Menurut saya, ide sederhana itu sangat berguna.

In my opinion, that simple idea is very useful.

Breakdown of Menurut saya, ide sederhana itu sangat berguna.

• adalah: to be
• itu: that
• saya: I
• sangat: very
• sederhana: simple
• berguna: useful
• menurut: according to
• ide: the idea

Questions & Answers about Menurut saya, ide sederhana itu sangat berguna.

What does menurut saya literally mean, and is it really natural in Indonesian?

Menurut saya literally means according to me.

In English, according to me sounds odd or unnatural, but in Indonesian menurut saya is completely natural and very common in both speech and writing.

You use menurut saya to introduce your personal opinion, similar to:

• In my opinion
• I think
• From my point of view

Other common ways to express opinion:

• Saya pikir … – I think …
• Saya rasa … – I feel / I think …
• Bagi saya … – For me …

All are fine; menurut saya is slightly more neutral and can sound a bit more “careful” or polite, especially in discussions or writing.

Why is there a comma after menurut saya? Can I omit it?

The comma reflects a natural pause in speech:

• Menurut saya, ide sederhana itu sangat berguna.

In spoken Indonesian, you normally pause after menurut saya.

In writing:

• In more formal writing, the comma is recommended.
• In casual writing (text messages, chats), many people drop it:
  Menurut saya ide sederhana itu sangat berguna.

So the comma is stylistic and not a grammar requirement; the sentence is still correct without it.

Where is the verb “is” in this sentence? Why isn’t there an adalah?

Indonesian often leaves out the verb “to be” (is/are) when linking a subject to an adjective or simple description.

In:

• ide sederhana itu sangat berguna

there is no explicit word for “is.” It’s understood from context. The structure is:

• ide sederhana itu – that simple idea (subject)
• sangat berguna – very useful (predicate)

So it corresponds to:

• “That simple idea is very useful.”

You could say:

• Menurut saya, ide sederhana itu adalah sesuatu yang sangat berguna.

but that changes the structure and feels heavier/more formal.
You do not usually put adalah directly before an adjective:

• ❌ ide sederhana itu adalah sangat berguna (unnatural)

What exactly does itu do in ide sederhana itu? Does it always mean “that”? Is it necessary?

Itu is a demonstrative; its basic meaning is that or the (referring to something specific).

In ide sederhana itu, itu:

• Points to a specific idea that both speaker and listener know about (that idea we’re talking about).
• Makes it definite, like that simple idea / the simple idea.

If you remove itu:

• Menurut saya, ide sederhana sangat berguna.

This now sounds more general, like:

• “In my opinion, simple ideas are very useful (in general).”

So:

• With itu → a particular idea: that simple idea.
• Without itu → generic statement: simple ideas (as a type).

Yes, itu can mean “that,” but in many contexts it functions more like a definite marker, similar to “the.”

Why is it ide sederhana itu and not itu ide sederhana or ide itu sederhana?

Basic noun phrase order in Indonesian is:

Noun + Adjective + Demonstrative (ini/itu)

So:

• ide sederhana itu
  → idea (ide) + simple (sederhana) + that (itu)
  → that simple idea / the simple idea

Now compare other orders:

1. itu ide sederhana

   This is understandable but less natural as a noun phrase. It can sound like you’re emphasizing itu in a more spoken, pointing way:

   • Itu ide sederhana. – That is a simple idea. (like a full sentence: “That (thing) is a simple idea.”)

2. ide itu sederhana

   Here itu attaches to ide as a noun phrase, and sederhana becomes the predicate:

   • Ide itu sederhana. – “That idea is simple.”
     (You’re describing the idea itself as simple, not saying it’s useful.)

So:

• ide sederhana itu – that simple idea (the whole NP is subject)
• Ide itu sederhana. – “That idea is simple.” (full sentence with sederhana as predicate)

Why is sederhana after ide, not before it like in English “simple idea”?

In Indonesian, adjectives usually follow the noun they modify:

• rumah besar – big house
• buku lama – old book
• orang pintar – smart person
• ide sederhana – simple idea

So the normal pattern is:

Noun + Adjective

Putting the adjective before the noun (like sederhana ide) is ungrammatical in standard Indonesian.

There are a few fixed expressions where an adjective comes before the noun (for example mantan pacar – ex-boyfriend/girlfriend), but as a rule for regular descriptions, think:

• English: adjective + noun
• Indonesian: noun + adjective

Why is sangat before berguna? Can I put sangat somewhere else?

Sangat is an intensifier meaning very. It normally comes before adjectives:

• sangat berguna – very useful
• sangat penting – very important
• sangat mahal – very expensive

So in your sentence:

• ide sederhana itu sangat berguna → that simple idea is very useful

You typically do not move sangat in front of the noun here:

• ❌ sangat ide sederhana itu berguna – incorrect

You can, however, use sangat with other adjectives too:

• ide itu sangat sederhana – that idea is very simple
• ide itu sangat bagus – that idea is very good

But for berguna, sangat berguna is the normal, correct placement.

What is the difference between sangat berguna and berguna sekali?

Both mean very useful.

• sangat berguna

  • Slightly more formal/neutral.
  • Common in writing, presentations, formal speech.
  • Feels straightforward and “standard.”

• berguna sekali

  • Also common and completely correct.
  • Feels a bit more colloquial/spoken, but is still fine in writing.
  • Sometimes carries a stronger emotional emphasis, like “really useful.”

So:

• Ide sederhana itu sangat berguna.
• Ide sederhana itu berguna sekali.

Both are natural; choice depends on style and tone rather than grammar.

What is the root of berguna, and are there related words I should know?

The root is guna, which means use / purpose / function.

Berguna is:

• ber- (a prefix meaning “to have / to be in a state of / to use”)
• • guna (use)

So berguna literally means to have use or use-ful → useful.

Related words:

• menggunakan – to use
• pengguna – user
• penggunaan – usage
• kegunaan – usefulness / function
• guna – use, purpose

Once you recognize the root guna, all these become easier to remember.

Is ide the same as gagasan? Which one is more natural here?

Both ide and gagasan mean idea.

Nuances:

• ide

  • Very common in everyday speech.
  • Feels a bit more casual/modern (it’s a loanword from European languages).
  • Perfectly fine in formal contexts too.

• gagasan

  • Slightly more formal/literary.
  • Often used in essays, academic writing, and formal discussions.

In your sentence, both are possible:

• Menurut saya, ide sederhana itu sangat berguna.
• Menurut saya, gagasan sederhana itu sangat berguna.

The first sounds a bit more conversational, the second a bit more formal, but both are correct.

Overall, what is the basic sentence structure here in Indonesian?

Breakdown:

• Menurut saya, – prepositional phrase: according to me / in my opinion
• ide sederhana itu – subject: that simple idea
• sangat berguna – predicate: (is) very useful

Pattern:

[Prepositional phrase] + , + [Subject] + [Adjective phrase]

There is no explicit “to be” verb, but in English you supply is:

Menurut saya, ide sederhana itu sangat berguna.
“In my opinion, that simple idea is very useful.”