Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kadang saya memanaskan makan siang di microwave kantor. - Sometimes I heat up lunch in the office microwave.

Kadang saya memanaskan makan siang…
Emphasizes the frequency: Sometimes, I heat up my lunch…
Saya kadang memanaskan makan siang…
Emphasizes the subject a bit more: I sometimes heat up my lunch…

In Indonesian, adverbs of frequency such as kadang, sering, jarang can appear:

at the beginning of the sentence: Kadang saya…
after the subject: Saya kadang…

There is no change in basic meaning; it’s more about slight emphasis and style.

What is the difference between kadang, kadang-kadang, and terkadang?

All three can usually be translated as sometimes.

kadang
Short, casual, very common in spoken Indonesian. Slightly less formal than the others.
kadang-kadang
Standard, neutral. Suitable for both spoken and written Indonesian. If you’re unsure, this is always safe.
terkadang
Slightly more formal or “bookish”, common in writing or more careful speech.

You could say:

Kadang saya memanaskan makan siang…
Kadang-kadang saya memanaskan makan siang…
Terkadang saya memanaskan makan siang…

All are correct and mean the same thing in everyday use.

What is the meaning of memanaskan? How is it formed?

Memanaskan is a verb meaning to heat (something) up / to make (something) hot.

It is formed from:

root adjective: panas = hot
prefix: me- (becomes mem- before p)
suffix: -kan

So: me- + panas + -kan → memanaskan

In general:

me- turns roots into verbs.
-kan often makes the verb transitive (it takes an object) and can mean to make something become X.

So memanaskan makan siang literally is to make the lunch hot.

What is the difference between memanaskan and memanas?

They look similar but are used differently.

memanaskan
Transitive: you heat something.
- Saya memanaskan makan siang.
  I heat up lunch.
memanas
Intransitive: something becomes hot on its own or is getting hot.
- Situasi politik memanas.
  The political situation is heating up.
- Cuaca mulai memanas.
  The weather is starting to get hotter.

You would not normally say Saya memanas makan siang; you need memanaskan because there is a direct object (makan siang).

Could I also say menghangatkan instead of memanaskan?

Yes, but there is a nuance:

memanaskan: to heat up until hot; doesn’t say how hot, but implies adding heat.
menghangatkan: from hangat (warm). More like to warm up, not necessarily very hot.

In daily speech:

memanaskan makan siang = heat up your lunch (cook/warm it so it’s hot).
menghangatkan makan siang = warm your lunch, usually from cold to pleasantly warm.

Both are acceptable for microwave use, but memanaskan is very common in this context.

Why is it makan siang and not memakan siang?

Makan siang is a set phrase meaning lunch.

makan (verb) = to eat
siang (noun/adjective) = midday, daytime

When combined as makan siang, it functions like a noun phrase: lunch.

Saya sudah makan siang.
I have already had lunch / I already ate lunch.
Makan siang saya jam dua.
My lunch is at two o’clock.

Memakan siang would literally be to eat the noon/daytime, which is not natural in Indonesian. So:

Use makan siang for the activity or the meal lunch.
Do not say memakan siang for “having lunch”.

In memanaskan makan siang, is makan siang a noun or a verb phrase?

Here makan siang functions as a noun phrase (the lunch, the midday meal), not as a verb.

memanaskan = to heat up (verb)
makan siang = lunch (noun phrase, the thing being heated)

So the structure is:

Saya (subject)
memanaskan (verb)
makan siang (object)

Even though makan is a verb by itself, the combination makan siang in this context is understood as a single unit meaning lunch.

Why is there no saya after makan siang? Why not makan siang saya?

You can say makan siang saya, but it is not necessary.

makan siang on its own usually implies my lunch when saya is already the subject and it’s clear from context.
- Saya memanaskan makan siang di microwave kantor.
  It is naturally understood as my lunch.
makan siang saya explicitly emphasizes my lunch (not someone else’s).
- Saya memanaskan makan siang saya di microwave kantor.
  Correct, and maybe slightly more explicit.

In everyday conversation, speakers often omit possessive pronouns when it’s obvious from context.

Why is the preposition di used before microwave? Could it be pada instead?

In this sentence, di is correct and natural; pada would sound wrong in this position.

di = at / in / on (location)
pada = at / on / in for time, abstract things, or formal written style, not for physical location like this.

So:

di microwave kantor = in the office microwave (location)
Not pada microwave kantor.

Use di for physical places and objects:

di kantor (at the office)
di rumah (at home)
di meja (on the table)

Why is it di microwave kantor, not di microwave di kantor?

Both are grammatically possible, but they have slightly different structures.

di microwave kantor
- microwave kantor = the office’s microwave / the microwave belonging to the office
  This is like saying the office microwave in English.
di microwave di kantor
- di microwave = in the microwave
- di kantor = at the office
  This sounds like: in the microwave at the office.

The meaning is practically the same here. di microwave kantor is a bit shorter and more like a fixed phrase: office microwave.

Is microwave the normal word in Indonesian, or should it be mikrowave or oven?

In everyday Indonesian, you will see several variants:

microwave (English spelling, very common in informal writing, chats, etc.)
mikrowave or mikrogelombang (more Indonesianized; less common in casual speech)
oven microwave or oven (a common phrase people use, even if technically it’s a microwave, not a conventional oven)

In daily conversation, many people just say:

di microwave
di oven

For learners, microwave or oven microwave are widely understood. Your sentence is perfectly natural as-is.

Why is it microwave kantor and not kantor microwave?

In Indonesian, when one noun describes or specifies another noun, the order is usually:

main noun + describing noun

So:

microwave kantor = the office microwave (microwave of the office)
mobil kantor = office car
komputer kantor = office computer

If you said kantor microwave, it would sound like a microwave office, which does not make sense.

Why is there no article like a or the in the sentence?

Indonesian does not use articles like a and the.

microwave kantor can mean the office microwave, an office microwave, etc., depending on context.
Similarly, makan siang can be the lunch or my lunch or a lunch, depending on context.

Specificity is understood from context, pronouns, and sometimes word order, not from articles.

Could I omit saya and just say Kadang memanaskan makan siang di microwave kantor?

Yes, in casual spoken Indonesian you could drop saya if the subject is clear from context:

Kadang memanaskan makan siang di microwave kantor.

Listeners will usually understand that you are the subject. However:

Including saya is clearer and more standard, especially in writing or when context is not absolutely obvious.

What is the difference between saya and aku here?

Both mean I / me, but they differ in formality and who you’re talking to.

saya
- More formal / neutral
- Safe in almost all situations (work, school, talking to strangers, writing).
aku
- Casual, used with friends, family, people of the same age or younger, or in relaxed contexts.

In your sentence:

Kadang saya memanaskan makan siang di microwave kantor.
Neutral and suitable for the workplace context.

You could say:

Kadang aku memanaskan makan siang di microwave kantor.
Sounds more personal/informal; suitable if you’re talking to a friend.