Saya suka pelajaran fisika.

I like physics lessons.

Breakdown of Saya suka pelajaran fisika.

• saya: I
• suka: to like
• pelajaran: the lesson
• fisika: physics

Questions & Answers about Saya suka pelajaran fisika.

In this sentence, do I have to say Saya, or could I just say Suka pelajaran fisika?

You don’t have to say Saya, but it’s usually better to keep it, especially as a learner.

• Saya suka pelajaran fisika. = clear: I like physics class.
• Suka pelajaran fisika. = could mean “(I/you/he/she/they) like physics class”, depending on context.

Dropping the subject is common in conversation after it’s obvious who you’re talking about. For a full, clear sentence, especially in writing or when answering in isolation, keep Saya.

What’s the difference between saya and aku?

Both mean “I / me”, but they differ in formality and closeness.

• saya

  • Neutral–polite, safe in almost any situation.
  • Used with strangers, teachers, in public, in writing, at work.

• aku

  • Informal / intimate.
  • Used with friends, family, close people, in songs, etc.

So:

• Saya suka pelajaran fisika. = polite/neutral.
• Aku suka pelajaran fisika. = casual/close.

In some regions you’ll hear other informal forms like gue / gua (Jakarta), ane, etc., but saya and aku are the main two to know.

Can I say Saya suka fisika instead of Saya suka pelajaran fisika? Does it mean the same thing?

They’re very close, but not exactly the same in nuance:

• Saya suka fisika.
  = I like physics (as a subject / field).
  Focus: physics in general.

• Saya suka pelajaran fisika.
  = I like physics class / physics lessons.
  Focus: the lessons or classes, especially in a school setting.

In everyday speech both are fine. Use:

• fisika alone when talking about physics as a science.
• pelajaran fisika when talking about physics as a school subject / scheduled class.

What exactly does pelajaran mean here? Is it “lesson”, “subject”, or “class”?

pelajaran is a noun built from ajar (“to teach”). It can cover several related ideas, depending on context:

• lesson – what is taught/learned in one session
• (school) subject – like physics, math, history
• course/class – in the sense of “physics class” at school

In pelajaran fisika, it’s best understood as:

the physics lessons / classes / subject at school.

If you want to emphasize the physical class session or classroom itself, you might instead hear:

• kelas fisika = physics class (group / room / period)
• mata pelajaran fisika = the school subject “Physics” (more formal; used on timetables, forms, official documents)

Why is fisika not capitalized? In English we write Physics with a capital P.

Indonesian capitalization rules are different from English:

• Names of school subjects / fields of study are normally not capitalized:
  • fisika (physics)
  • matematika (mathematics)
  • kimia (chemistry)
  • sejarah (history)

They are capitalized only when:

• They begin a sentence: Fisika adalah…
• They are part of a title or proper name: Jurusan Fisika Universitas X.

An important exception: Bahasa Indonesia is capitalized because it is the name of a language, which counts as a proper noun. But fisika here is just a common noun, so it stays lowercase.

What kind of word is suka? Is it like a verb “to like” or an adjective like “fond of”?

In Indonesian, suka is usually treated as a stative verb (“to like”), but it behaves a bit like both a verb and an adjective:

• You use it as the main predicate, without any form of “to be”:
  • Saya suka pelajaran fisika.
    Literally: I like physics lessons.

Pattern:

[Subject] + suka + [thing/person/activity you like]

Examples:

• Dia suka kopi. = He/She likes coffee.
• Mereka suka kamu. = They like you.
• Aku suka membaca. = I like reading.

So in practice, you can think of suka as equivalent to English “like” as a verb.

How do I say “I liked physics” or “I used to like physics” in Indonesian, if suka doesn’t change form?

Indonesian verbs, including suka, normally do not change form for tense. Instead, you add time words to show past, present, or future.

• I liked physics / I used to like physics.

  • Dulu saya suka pelajaran fisika.
    (dulu = in the past / before)
  • Waktu kecil, saya suka pelajaran fisika.
    (waktu kecil = when I was little)

• I like physics (now).

  • Sekarang saya suka pelajaran fisika.
    (sekarang = now)

• I will like / I think I will like physics.
  Literal “I will like” (Saya akan suka pelajaran fisika) sounds a bit odd; people more often say:

  • Sepertinya saya akan suka pelajaran fisika.
    = It seems (that) I will like physics.
  • Kayaknya saya bakal suka pelajaran fisika. (more casual)

Key point: suka stays the same; the time word does the tense work.

Does pelajaran fisika refer to physics in general, or specifically to school physics classes?

By default, pelajaran fisika suggests school-related physics:

• the physics subject
• the physics lessons on your timetable
• your physics class at school

If you want to talk about physics more as a field of science, independent of school, you’d usually just say:

• Saya suka fisika. = I like physics (as a science).

Context will often make it clear, but pelajaran fisika naturally makes people think of school.

If I want to say “I like this physics class” (a specific class I’m in now), how do I say that?

Add a demonstrative word like ini (this) or itu (that):

• Saya suka pelajaran fisika ini.
  = I like this physics class / these physics lessons (the one we’re talking about now).

You can also say:

• Saya suka kelas fisika ini.
  = I like this physics class (emphasizing the particular class group / teacher / period).

Without ini/itu, Saya suka pelajaran fisika sounds more general: you like physics lessons as a subject overall.

Can pelajaran fisika mean “physics homework” too?

No. pelajaran fisika refers to lessons / subject, not homework or assignments.

For homework you’d typically hear:

• PR fisika
  (PR = pekerjaan rumah = homework)
• tugas fisika = a physics assignment/task
• pekerjaan rumah fisika = physics homework (more spelled out)

So:

• Saya suka pelajaran fisika. = I like physics class/lessons.
• Saya tidak suka PR fisika. = I don’t like physics homework.

How do you pronounce Saya suka pelajaran fisika?

Rough breakdown (Indonesian has very regular spelling):

• Saya → sa-ya

  • sa like “sa” in “saga”
  • ya like “ya” in “yard” (but shorter)

• suka → su-ka

  • su like “soo” in “soon”
  • ka like “ka” in “kart”

• pelajaran → pe-la-ja-ran

  • pe like “pe” in “pencil” but shorter, more like pə
  • la like “la” in “lava”
  • ja = “ja” with j as in “judge”
  • ran like “run” but with a tapped/flapped r

• fisika → fi-si-ka

  • fi like “fee”
  • si like “see”
  • ka like “ka” in “kart”

Stress is usually near the end of each word:
sa-YA SU-ka pe-la-JA-ran fi-SI-ka (not extremely strong stress like in English).

All consonants are pronounced clearly; there are no silent letters.