Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Perhatikan lampu yang berkedip di langit-langit. - Pay attention to the light that is blinking on the ceiling.

Perhatikan is an imperative verb meaning pay attention to / notice / observe.
It comes from memperhatikan (to pay attention to), which is related to the noun perhatian (attention).

In an imperative, Indonesian often drops the prefix and keeps the base + -kan:

memperhatikan → Perhatikan! (Pay attention to…)
melihat → Lihat! (Look!)

Differences:

Perhatikan lampu… = Focus on it, notice it carefully (more active, attentive).
Lihat lampu… = Look at the lamp (can be more casual, just directing your gaze).

So Perhatikan is slightly stronger and suggests careful observation, not just glancing.

Why is there no word for you in the sentence?

Indonesian often omits the subject you when it’s clear from context, especially in imperatives (commands/requests).

Perhatikan lampu… literally: “Pay attention to the lamp…”
The subject you is understood: “(You) pay attention to the lamp…”

You could add it, but it’s usually unnecessary:

Kamu perhatikan lampu… (You pay attention to the lamp…)
Tolong perhatikan lampu… (Please pay attention to the lamp…)

The bare Perhatikan… is a very natural, standard way to give an instruction.

What is the function of yang in lampu yang berkedip?

Yang is a marker that turns what follows into a clause describing the noun before it. In English, it often corresponds to that / which / who in relative clauses.

lampu yang berkedip = the lamp that is blinking

Structure:

lampu = lamp
yang berkedip = that is blinking (describing lampu)

Without yang, lampu berkedip is more like “the lamp blinks” (a full sentence or a looser noun + verb combination), not “the lamp that is blinking” as a single noun phrase. Yang tightly links the description to the noun, making it clearly “the blinking lamp.”

Could we remove yang and just say Perhatikan lampu berkedip di langit-langit?

You can hear things like lampu berkedip in speech, but strictly speaking, to express “the lamp that is blinking,” Indonesian prefers yang:

Perhatikan lampu yang berkedip di langit-langit.
= Pay attention to the lamp that is blinking on the ceiling.

If you say Perhatikan lampu berkedip di langit-langit, it can sound less precise or a bit off to many native speakers, because it can be interpreted as “Pay attention: the lamp blinks on the ceiling” instead of a clear “the blinking lamp.” In careful / textbook language, keep yang for this kind of relative clause.

What does berkedip mean, and how is it formed?

Berkedip means to blink / to flicker.

Morphology:

Root: kedip = blink (the action)
Prefix: ber- (often makes intransitive verbs: “to do / have / be in the state of X”)

So:

ber-
- kedip → berkedip = to be in a blinking state / to blink.

In context:

lampu yang berkedip = the lamp that is blinking / flickering.

The English meaning is “the lamp that is blinking”. Where is the word for is in Indonesian?

Indonesian normally does not use a separate word like is/are/am to show the present progressive (is blinking, is eating, etc.).

Aspect (ongoing, completed, etc.) is often understood from context. So:

lampu yang berkedip can be translated as:
- the lamp that is blinking
- the lamp that blinks depending on context.

If you really want to emphasize “is currently blinking,” you can add sedang:

lampu yang sedang berkedip = the lamp that is currently blinking.

But in many cases, yang berkedip alone is enough; English needs “is,” Indonesian doesn’t.

What is the difference between berkedip, berkelap-kelip, and menyala?

All can be related to lights, but they’re not identical:

berkedip
= to blink, flicker (on–off, like eyes or a blinking light).
lampu yang berkedip → blinking/flickering lamp.
berkelap-kelip
= to twinkle, sparkle (repeated small flashes, often decorative).
lampu berkelap-kelip → twinkling lights (e.g. Christmas lights).
menyala
= to be on, to be lit (steady light).
lampu yang menyala → the lamp that is on / lit (not necessarily blinking).

In your sentence, berkedip focuses on the on–off blinking or flickering behavior.

What does langit-langit mean, and why is the word repeated?

Langit-langit means ceiling (the inside top surface of a room).

langit alone usually means sky.
Reduplication (langit-langit) forms a different word with a new meaning: ceiling.

This is a common pattern in Indonesian: reduplication can show plurality, intensity, or, as here, a completely new lexical meaning. You must keep the hyphen:

langit-langit (ceiling)
not langit langit.

Why is the preposition di used in di langit-langit?

Di is the basic preposition for in / at / on with locations.

di langit-langit = on the ceiling (or “at the ceiling” as a location).

Indonesian uses di where English might use on, in, or at, depending on context:

di meja = on the table
di rumah = at home / in the house
di langit-langit = on the ceiling

So di simply marks the location of the lamp.

Could we change the word order, for example: Perhatikan lampu di langit-langit yang berkedip?

Yes, that word order is also grammatically correct and natural:

Perhatikan lampu yang berkedip di langit-langit.
→ “Pay attention to the lamp that is blinking on the ceiling.”
(focus a bit more on the “blinking” quality)
Perhatikan lampu di langit-langit yang berkedip.
→ “Pay attention to the lamp on the ceiling that is blinking.”
(first identify which lamp by location—on the ceiling—then say it’s blinking)

Both normally refer to the same lamp here. The difference is subtle and usually doesn’t matter in everyday speech.

Is Perhatikan polite, or could it sound too direct?

Bare Perhatikan… is a neutral imperative. In many contexts (instructions, classroom, manuals, announcements) it’s perfectly fine and not rude.

To soften or make it more polite/friendly, you can add words like:

Tolong perhatikan lampu… = Please pay attention to the lamp…
Coba perhatikan lampu… = Try to pay attention to the lamp…
Silakan perhatikan lampu… = Please (go ahead and) pay attention to the lamp… (more formal/polite)

So politeness is adjusted by adding these softeners, not by changing Perhatikan itself.

Where does Perhatikan come from? Is perhati a root?

The deeper root is hati (heart), and from it we get:

hati = heart
perhatian = attention (literally “the matter of the heart / focusing of the heart”)
memperhatikan = to pay attention to

For the imperative, memperhatikan becomes Perhatikan!:

Memperhatikan lampu… = (to) pay attention to the lamp…
Perhatikan lampu… = Pay attention to the lamp…

So Perhatikan is the imperative form derived from memperhatikan, which in turn is related to perhatian and hati.

Can I say Perhatikanlah lampu yang berkedip di langit-langit? What does -lah do?

Yes, you can say:

Perhatikanlah lampu yang berkedip di langit-langit.

The particle -lah is often attached to verbs to:

soften a command,
make it sound more formal, or
add a bit of emphasis/storytelling tone.

Comparing:

Perhatikan lampu… = Pay attention to the lamp… (plain imperative)
Perhatikanlah lampu… = Do pay attention to the lamp… / Please pay attention to the lamp… (slightly softer or more formal)

Both are correct; -lah is optional and chosen mainly for style and tone.