Kami menggambar diagram alur di papan tulis sebelum menulis kode.

We draw a flowchart on the board before writing code.

Breakdown of Kami menggambar diagram alur di papan tulis sebelum menulis kode.

• kami: we
• menulis: to write
• sebelum: before
• di: on
• papan tulis: the board
• menggambar: to draw
• kode: the code
• diagram alur: the flow diagram

Questions & Answers about Kami menggambar diagram alur di papan tulis sebelum menulis kode.

Why is kami used here instead of kita? What’s the difference?

Both mean “we”, but:

• kami = we (excluding the person we’re talking to)
• kita = we (including the person we’re talking to)

In this sentence, kami menggambar…, the speaker is talking about their group, and the listener is not part of that group.
If the listener is also part of the group that draws the flowchart, you would say:

• Kita menggambar diagram alur di papan tulis sebelum menulis kode.

What is the base word of menggambar, and why is there a double g?

The base word is gambar (noun: picture/drawing, verb: to draw).

menggambar = meN- prefix + gambar
The meN- prefix turns nouns or adjectives into active verbs, often meaning “to do/make [that thing].”

Spelling rule: when meN- is added to a root starting with g, it becomes meng-, and the g of the root stays.
So:

• meN- + gambar → meng
  • gambar → menggambar

The double g is just prefix (meng-) + root (gambar); both keep their original consonants.

Could I just say gambar diagram alur instead of menggambar diagram alur?

In a full sentence with a subject, you should normally use menggambar:

• Kami menggambar diagram alur… ✅ (natural)

If you say only Gambar diagram alur!, with no subject and with an exclamation tone, it sounds like an imperative:

• Gambar diagram alur di papan tulis! = Draw a flowchart on the board!

So:

• With subject kami/kita/dia, use menggambar.
• Without a subject and in a command, you can use bare gambar.

What exactly does diagram alur mean? Is the word order important?

• diagram = diagram
• alur = flow, path, sequence

So diagram alur ≈ “flow diagram / flowchart.”
The word order is [head] + [modifier], like most Indonesian noun phrases:

• diagram alur = diagram (of) flow
• papan tulis = board (for) writing

You should not say alur diagram here; that would sound like “the flow of a diagram,” which is not the standard term for a flowchart.

You might also see diagram alir or bagan alir in some contexts, which are synonyms for flowchart.

Does papan tulis mean “whiteboard” or “blackboard”?

Literally, papan tulis = writing board. It’s a generic term that can refer to:

• a blackboard (chalkboard)
• a whiteboard

If you want to be specific, you can say:

• papan tulis putih or just papan putih = whiteboard
• papan tulis hitam or just papan hitam = blackboard

But in everyday speech, papan tulis is usually enough; context makes it clear.

Why is the preposition di used in di papan tulis? Could I use pada?

di is the normal preposition for location: in, on, at.

• di papan tulis = on the board (location where you draw)

pada is more formal/abstract and often used with time or more abstract objects (e.g. pada hari Senin, pada masalah ini).
Saying pada papan tulis is grammatically possible but sounds unusual and too formal; native speakers almost always say di papan tulis in this context.

So the natural choice here is di.

Why is it sebelum menulis kode and not sebelum kami menulis kode? Is the subject omitted?

Yes, the subject is understood/implicit.

Indonesian often omits repeated subjects when it is clear from context. In this sentence:

• First clause: Kami menggambar diagram alur… → subject = kami
• Second clause: (kami) menulis kode → subject is understood to be the same kami

You can say:

• Kami menggambar diagram alur di papan tulis sebelum kami menulis kode.

This is grammatically correct but sounds a bit heavier or more emphatic. In normal speech or writing, the shorter version without the second kami is more natural.

There is no word like “will” or “did” here. How do we know the tense of the sentence?

Indonesian verbs do not change form for tense (no -ed, no -s, no will). Time is usually shown by:

• Time adverbs: tadi (earlier), kemarin (yesterday), besok (tomorrow), nanti (later)
• Context

Your sentence could mean:

• We drew a flowchart… (past)
• We draw a flowchart… (habit)
• We will draw a flowchart… (future)

To make it explicit, add time words:

• Tadi kami menggambar diagram alur di papan tulis sebelum menulis kode.
  = We just/earlier drew a flowchart…

• Besok kami akan menggambar diagram alur di papan tulis sebelum menulis kode.
  = Tomorrow we will draw a flowchart…

Is menulis kode the natural way to say “write code”? Are there other common expressions?

Yes, menulis kode is standard and clear, especially in written or formal contexts.

Other possibilities:

• menulis program = write a program
• membuat program = make a program
• ngoding (informal, from “coding”) = coding
  
  • Kami ngoding setelah menggambar diagram alur. (casual speech)

But in a neutral, textbook-style sentence, menulis kode is perfectly natural.

Why is it kode and not kodenya? What would kodenya mean?

Bare kode is non-specific / generic: code in general.

Indonesian does not use articles like a/the, so:

• menulis kode = write code (some code, code in general)

Adding -nya often makes it sound definite, previously known, or “the specific one”:

• menulis kodenya ≈ write the code / that code / its code

For example:

• Setelah merancang programnya, kami menulis kodenya.
  = After designing the program, we wrote the code (for that program).

Can I move sebelum menulis kode to the front or end of the sentence?

Yes, Indonesian word order is fairly flexible with time/sequence phrases. All of these are acceptable:

1. Kami menggambar diagram alur di papan tulis sebelum menulis kode.
2. Sebelum menulis kode, kami menggambar diagram alur di papan tulis.
3. Kami, sebelum menulis kode, menggambar diagram alur di papan tulis. (less common, more written style)

All keep the same meaning: the drawing happens before the coding.
The most common in speech is (1) or (2). Version (3) is more stylistic.

Is this sentence formal, neutral, or casual? How might it sound in more casual spoken Indonesian?

The original sentence is neutral, suitable for textbooks, explanations, or everyday polite speech.

A more casual spoken version might be:

• Kita gambar dulu diagram alur di papan tulis sebelum ngoding.

Changes:

• kita instead of kami (including the listener)
• dropping meN- → gambar (common in casual speech)
• adding dulu (= first, beforehand)
• ngoding (slangy verb from “coding”) instead of menulis kode

The meaning stays the same, but the tone becomes more informal and conversational.