Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Di depan meja rias, kakak saya bercermin sambil mencoba warna lipstik baru. - In front of the dressing table, my older sister looks at herself in the mirror while trying a new lipstick color.

So di is the standard preposition for a static location. You would not say pada depan here; pada is used more for abstract things (e.g. pada hari Senin – on Monday, pada orang itu – to that person) and sounds unnatural with depan in this context.

What exactly is meja rias and how is it different from just meja?

Meja rias is a dressing table / vanity table – the type of table used for putting on makeup, usually with a mirror.

meja = table
rias (from merias) = to put on makeup, to adorn

Together, meja rias is a fixed phrase: a table used for merias diri (doing makeup / grooming).
If you say only meja, it’s just a generic table and doesn’t imply makeup or a mirror.

Does kakak saya mean “my older sister” or “my older brother”? How do I know which one?

By itself, kakak saya just means my older sibling and is gender-neutral. Indonesian does not always mark gender.

Context usually tells you whether it’s a sister or brother. If you need to be explicit, you can say:

kakak perempuan saya = my older sister
kakak laki-laki saya = my older brother

In everyday speech, people often still just say kakak saya and rely on context.

Why is it kakak saya and not saya kakak?

In noun phrases that show possession, Indonesian normally uses:

possessed + possessor

So:

kakak saya = my older sibling
rumah saya = my house
teman saya = my friend

Saya kakak would be understood as a full clause and means I am (the) older sibling, which is different. The word order changes the structure:

kakak saya → noun phrase (my older sibling)
saya kakak → sentence (I am the older sibling)

What’s the difference between kakak saya and kakakku?

Both mean my older sibling, but they differ in formality and style.

kakak saya
- more neutral/polite
- common in spoken and written Indonesian
- good default choice
kakakku (kakak + ku where -ku = my)
- sounds a bit more personal/intimate or literary
- often appears in stories, songs, or emotional speech
- in casual speech it can sound affectionate or slightly dramatic, depending on context

In this sentence, kakak saya sounds natural and neutral.

What does bercermin literally mean, and why does it use ber-?

Bercermin means to look at oneself in the mirror / to use a mirror.

cermin = mirror
prefix ber- often forms intransitive verbs that mean “to have / to use / to do something related to X”

Some patterns:

berpayung (from payung, umbrella) = to use an umbrella
bersepeda (from sepeda, bicycle) = to ride a bike
bercermin (from cermin, mirror) = to look in the mirror

So kakak saya bercermin literally: my older sibling is using the mirror / looking at themselves in the mirror. You don’t need a reflexive pronoun like himself/herself; it’s understood from context.

What does sambil do in this sentence? How is it different from sementara?

Sambil connects two actions that happen at the same time, usually done by the same subject.

Here:

kakak saya bercermin
(kakak saya) mencoba warna lipstik baru

Sambil links them:

kakak saya bercermin sambil mencoba warna lipstik baru
my older sibling is looking in the mirror while trying a new lipstick color

Key points about sambil:

same subject for both actions
often implies doing one thing while also doing another (multi-tasking feel)

Sementara also means while, but:

it’s more neutral and can be used when subjects are different
often used for background time clauses
- Sementara saya memasak, dia menonton TV. = While I cook, he watches TV.

In this sentence, sambil is more natural because it’s clearly one person doing two actions at once.

Is mencoba here “to try (to do something)” or “to try (a product)”?

In this sentence, mencoba is to try / test a product, like trying on makeup or clothes.

mencoba warna lipstik baru = to try a new lipstick color (on oneself)

Two common uses of mencoba:

mencoba + noun → try out / test something
- mencoba baju baru = try on new clothes
- mencoba makanan itu = try that food
mencoba untuk + verb → try to do something (make an effort)
- mencoba untuk mengerti = try to understand
- mencoba untuk tidur lebih awal = try to sleep earlier

Here it’s the first pattern: mencoba + warna lipstik baru (a noun phrase).

In warna lipstik baru, what is modifying what? Does baru describe the color or the lipstick?

The phrase can be interpreted in two close ways, and Indonesian allows a bit of ambiguity here:

warna lipstik baru
- warna = color
- lipstik = lipstick
- baru = new

Most naturally, it’s understood as a new lipstick color (a new color of lipstick she’s trying). The usual reading is:

warna (lipstik baru) = the color of a new lipstick, or simply a new lipstick color

If you really want to emphasize that the color itself is new (a newly released shade), you could also say:

warna baru lipstik itu = the new color of that lipstick

To emphasize the lipstick is new (not necessarily the color), Indonesians often add yang:

warna lipstik yang baru = the color of the new lipstick

But in everyday speech, warna lipstik baru is commonly used for a new lipstick color without overthinking the hierarchy. Context usually clears it up.

Why does the sentence start with Di depan meja rias? Can it also go at the end?

Yes, you can put the location phrase at the beginning or at the end. Both are correct:

Di depan meja rias, kakak saya bercermin sambil mencoba warna lipstik baru.
Kakak saya bercermin sambil mencoba warna lipstik baru di depan meja rias.

Differences:

Starting with Di depan meja rias:
- focuses on the setting first (where it’s happening)
- common in narrative description, like in stories
Putting it at the end:
- starts with the subject and action
- often feels a bit more neutral in casual speech

There’s no big grammatical difference; it’s a matter of emphasis and style.

How do we know it’s happening “right now” if there is no word like sedang?

Indonesian often leaves the time aspect to context. The simple verb form bercermin can mean:

is looking (right now)
looks (as a habit)
looked (in the past)

Here, because it’s a descriptive sentence with an ongoing-looking action, it’s naturally read as something unfolding in the moment.

If you want to make the progressive meaning (right now) very clear, you can add sedang:

Di depan meja rias, kakak saya sedang bercermin sambil mencoba warna lipstik baru.

Sedang explicitly marks an ongoing action (like English is/are doing), but it’s not required every time.

Is there any difference between di depan and di hadapan in this kind of sentence?

Both can translate as in front of, but they have different typical uses.

di depan
- very common, neutral, physical location
- di depan meja rias = in front of the dressing table
- used for objects, places, directions
di hadapan
- a bit more formal or literary
- often used with people or in abstract, solemn, or official contexts
- di hadapan semua orang = in front of everyone
- di hadapan hakim = in front of the judge

You could say di hadapan meja rias, but for everyday description of physical position, di depan meja rias sounds more natural.

Is lipstik the standard word? I’ve seen gincu too.

Both exist, but usage differs:

lipstik
- from English lipstick
- very common in modern Indonesian, especially in cities and in beauty contexts
gincu
- more traditional / older term
- still understood and used, but feels a bit more old-fashioned or literary in some regions
- can sometimes refer specifically to bright, strong-colored lipstick

In this sentence, lipstik is perfectly natural and very commonly used in contemporary speech.