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Petugas memasang poster baru di papan pengumuman.

Petugas memasang poster baru di papan pengumuman.
The staff puts up a new poster on the notice board.
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Questions & Answers about Petugas memasang poster baru di papan pengumuman.

What exactly does petugas mean? Is it like police officer, staff, or clerk?

Petugas is a general word for a person on duty or person responsible for a certain task/role.

Its meaning depends on context:

  • At a school: petugas might be a staff member or teacher on duty.
  • At a station/airport: it can be a staff member, attendant, or officer.
  • In government offices: it might be a civil servant or official.

It does not specifically mean police officer (that would usually be polisi), though a police officer who is on duty in a specific role might also be called petugas in context.

Why is the verb memasang and not just pasang?

Pasang is the base form (root verb), and memasang is the active transitive form with the prefix meN- (here realized as me-):

  • pasang = base/root: to attach, to install, to put up
  • memasang = to put up / to install (something)

In standard Indonesian sentences with a clear subject and object, you usually use the meN- form:

  • Petugas memasang poster = The officer puts up a poster.
    Not: Petugas pasang poster (this is possible in casual speech, but sounds less formal/complete).

So memasang tells you:

  1. The verb is active.
  2. It takes a direct object (poster baru).
When should I use memasang and when should I use menempel for posters?

Both can be used, but they have slightly different focuses:

  • memasang poster

    • More general: put up / set up / install a poster.
    • Can imply arranging, positioning it properly, making it “officially” placed.

  • menempel poster (from tempel = to stick)

    • Focuses more on the act of sticking something onto a surface (using glue, tape, etc.).
    • Literally: to stick a poster (onto something).

In many everyday situations they can be interchangeable, but:

  • For a notice board in an office/school, memasang poster sounds natural and slightly more formal.
  • If you want to highlight using glue/tape on a wall, menempel poster di dinding might feel more precise.
Why is there no word for a or the before poster? How do you know if it’s definite or indefinite?

Indonesian generally does not use articles like a/an/the.

Poster baru by itself can mean:

  • a new poster
  • the new poster

Which one it is depends on context, not on a specific word:

  • If earlier in the conversation people already know which poster is meant, it’s understood as the new poster.
  • If it’s mentioned for the first time, it’s usually understood as a new poster.

You can add words to make it more explicit:

  • sebuah poster baru = a new poster (more clearly “one poster”)
  • poster baru itu = that new poster / the new poster (definite)
Why is baru after poster? In English we say new poster, not poster new.

In Indonesian, adjectives usually come after the noun they describe.

So:

  • poster baru
    • poster = noun
    • baru = adjective (new)
    • literally: poster new → means new poster

More examples:

  • buku besar = big book
  • mobil merah = red car
  • rumah baru = new house

So the word order poster baru is normal and correct.

What does papan pengumuman literally mean, and how is it used?

Literally:

  • papan = board
  • pengumuman = announcement(s), notice(s)

Together, papan pengumuman means notice board or bulletin board.

It’s a standard, everyday term for any physical board where announcements, posters, and notices are posted, e.g. in schools, offices, or public spaces.

You can also specify:

  • papan pengumuman sekolah = the school notice board
  • papan pengumuman kampus = the campus notice board
Why is it di papan pengumuman and not something else? What does di do here?

Di is a preposition meaning in/on/at (for location).

In di papan pengumuman, it marks where the action happens:

  • di papan pengumuman = on the notice board

Compare:

  • di rumah = at home
  • di kantor = at the office
  • di meja = on the table

You might also see pada papan pengumuman in very formal or written language, but di papan pengumuman is much more common and natural in everyday Indonesian.

Could I say Poster baru dipasang petugas di papan pengumuman? What’s the difference?

Yes, that sentence is correct. It’s the passive version.

Compare:

  1. Active (original sentence)

    • Petugas memasang poster baru di papan pengumuman.
    • Focus is on petugas (the officer/staff).
    • Structure: Subject (doer) + active verb + object + location

  2. Passive

    • Poster baru dipasang petugas di papan pengumuman.
    • Focus is on poster baru (the poster).
    • Structure: Object (now the subject) + passive verb + agent + location

Use the active if you care more about who did it, and the passive if you care more about what happened to the poster.

How do I show plural, like posters or officers? Petugas and poster look singular.

In Indonesian, nouns usually don’t change form for plural.

So:

  • petugas can mean officer or officers
  • poster can mean poster or posters

Plurality is normally understood from context or made clearer with extra words:

  • para petugas = the officers (a group of officers)
  • banyak poster = many posters
  • beberapa poster = several posters
  • dua poster = two posters

The original sentence Petugas memasang poster baru di papan pengumuman could mean:

  • An officer put up a new poster
    or
  • Officers put up a new poster

Context decides.

Can the position of di papan pengumuman change? For example, can it go to the front?

Yes, Indonesian word order is quite flexible for location phrases. These are all possible:

  1. Petugas memasang poster baru di papan pengumuman.

    • Neutral order, location at the end (very common).

  2. Di papan pengumuman, petugas memasang poster baru.

    • Slight emphasis on the location (on the notice board).

  3. Petugas di papan pengumuman memasang poster baru.

    • Now petugas di papan pengumuman sounds like “the staff member at the notice board” (defining which petugas).

Meaning can shift slightly depending on where you put the phrase, especially in sentence (3), where the phrase tends to modify petugas, not the verb.

Is there any tense here? How do I know if it’s past, present, or future?

Indonesian verbs usually do not change form for tense.
Memasang itself does not show past/present/future.

Petugas memasang poster baru di papan pengumuman can mean:

  • The officer put up a new poster… (past)
  • The officer is putting up a new poster… (present)
  • The officer will put up a new poster… (future, with the right context)

You add time words or aspect markers if you want to be explicit:

  • Past:
    • Tadi petugas memasang poster baru… = Earlier, the officer put up a new poster…
  • Present/progressive:
    • Petugas sedang memasang poster baru… = The officer is putting up a new poster…
  • Future:
    • Nanti petugas akan memasang poster baru… = Later the officer will put up a new poster…
Can memasang also mean to install things like software or equipment?

Yes. Memasang is quite general and covers:

  • putting up posters/banners: memasang poster / spanduk
  • installing equipment: memasang AC, memasang lampu
  • installing software/apps (especially in everyday speech): memasang aplikasi, though menginstal is also common, especially in tech contexts.

So the core idea is to set something in place so it functions or is displayed.