Di meja resepsionis, saya menunjukkan kartu identitas dan menandatangani formulir.

At the reception desk, I show my identity card and sign a form.

Breakdown of Di meja resepsionis, saya menunjukkan kartu identitas dan menandatangani formulir.

• sebuah: a
• saya: I
• di: at
• dan: and
• menunjukkan: to show
• formulir: the form
• menandatangani: to sign
• meja resepsionis: the reception desk
• kartu identitas: the identity card

Questions & Answers about Di meja resepsionis, saya menunjukkan kartu identitas dan menandatangani formulir.

What does “di” mean here, and how is it different from “ke” or “pada”?

Di is a preposition meaning “at / in / on” indicating a location.

• Di meja resepsionis = at the reception desk.
• Ke means “to” (movement toward):
  
  • Saya pergi ke meja resepsionis = I go to the reception desk.
• Pada is more formal and often used with time, abstract things, or people:
  
  • Pada hari Senin = on Monday
  • Pada ibu saya = to my mother (in a formal register)

So in this sentence, di is correct because it describes where the action happens, not movement.

Why is it “di meja resepsionis” and not just “di resepsionis”?

Resepsionis means “receptionist” (the person), not the desk or the area.

• Meja resepsionis literally = receptionist’s desk / reception desk
  
  • meja = table/desk
  • resepsionis = receptionist (person)

If you said di resepsionis, it sounds like “at the receptionist (person)”, which is odd. To mean the desk or counter, Indonesian uses meja resepsionis or sometimes loket resepsionis.

Can I also say “Saya menunjukkan kartu identitas di meja resepsionis” (without putting the place first)?

Yes. Both are natural:

• Di meja resepsionis, saya menunjukkan kartu identitas…
• Saya menunjukkan kartu identitas di meja resepsionis…

Putting “Di meja resepsionis” at the beginning:

• Emphasizes the location a bit more.
• Is common in written or more formal Indonesian.

Putting the location at the end is very typical in speech and is often slightly more neutral.

Why is there a comma after “Di meja resepsionis”?

The comma separates an introductory phrase (the location) from the main clause.

• Di meja resepsionis, = at the reception desk,
• saya menunjukkan… = I showed…

In informal writing, some people might omit the comma, but in standard written Indonesian it is normal and considered correct here.

What is the difference between “saya” and “aku”?

Both mean “I / me”, but they differ in formality and context:

• saya

  • More formal / polite / neutral
  • Used with strangers, in service situations, at work, in writing.
  • Fits this sentence well (reception context).

• aku

  • More informal / intimate
  • Used with friends, family, close peers.
  • Saying Aku menunjukkan kartu identitas… sounds more casual, and not typical in a hotel or office setting with staff.

So “saya” is the natural choice for talking about dealing with a receptionist.

What is the verb “menunjukkan” based on, and what nuance does it have?

Menunjukkan comes from the root tunjuk.

• tunjuk = to point
• menunjuk = to point (at something)
• menunjukkan = to show something (to someone), often with the idea of presenting or demonstrating it.

Structure (simplified):

• meN- + tunjuk + -kan → menunjukkan

In this sentence:

• menunjukkan kartu identitas = to show/present an ID card (e.g., to the receptionist).

So menunjukkan is the standard verb for showing documents, ID, tickets, etc., to someone.

What exactly does “kartu identitas” mean? Are there more specific words for ID?

Kartu identitas literally means “identity card” / “ID card”. It’s a general term for any official ID.

More specific common terms:

• KTP (Kartu Tanda Penduduk) = Indonesian national ID card.
• SIM (Surat Izin Mengemudi) = driver’s license.
• kartu pelajar = student card.
• kartu karyawan = employee card.

If you just say kartu identitas, people understand you mean some valid ID (passport, KTP, driver’s license, etc.), unless context specifies otherwise.

How is “menandatangani” formed, and how is it different from just “tanda tangan”?

• tanda tangan = signature (noun), or to sign in very casual speech (bisa tanda tangan di sini?).
• menandatangani = to sign (something) (verb, more standard/neutral).

Formation (simplified):

• Base noun: tanda tangan (signature)
• Verb: menandatangani = to affix one’s signature to (something)

So:

• Saya menandatangani formulir = I sign the form.
• Boleh tanda tangan di sini? = Can you sign here? (colloquial)

In more formal or written contexts, menandatangani is preferred for saying “sign a document / sign a form.”

Why is there no word for “a” or “the” before “kartu identitas” and “formulir”?

Indonesian has no articles like English “a / an / the”. Nouns stand alone:

• kartu identitas = an ID card / the ID card (depends on context)
• formulir = a form / the form

If you need to be more explicit, you can add other words:

• sebuah formulir = a form (one form; often not needed)
• formulir itu = that form / the form (already known to both speaker and listener)

In this sentence, context makes it clear:

• There is usually one relevant ID the receptionist wants.
• There is one form they ask you to sign.

So extra words are unnecessary.

How do we know the sentence is in the past? How would I say it in future or present?

Indonesian verbs do not change form for tense. Menunjukkan and menandatangani can be past, present, or future, depending on context.

This sentence is translated as past because that’s the most natural interpretation (a completed action in a narrative).

To be explicit:

• Past:

  • Tadi di meja resepsionis, saya menunjukkan kartu identitas dan menandatangani formulir.
    (tadi = earlier, just now)
  • Saya sudah menunjukkan kartu identitas… (sudah = already)

• Present (ongoing / habit):

  • Sekarang saya menunjukkan kartu identitas dan menandatangani formulir.
  • Setiap tamu harus menunjukkan kartu identitas dan menandatangani formulir. (habit/general rule)

• Future:

  • Nanti di meja resepsionis, saya akan menunjukkan kartu identitas dan menandatangani formulir.
    (akan = will; nanti = later)

Is the sentence as a whole formal, informal, or neutral? Would it be appropriate in a real reception situation?

The sentence is neutral to formal and perfectly appropriate:

• Uses saya, not aku → polite/neutral.
• Uses standard verbs menunjukkan, menandatangani.
• Vocabulary (kartu identitas, formulir, meja resepsionis) is standard and common.

You could use this style in:

• A narrative (telling someone what happened at a hotel/office).
• A written report or diary.
• Polite conversation about what you did at the reception.