed to:

di bioskop = at the cinema
di Netflix (colloquially used)
di YouTube
di internet = on the internet

The basic pattern is: [place preposition di] + [location/medium].

Can I say di TV instead of di televisi?

Yes, absolutely. In everyday speech people very often say:

Saya suka drama keluarga di TV.

You may also see or hear:

di tivi (informal spelling/pronunciation)

Televisi is a bit more formal or written; TV feels more casual and modern. Both are correct.

Can di televisi go at the beginning or somewhere else in the sentence?

Yes. Indonesian word order is fairly flexible for these place phrases. All are possible:

Saya suka drama keluarga di televisi.
(most neutral)
Di televisi, saya suka drama keluarga.
(emphasis on “On TV, I like family dramas…”)
Saya di televisi suka drama keluarga.
(possible, but sounds odd and unnatural here)

Most of the time, place phrases like di televisi come after the object, just like in the original sentence.

How do I say “I like watching family dramas on TV,” not just “I like family dramas on TV”?

You can add menonton (“to watch”) or nonton (informal):

Saya suka menonton drama keluarga di televisi.
= I like watching family dramas on TV.

In everyday speech:

Saya suka nonton drama keluarga di TV.

Here the structure is:

Saya (I)
suka menonton (like to watch)
drama keluarga (family dramas)
di televisi / di TV (on TV)

Does this sentence talk about now, the past, or always? There’s no tense marking.

Indonesian verbs do not change for tense. Suka stays the same for past, present, or future; the time is understood from context or extra words:

Saya suka drama keluarga di televisi.
Usually interpreted as a general/habitual statement:
“I like family dramas on TV (in general).”

To be more explicit:

Dulu saya suka drama keluarga di televisi.
= I used to like family dramas on TV.
Sekarang saya suka drama keluarga di televisi.
= Now I like family dramas on TV.
Nanti saya akan suka drama keluarga di televisi.
(unnatural idea, but grammatically “I will like family dramas on TV.”)

So tense is handled with time words (like dulu, sekarang, nanti, kemarin, besok) or auxiliaries like sudah (already), akan (will).