Saya tertarik pada riset robotika.

I am interested in robotics research.

Breakdown of Saya tertarik pada riset robotika.

• adalah: to be
• saya: I
• pada: in
• tertarik: interested
• riset robotika: the robotics research

Questions & Answers about Saya tertarik pada riset robotika.

What exactly does tertarik mean here? Is it a verb like “to interest” or an adjective like “interested”?

In Saya tertarik pada riset robotika, the word tertarik functions more like an adjective meaning “interested”, not a regular active verb.

• The whole sentence is best translated as: “I am interested in robotics research.”
• There is no separate word for “am” in Indonesian; tertarik itself carries the idea of “being in a state of interest.”

About the form:

• ter- is a prefix that often forms stative words (describing a state) or passive-like forms.
• tarik means “pull”, so literally you can think of tertarik as “pulled (towards something)”, i.e., attracted / interested.

So:

• Saya tertarik ≈ “I am interested”
• It is not used like “I interest something”; that meaning would use menarik (e.g., Film itu menarik saya – “That movie attracts me / interests me,” but this is less common than simply saying Film itu menarik – “That movie is interesting.”)

Why do we use pada here? Could we say Saya tertarik riset robotika or Saya tertarik dengan riset robotika instead?

With tertarik, Indonesian normally needs a preposition before the thing you’re interested in. The most common ones are:

• tertarik pada …
• tertarik dengan …
• tertarik terhadap …

In your sentence:

• Saya tertarik pada riset robotika.
  This is standard and natural.

Comparisons:

1. Saya tertarik pada riset robotika.

   • Very standard, slightly formal-neutral. Good in speech and writing.

2. Saya tertarik dengan riset robotika.

   • Also common, especially in everyday speech. Perfectly acceptable.

3. Saya tertarik terhadap riset robotika.

   • Sounds more formal or academic, often used in written language.

4. Saya tertarik riset robotika.

   • This is not natural. You almost always need one of pada / dengan / terhadap after tertarik.

So you should say:

• Saya tertarik pada riset robotika.
  or
• Saya tertarik dengan riset robotika.

What is the difference between saya and aku? Could I say Aku tertarik pada riset robotika?

Both saya and aku mean “I”, but they differ in formality and context.

• saya

  • More formal or polite.
  • Used in most public situations, with strangers, in writing, at work, in class, etc.
  • Very safe default if you are not sure.

• aku

  • More informal / intimate.
  • Used with close friends, family, and sometimes in songs, poems, or casual online chatting.
  • Might sound too familiar with people you don’t know well or in formal settings.

In your sentence, both are grammatically correct:

• Saya tertarik pada riset robotika. – polite/neutral.
• Aku tertarik pada riset robotika. – casual, more intimate.

As a learner, it’s safest to use saya until you’re comfortable with the social context.

Is the word order fixed? Could I say something like Saya pada riset robotika tertarik?

The natural word order in Indonesian here is:

[Subject] [Predicate] [Prepositional phrase/complement]

So:

• Saya tertarik pada riset robotika.
  (Subject = Saya, Predicate = tertarik, Complement = pada riset robotika)

Putting it as Saya pada riset robotika tertarik is not natural. It sounds like you’re copying English “I, in robotics research, am interested” into Indonesian word order, which doesn’t work.

Correct patterns include:

• Saya tertarik pada riset robotika.
• Saya tertarik dengan riset robotika.
• Saya sangat tertarik pada riset robotika. (“I’m very interested in robotics research.”)

In simple sentences like this, keep the predicate adjective (like tertarik) right after the subject.

What’s the difference between tertarik and suka? Could I say Saya suka riset robotika instead?

Both tertarik and suka can be translated as “like” or “interested in,” but they are not always interchangeable.

• tertarik (pada …) = interested (in …)

  • Suggests curiosity or attraction, often with a sense of intellectual or emotional interest.
  • Often used when you are considering studying, working in, or learning more about something.

• suka = like

  • More general, emotional liking.
  • Used for activities, objects, people, food, etc.

Compare:

• Saya tertarik pada riset robotika.
  “I’m interested in robotics research.”
  → Sounds like you might want to learn, study, or work in that field.

• Saya suka riset robotika.
  Literally “I like robotics research.”
  → Understandable, but feels more like “I like it” as a preference. Native speakers would more often say:

  • Saya suka robotika. (“I like robotics.”)
  • Saya suka belajar tentang robotika. (“I like studying about robotics.”)

So:

• For academic/research interest: Saya tertarik pada riset robotika.
• For general liking: Saya suka robotika.

Is riset robotika formal? Are there synonyms like penelitian?

Riset robotika is understandable and natural, especially in academic or technical contexts. Some notes:

• riset

  • A loanword from English “research”.
  • Common in academic, scientific, and business contexts.
  • Neutral to slightly formal.

• penelitian

  • Native/older word meaning “research”.
  • Very common in formal writing, titles, reports, and official documents.

• robotika

  • From “robotics”.
  • Used for the field/area of robotics.

Common alternatives:

• Saya tertarik pada riset robotika.
• Saya tertarik pada penelitian robotika.
  (a bit more formal because of penelitian)
• Saya tertarik pada bidang robotika.
  (“I’m interested in the field of robotics.”)

All are correct; which one you use depends on how formal you want to sound and exactly what nuance you mean.

Why is there no word for “the” or “a” in riset robotika? How do articles work in Indonesian?

Indonesian does not have articles like English “a / an / the”. The noun phrase riset robotika can mean:

• “robotics research”
• “the robotics research”
• “a robotics research project” (depending on context)

Indonesian relies on context to express definiteness or indefiniteness. If you need to be more explicit, you use other words, not articles, for example:

• sebuah – a / one (for things)

  • Saya tertarik pada sebuah riset robotika.
    “I’m interested in a (certain) robotics research project.”

• riset robotika itu – that robotics research / the robotics research

  • Saya tertarik pada riset robotika itu.
    “I’m interested in that robotics research.”

But in your original sentence, simple riset robotika is perfectly natural and doesn’t need an article.

Can tertarik and pada riset robotika be left out in casual speech, like just saying Saya tertarik or something shorter?

Yes, Indonesian speakers often shorten sentences when the context is clear.

• If it’s already clear what you’re talking about, you might just say:

  • Saya tertarik. – “I’m interested.”
  • Tertarik sih. (very casual) – “Yeah, I’m interested.”

• You could also drop saya in some very casual contexts if the subject is obvious:

  • Tertarik pada riset robotika.
    Grammatically okay, but in reality people are more likely to say it with saya.

However, your full sentence:

• Saya tertarik pada riset robotika.

is clear and natural in both spoken and written Indonesian, and is not considered too long or unnatural.

How would I say “I became interested in robotics research” instead of just “I am interested”?

To express “became interested” (a change of state), Indonesian usually adds time or aspect words rather than changing tertarik itself.

Some options:

1. Saya mulai tertarik pada riset robotika.
   “I started to become interested in robotics research.”

2. Saya baru saja tertarik pada riset robotika.
   “I have just recently become interested in robotics research.”

3. Sejak itu, saya tertarik pada riset robotika.
   “Since then, I’ve been interested in robotics research.”

The word tertarik itself typically just states the current state (“am interested”), and the change is shown by words like mulai (start), baru saja (just recently), or a time expression like dulu / sekarang / sejak ….

Is robotika exactly the same as English “robotics”? How do you pronounce it?

robotika is the Indonesian equivalent of “robotics” as a field of study or technology.

Usage:

• robotika – the field (robotics)
• robot – the machine (robot)

Pronunciation (rough guide):

• ro-bo-ti-ka
  • ro – like “row”
  • bo – like “bo” in “boat” (without a long glide)
  • ti – like “tee”
  • ka – like “kah”

Stress is usually on the second syllable: ro-BO-ti-ka, but Indonesian stress is relatively light compared to English, so you don’t need to stress it strongly.

What’s the difference between tertarik and menarik? When do I use each?

They are related but used differently:

• tertarik – “interested”

  • Describes a person (or sometimes an animal) who feels interest.
  • Often followed by pada / dengan / terhadap.

• menarik – “interesting / to attract / to pull”

  • Describes something that causes interest.
  • Can be an adjective (“interesting”) or a verb (“to attract / to pull”).

Examples:

• Saya tertarik pada riset robotika.
  “I am interested in robotics research.”

• Riset robotika itu menarik.
  “That robotics research is interesting.”

You can also, in more formal or literary style, say:

• Riset robotika itu menarik saya.
  “That robotics research attracts me / interests me.”

But in everyday Indonesian you mainly see:

• [Person] tertarik pada [Thing].
• [Thing] menarik.

So in your sentence, because you’re describing your own interest, tertarik is the correct choice.