Hotel kecil itu berada dekat kebun binatang.

That small hotel is near the zoo.

Breakdown of Hotel kecil itu berada dekat kebun binatang.

• itu: that
• dekat: near
• kecil: small
• hotel: the hotel
• kebun binatang: the zoo
• berada: to be

Questions & Answers about Hotel kecil itu berada dekat kebun binatang.

What does "Hotel kecil itu" literally mean, and why is the word order like that?

Literally, "Hotel kecil itu" is:

• hotel = hotel
• kecil = small
• itu = that / the (definite, referring to something known)

In Indonesian, the usual order inside a noun phrase is:

Noun + Adjective + Demonstrative
hotel + kecil + itu → that small hotel / the small hotel

So:

• hotel kecil = a / the small hotel
• hotel kecil itu = that small hotel (the one we both know about)

Putting itu at the end is the normal structure; you don’t usually say itu hotel kecil for this meaning.

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Does "itu" always mean "that", or can it also mean "the" here?

"Itu" is primarily "that", but very often it works like "the" in English, marking something as definite and already known.

In context:

• Hotel kecil itu berada dekat kebun binatang.
  = That small hotel is near the zoo.
  or
  = The small hotel (already mentioned) is near the zoo.

So itu:

• points to something specific, not just any hotel
• can be translated as that or the depending on what sounds more natural in English

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Why isn’t there a word for "is" like in English (“is near the zoo”)?

Indonesian often does not use a separate “to be” verb like is / am / are.

In this sentence:

• berada = to be located, to be (in a place)
• dekat kebun binatang = near the zoo

So the function of “is” is covered by berada:

Hotel kecil itu berada dekat kebun binatang.
Literally: That small hotel is-located near (the) zoo.

If you drop berada, Indonesian can still work without an explicit “is”:

Hotel kecil itu dekat kebun binatang.
Literally: That small hotel near the zoo.
→ Understood as That small hotel is near the zoo.

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What’s the difference between "berada", "ada", and just saying "dekat kebun binatang"?

They all can appear in location sentences but with slightly different nuances.

1. berada

   • More formal / neutral.
   • Emphasizes location.
   • Common in writing, news, descriptions.
   • Hotel kecil itu berada dekat kebun binatang.
     = That small hotel is (located) near the zoo.

2. ada

   • Basic verb for existence / presence (“there is/are”).
   • In colloquial Indonesian you can say:
     • Hotel kecil itu ada dekat kebun binatang.
       → That small hotel is (there) near the zoo.
   • Feels more casual, and often used to say there is/are:
     • Ada hotel kecil dekat kebun binatang. = There is a small hotel near the zoo.

3. no verb, just adjective/preposition phrase

   • Hotel kecil itu dekat kebun binatang.
   • Very natural, especially in speech.
   • The copula “is” is understood from context.

All three can be understood, but:

• berada = more formal / “is located”
• ada = “exists / (there) is”
• no verb = simple, very common, especially in speech

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Is there a difference between "dekat kebun binatang" and "di dekat kebun binatang"?

Both are correct and very common:

• dekat kebun binatang

  • literally: near the zoo
  • dekat itself already carries the idea of proximity.

• di dekat kebun binatang

  • literally: at near the zoo (but translated just as near the zoo)
  • di is the basic preposition meaning “at / in / on”.

Nuance:

• In everyday use, there is little practical difference.
• di dekat can sound a bit more explicit/formal, but both are fine:

Hotel kecil itu (berada) dekat kebun binatang.
Hotel kecil itu (berada) di dekat kebun binatang.

Both: That small hotel is near the zoo.

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What does "kebun binatang" literally mean, and is it always “zoo”?

Literally:

• kebun = garden / plantation
• binatang = animal

So kebun binatang = “animal garden”, the standard Indonesian term for “zoo”.

Usage notes:

• It’s treated as a fixed expression meaning zoo.
• It’s written as two words: kebun binatang, not one word.
• It’s usually singular, but can refer to “the zoo” in general; you usually don’t say kebun binatang-kebun binatang unless you really need to stress plural “zoos”.

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Why is the adjective "kecil" after "hotel", not before like in English?

Indonesian adjective order is usually:

Noun + Adjective
hotel kecil = small hotel

So:

• hotel kecil = small hotel
• mobil merah = red car
• rumah besar = big house

Putting the adjective before the noun, as in English (kecil hotel), is incorrect.

Then the demonstrative (itu/ini) comes after the whole phrase:

hotel kecil itu = that small hotel
mobil merah ini = this red car

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Could I say "itu hotel kecil" instead of "hotel kecil itu"?

Grammatically, itu hotel kecil can appear, but it has a different feel:

• hotel kecil itu

  • The normal noun phrase: that small hotel / the small hotel (we both know).
  • This is what you want in this sentence.

• itu hotel kecil

  • Often sounds like pointing or exclaiming: That’s a small hotel / that one is a small hotel.
  • More like a full sentence: Itu hotel kecil. = That (is a) small hotel.

So for “That small hotel is near the zoo”, you should say:

Hotel kecil itu berada dekat kebun binatang.

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How would I say “those small hotels are near the zoo”?

To make “hotel” plural, you can:

1. Reduplicate the noun:

   • hotel-hotel kecil itu = those small hotels / the small hotels

2. Or use a plural marker like banyak (“many”), beberapa (“several”), etc.

Example sentences:

• Hotel-hotel kecil itu berada dekat kebun binatang.
  = Those small hotels are near the zoo.

• Beberapa hotel kecil berada dekat kebun binatang.
  = Several small hotels are near the zoo.

Indonesian doesn’t require a plural form; often context alone shows if it’s singular or plural.

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Why is there no word for “a” or “the” before "hotel"?

Indonesian does not have articles like a, an, the.

Definiteness and number are shown in other ways:

• By context:

  • Hotel kecil berada dekat kebun binatang.
    → Could mean a small hotel or the small hotel, depending on context.

• By demonstratives:

  • hotel kecil itu = that/the small hotel
  • hotel kecil ini = this small hotel

• By numerals / classifiers:

  • sebuah hotel kecil = a (one) small hotel
  • dua hotel kecil = two small hotels

In this sentence, itu is what gives the phrase a “the/that” feeling.

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Can this sentence refer to past or future, or only present?

Indonesian verbs don’t change form for tense. Time is expressed by context or time words.

Hotel kecil itu berada dekat kebun binatang can mean:

• present: That small hotel is near the zoo.
• past (with context): Dulu, hotel kecil itu berada dekat kebun binatang.
  = In the past, that small hotel was near the zoo.
• future (with context): Nanti, hotel kecil itu akan berada dekat kebun binatang.
  = Later, that small hotel will be near the zoo.

So the bare sentence without extra words is usually understood as present, unless context says otherwise.

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Is "berada" very formal? What would people actually say in everyday speech?

"Berada" is neutral but tends to sound a bit formal or written.

In everyday spoken Indonesian, people very often say:

• Hotel kecil itu dekat kebun binatang.
• Ada hotel kecil dekat kebun binatang. (There’s a small hotel near the zoo.)

All of these are natural:

1. Hotel kecil itu berada dekat kebun binatang. (neutral/formal, clear)
2. Hotel kecil itu dekat kebun binatang. (very common, spoken)
3. Hotel kecil itu ada dekat kebun binatang. (casual/colloquial)

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How do you pronounce "kebun binatang", and is "kebon binatang" also used?

Standard Indonesian pronunciation (roughly):

• kebun → /kǝ-bun/

  • ke- as a very short “ke”, like the “ke” in kernel but reduced
  • bun like “boon” in English

• binatang → /bee-NAH-tang/

  • bi = “bee”
  • na = “nah”
  • tang = like “tung” but with ng at the end

So: kǝ-BUN bee-NAH-tang.

In some regions / informal Jakarta speech you may hear “kebon binatang” (with kebon), influenced by local dialects.
Standard written Indonesian uses kebun binatang.