Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya lebih suka kamus cetak daripada kamus digital. - I prefer a printed dictionary to a digital one.

Saya suka kamus cetak. → I like printed dictionaries.
Saya lebih suka kamus cetak. → I like printed dictionaries more / I prefer printed dictionaries.

In comparative sentences, lebih suka X daripada Y is the natural way to say I prefer X to Y.

Why is the word order kamus cetak and kamus digital, not cetak kamus or digital kamus?

In Indonesian, descriptive words (adjectives) usually come after the noun they describe.

kamus = dictionary
cetak = printed
digital = digital

So:

kamus cetak = printed dictionary
kamus digital = digital dictionary

Putting the descriptive word before the noun (like cetak kamus) is normally wrong or would sound very odd in standard Indonesian.

What role does daripada play here? Is it the same as English than?

Yes. In this sentence, daripada functions like English than in a comparison.

Structure:

lebih (adjective/verb) X daripada Y

In this example:

Saya lebih suka kamus cetak daripada kamus digital.
= I like printed dictionaries more than digital dictionaries.

Other examples:

Dia lebih tinggi daripada saya. → He/She is taller than me.
Film itu lebih menarik daripada buku ini. → That movie is more interesting than this book.

Can I say Saya suka kamus cetak daripada kamus digital without lebih?

You might hear it in casual speech, but it is not standard and can sound unclear or ungrammatical to many speakers.

For a clear, correct comparison of preference, you should use lebih suka:

✅ Saya lebih suka kamus cetak daripada kamus digital.
(preferred, standard)

If you remove lebih, listeners might understand you, but the comparative meaning more than isn’t expressed clearly in the grammar anymore.

Why is there no word for a or the before kamus? How do I know if it’s singular or plural?

Indonesian does not use articles like a/an or the, and it usually does not mark plural with an ending like -s.

So kamus can mean:

a dictionary
the dictionary
dictionaries (in general)

In this sentence, kamus cetak and kamus digital are generic: they refer to the types in general, so the natural English translation is:

printed dictionaries and digital dictionaries

If you really need to show plural, you can use:

kamus-kamus (reduplication)
banyak kamus = many dictionaries
semua kamus = all dictionaries

But in general or habitual statements, Indonesians just use the bare noun.

Is cetak here an adjective or a verb? I thought mencetak means to print.

You’re right:

mencetak = to print (verb)
cetak = print / printed (root)

In kamus cetak, cetak is functioning like an adjective: printed.

This is common in Indonesian: a verb root can also act as a modifier after a noun:

mesin cuci → washing machine (cuci = to wash)
air minum → drinking water (minum = to drink)
kamar mandi → bathroom (mandi = to bathe)
kamus cetak → printed dictionary (cetak = to print)

So kamus cetak is very natural, even though cetak is related to a verb.

Are there other ways to say I prefer printed dictionaries to digital dictionaries in Indonesian?

Yes. Saya lebih suka X daripada Y is the most common and neutral, but you have options:

Saya lebih memilih kamus cetak daripada kamus digital.
- lebih memilih = literally to choose more, also means to prefer.
- Slightly more formal or deliberate-sounding.
Saya lebih senang kamus cetak daripada kamus digital.
- lebih senang = feel happier/more pleased with.
- A bit more emotional in tone.
Informal speech might also say:
- Saya enaknya pakai kamus cetak, bukan kamus digital.
  (Loosely: It’s better for me to use printed dictionaries, not digital ones.)

But for learners, Saya lebih suka … daripada … is the safest and most useful pattern.

Can I drop Saya and just say Lebih suka kamus cetak daripada kamus digital?

In casual spoken Indonesian, people often omit the subject when it’s obvious from context, so:

(Saya) lebih suka kamus cetak daripada kamus digital.

can be understood as I prefer printed dictionaries to digital dictionaries if it’s clear we’re talking about your preference.

However:

In writing or in more formal situations, it’s better to keep Saya.
For learners, keeping the subject makes your sentences clearer and less ambiguous.

What’s the difference between saya, aku, and other words for I here? Could I say Aku lebih suka kamus cetak…?

Yes, you can, but the pronoun changes the level of formality and relationship:

saya
- Neutral, polite, suitable for most situations (formal or semi‑formal).
aku
- Informal, used with friends, family, or people your age / younger.
gue / gua, gua, ane, etc.
- Regional or slang forms (e.g. gue in Jakarta), very informal.

The sentence works with either:

Saya lebih suka kamus cetak daripada kamus digital. (neutral/polite)
Aku lebih suka kamus cetak daripada kamus digital. (informal/friendly)

For general study materials, saya is usually recommended.

Is daripada only for preferences like this, or can I use it for other comparisons too?

You can use daripada for many kinds of comparisons, not just preferences:

With lebih + adjective (more … than):
- Dia lebih tinggi daripada saya.
  = He/She is taller than me.
With lebih + adverb:
- Dia datang lebih cepat daripada kamu.
  = He/She arrived earlier than you.
With lebih suka / lebih memilih (like in your sentence):
- Saya lebih suka teh daripada kopi.
  = I prefer tea to coffee.

There are also alternatives like dibanding(kan) dengan and ketimbang, but daripada is the most straightforward and widely used.

How would I say “I prefer digital dictionaries now”? Where would sekarang go?

You can place sekarang (now) in a few natural positions:

Sekarang saya lebih suka kamus digital.
Saya sekarang lebih suka kamus digital.
Saya lebih suka kamus digital sekarang.

All are acceptable; the most neutral is probably:

Sekarang saya lebih suka kamus digital.

If you still want to keep the explicit comparison:

Sekarang saya lebih suka kamus digital daripada kamus cetak.
= Now I prefer digital dictionaries to printed ones.

How do I say than digital ones instead of repeating kamus digital?

Indonesian often simply repeats the noun, but you can avoid repetition by using yang digital (the digital ones) if the context is clear:

Saya lebih suka kamus cetak daripada yang digital.

Here:

yang digital = the digital ones (dictionaries is understood from context).

Both are correct:

…daripada kamus digital. (more explicit)
…daripada yang digital. (avoids repetition, sounds natural in context)