Kami melihat matahari terbenam di tepi danau.

We see the sunset at the lakeside.

Breakdown of Kami melihat matahari terbenam di tepi danau.

• kami: we
• matahari terbenam: the sunset
• melihat: to see
• di tepi: at the edge of
• danau: the lake

Questions & Answers about Kami melihat matahari terbenam di tepi danau.

What is the difference between kami and kita, and why is kami used here?

Both mean we, but:

• kami = we (not including the person you’re talking to) – exclusive we
• kita = we (including the person you’re talking to) – inclusive we

Kami melihat matahari terbenam di tepi danau implies:

• The speaker and their group watched the sunset.
• The listener was not part of that group.

If the listener was also there, you would normally say:
Kita melihat matahari terbenam di tepi danau.

Why isn’t there a word for “the” before matahari or danau?

Indonesian does not use articles like the or a/an.

• matahari can mean the sun or a sun depending on context.
• danau can mean the lake or a lake.

Context tells you whether English should use the or a, so:
Kami melihat matahari terbenam di tepi danau.
can be translated as:

• We saw *the sunset at the lake.*
• or We saw *a sunset at a lake.*

The Indonesian sentence itself doesn’t mark that difference.

Is matahari terbenam a noun like “sunset”, or does it literally mean “the sun is sinking”?

It can work in both ways, depending on context:

• As a noun phrase (thing):

  • matahari terbenam ≈ sunset
  • Example: Saya suka matahari terbenam. – I like sunsets.

• As a descriptive phrase:

  • matahari = sun
  • terbenam = sunk / setting / in the state of going down
    So matahari terbenam also literally means the sun (that is) setting/has set.

In your sentence, it’s most natural to understand it as watching the sunset.

What does the prefix ter- in terbenam mean?

ter- is a common prefix with several functions. In terbenam, it mainly expresses a state or result:

• benam = to sink (root)
• terbenam = in a sunk state / has sunk / is setting

So matahari terbenam is the sun in the state of having sunk / sinking → sunset.
You’ll see similar patterns:

• matahari terbit – sunrise (sun that has risen / is rising)
• pintu tertutup – the door is closed
• piring terjatuh – the plate has fallen / is in a fallen state

Can I say matahari tenggelam instead of matahari terbenam?

You can, but there’s a nuance:

• terbenam – the usual, neutral word used for the sun setting.
• tenggelam – to sink, usually for things going under water (a ship, a person, an object).

People sometimes say matahari tenggelam, but it can sound more poetic or less standard.
For everyday, natural speech, matahari terbenam is the default for sunset.

Why do we use melihat and not menonton or melihatkan?

• melihat = to see, to look at (neutral, widest usage)

  • Kami melihat matahari terbenam. – We saw / watched the sunset.

• menonton = to watch something like a show, movie, game (more like watch as entertainment).

  • menonton film, menonton TV, menonton pertandingan.

• melihatkan is a different verb (to show something to someone), and would be wrong here.

You can say:

• Kami menonton matahari terbenam.
  but melihat is more neutral and common. Menonton can sound like you’re treating the sunset as a “show.”

How do I know this happened in the past? There is no past tense marker.

Indonesian verbs don’t change form for tense. Melihat can mean:

• see / are seeing / saw

Time is usually shown by context or time words:

• Kemarin kami melihat matahari terbenam di tepi danau.
  – Yesterday we saw the sunset at the lake.

• Nanti sore kami akan melihat matahari terbenam.
  – This afternoon we will watch the sunset.

In your isolated sentence, English speakers naturally interpret it as past, but Indonesian itself doesn’t specify that.

What exactly does di tepi danau mean? Can I break it down?

Yes:

• di = at / on / in (location preposition)
• tepi = edge, side, bank (of something)
• danau = lake

So di tepi danau = at the edge of the lake, by the lake, on the lakeshore.

A common synonym is di pinggir danau, which has a very similar meaning (by the side of the lake).

Can I change the word order, like Di tepi danau, kami melihat matahari terbenam?

Yes. You can move the place phrase around for emphasis or style:

• Kami melihat matahari terbenam di tepi danau.
  (Neutral order; place comes at the end.)

• Di tepi danau, kami melihat matahari terbenam.
  (Emphasizes at the lake.)

• Kami di tepi danau melihat matahari terbenam.
  (Also possible; slightly more marked, but still acceptable.)

All are grammatically correct; the basic meaning stays the same.

Could I drop kami and just say Melihat matahari terbenam di tepi danau?

You can, but the function changes:

• Melihat matahari terbenam di tepi danau.
  As a standalone sentence, this often sounds like:
  • a note/title: Watching the sunset at the lake
  • or a fragment, not a full statement with a clear subject.

In normal full sentences, you usually keep the subject (kami).
Omitting kami is fine in:

• captions: Melihat matahari terbenam di tepi danau.
• diary headings, to‑do lists, etc.

Is matahari terbenam countable? Can I say satu matahari terbenam?

Yes, in the sense of one occurrence of a sunset, you can treat it as countable:

• Kami menikmati satu matahari terbenam yang sangat indah.
  – We enjoyed one very beautiful sunset.

More natural, though, is to use a general noun like:

• satu kali matahari terbenam – one sunset time/event
• beberapa matahari terbenam yang indah – several beautiful sunsets

Are there other words for danau, and do they sound different in style?

Yes, a few related words:

• danau – standard Indonesian for lake; neutral in style.
• telaga – often a smaller, sometimes more poetic term for a lake/pond.
• tasik – more common in Malay and some Indonesian regions; in standard Indonesian, danau is more universal.

In this sentence, danau is the most natural and widely understood choice.