Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Guru kami menggambar diagram sederhana di papan, lalu menyalin angka ke dalam tabel dengan beberapa kolom dan baris. - Our teacher drew a simple diagram on the board, then copied the numbers into a table with several columns and rows.

guru kami = our teacher (the speaker’s group, but not including the listener)
guru kita = our teacher (the speaker and the listener share this teacher)

In this sentence, guru kami implies the teacher belongs to “our” group, but the listener is probably not part of that group (e.g., “our teacher at my school,” said to someone from another school).

What is the function of the me- prefix in “menggambar”? Why not just “gambar”?

In Indonesian, many verbs are formed from a root word plus a prefix.

Root: gambar = a picture / drawing (noun)
With prefix: menggambar = to draw (verb: to make a drawing)

The prefix meN- (here: meng- because of the initial g) usually turns a root into an active verb. So:

Saya menggambar. = I draw. / I am drawing.
Sebuah gambar. = a picture.

Using just gambar as a verb is possible in some colloquial speech, but menggambar is the standard, clear form meaning “to draw.”

Why is it “diagram sederhana” and not “sederhana diagram”? Where do adjectives go?

In Indonesian, adjectives usually come after the noun, opposite to English:

diagram sederhana = simple diagram
guru baru = new teacher
rumah besar = big house

So:

noun + adjective: diagram sederhana
Not: sederhana diagram (that would be ungrammatical in standard Indonesian).

You only use sederhana before the noun in certain fixed expressions or stylistic/literary contexts, but the neutral, normal form is diagram sederhana.

What exactly does “di papan” mean? Is it “on the board”? Why isn’t it “di papan tulis”?

Yes, di papan here means “on the board” (a classroom board, like a blackboard or whiteboard).

papan tulis literally = writing board (blackboard/whiteboard)
Often, in context, papan alone is understood to mean papan tulis.

So both work:

di papan – understood as on the (classroom) board
di papan tulis – more explicit, on the blackboard/whiteboard

The shorter di papan is natural when the situation (classroom, teacher) makes the meaning clear.

What does “lalu” do here, and how is it different from “kemudian” or “dan”?

In this sentence, lalu means “then / and then”, linking two actions in sequence:

Guru kami menggambar …, lalu menyalin …
Our teacher drew …, then copied …

Rough comparison:

lalu = then, often quite neutral and common in narratives.
kemudian = also then / afterwards, sometimes a bit more formal or sequential.
dan = and (just connects, doesn’t stress sequence as strongly).

You could say:

…, lalu menyalin angka …
…, kemudian menyalin angka …

Both are fine. Dan menyalin is possible, but it sounds more like just adding another action, not emphasizing “after that” as clearly.

Why “menyalin angka” and not “menulis angka”? What’s the difference between menyalin and menulis?

Both involve writing, but the nuance is different:

menulis = to write (produce text or numbers, not necessarily from a source)
- menulis angka = to write numbers (from your own head, from a dictation, etc.)
menyalin = to copy (write something again from an existing source)
- menyalin angka = to copy numbers (e.g., from the board into a notebook or table)

In this sentence, the teacher had numbers somewhere and copied them into the table, so menyalin angka is more precise than menulis angka.

Why is it “ke dalam tabel” and not just “ke tabel”? What is the role of “dalam”?

ke = to (direction toward)
dalam = inside / into / in

Together ke dalam often means “into (the inside of)”, emphasizing entering something, not just toward it.

ke tabel – literally to the table (chart); could sound like just toward the table, and is not the usual phrasing here.
ke dalam tabel – into the table (into the cells/structure of the table).

So menyalin angka ke dalam tabel = copy the numbers into the table (into its rows/columns), which matches the English idiom.

Why is there no plural marking in “angka”, “kolom”, and “baris”? How do plurals work here?

Indonesian usually does not change the noun form for plural. Context or a quantifier shows number.

Here:

menyalin angka – copy numbers (we know they are plural from context)
beberapa kolom – several columns (beberapa already makes it plural in meaning)
dan baris – and rows (again, context: beberapa applies to both kolom and baris in meaning, even if not repeated)

You don’t need angka-angka, kolom-kolom, baris-baris unless you really want to stress “many/multiple” in a particular way. Beberapa already signals plurality.

Does “beberapa kolom dan baris” mean several columns and several rows? Why isn’t it “beberapa kolom dan beberapa baris”?

Yes, “beberapa kolom dan baris” is understood as:

several columns and (several) rows

In Indonesian, when two nouns share the same quantifier and are joined by dan, it’s common to mention the quantifier only once:

beberapa kolom dan baris
tiga kucing dan anjing (three cats and dogs → three cats and three dogs in context)

For extra clarity or emphasis, you can repeat it:

beberapa kolom dan beberapa baris

Both are grammatically correct. The repeated version is a bit heavier but very clear.

What is the difference between “tabel” and “meja”, since both can translate to “table” in English?

English table is ambiguous; Indonesian splits it:

tabel = table as in chart, a grid with rows and columns (like in a spreadsheet or data table).
meja = table as in piece of furniture (desk, dining table, etc.).

In this sentence, because we are talking about columns and rows, it must be tabel (data table), not meja.

What exactly does “angka” mean here, and how is it different from “nomor” or “bilangan”?

angka = numeral / digit / number symbol(s)
- often refers to the written form: 0–9, or combinations like 25, 307, etc.
nomor = number as an identifier or label
- nomor telepon (phone number), nomor rumah (house number), nomor urut (queue number)
bilangan = number in a more mathematical sense (less common in everyday speech, more in math):
- bilangan genap (even number), bilangan prima (prime number)

In this sentence, menyalin angka ke dalam tabel suggests copying numerical values into table cells, so angka is the natural choice.