Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya suka alur cerpen fantasi itu. - I like the plot of that fantasy short story.

Saya = I (formal / neutral)
suka = like
alur = plot, storyline
cerpen = short story (abbreviation of cerita pendek)
fantasi = fantasy
itu = that / the (demonstrative, pointing to something specific already known)

A more literal, structured gloss would be:

Saya suka = I like
alur cerpen fantasi itu = the plot [of] that fantasy short story

So the whole thing is:
I like the plot of that fantasy short story.

Structurally:

Indonesian: [subject] [verb] [head noun] [modifying noun/adjective] [demonstrative]
English: [subject] [verb] the plot of that fantasy short story

Indonesian uses a string of nouns and adjectives (no of) and puts itu at the end of the whole noun phrase, not at the beginning like English that.

Why is there no word for of in alur cerpen fantasi itu? How does alur cerpen fantasi itu mean the plot of that fantasy short story?

Indonesian often links nouns directly without a preposition like of:

alur cerpen = the plot (alur) of the short story (cerpen)
buku sejarah = a book (buku) of history (sejarah) → a history book
guru matematika = teacher of math → math teacher

So:

alur = plot (head noun)
cerpen = short story (modifies alur: what kind of plot? a short-story plot)
fantasi = fantasy (modifies cerpen: what kind of short story? a fantasy short story)
itu = that/the (marks the whole phrase as something specific)

Put together:

alur cerpen fantasi itu ≈ the plot of that fantasy short story
(literally: plot – short-story – fantasy – that)

No of is needed because the relationship is shown simply by placing the modifying noun(s) after the head noun.

Why does itu go at the end (alur cerpen fantasi itu) instead of before the noun like English that?

In Indonesian, demonstratives like itu (that) and ini (this) usually come after the noun phrase they modify:

buku itu = that book
cerpen fantasi itu = that fantasy short story
alur cerpen fantasi itu = the plot of that fantasy short story

Crucially, itu refers to the entire noun phrase before it, not just the last word:

cerpen fantasi itu = that fantasy short story
alur cerpen fantasi itu = the plot of that fantasy short story
alur cerpen itu = the plot of that short story (not specifying that it’s fantasy)

So think of itu as tagging the whole phrase it follows, saying “that specific one we both know about.”

Is cerpen singular or plural? How would you say short stories?

Indonesian nouns usually do not change form for singular vs plural. cerpen can mean:

one short story
several short stories

Context decides:

Saya suka cerpen fantasi.
→ I like fantasy short stories / I like a fantasy short story (depends on context)

To make plural more explicit, you can:

Repeat the noun (very common, but not always necessary):
- cerpen-cerpen fantasi = fantasy short stories
Add a number or a quantifier:
- tiga cerpen fantasi = three fantasy short stories
- banyak cerpen fantasi = many fantasy short stories

In alur cerpen fantasi itu, itu (that) suggests a specific single short story (something like that one fantasy short story we’re talking about), so it’s natural to read cerpen as singular here.

What is the difference between Saya and Aku? Could I say Aku suka alur cerpen fantasi itu?

Yes, you can say Aku suka alur cerpen fantasi itu. The difference is in formality and social distance:

Saya
- More formal / polite / neutral
- Safe in most situations: with strangers, elders, at work, in writing
Aku
- More informal / intimate
- Common among friends, family, peers, in songs, fiction, etc.

So:

Saya suka alur cerpen fantasi itu.
→ Neutral/polite: fine in conversation, class, writing.
Aku suka alur cerpen fantasi itu.
→ Feels more casual and personal, like talking to a friend.

Grammatically they’re the same; you just choose based on relationship and context.

Is suka more like like or love in English? What about cinta and sayang?

suka is closest to like:

Saya suka alur cerpen fantasi itu.
→ I like the plot of that fantasy short story.

You can use suka for:

Preferences: Saya suka kopi. = I like coffee.
Enjoyment: Dia suka membaca. = He/She likes reading.

For stronger feelings:

cinta = romantic or very deep love (people, God, country)
- Saya cinta kamu. = I love you (romantic / deep)
sayang
- Affectionate love, care, fondness (family, partners, pets, close friends)
- Also means “what a pity” in other contexts
- Saya sayang kamu. = I care about / love you (affectionately)

Using cinta or sayang for a plot or short story is unusual; suka is the natural choice for liking stories, movies, food, etc.

What tense is suka here? How would I say I liked or I used to like the plot?

Indonesian verbs usually don’t change form for tense. suka itself is tenseless. Time is understood from context, or from extra time words:

Saya suka alur cerpen fantasi itu.
→ I like / I liked / I have liked that fantasy short story’s plot.

To be more explicit:

Past (already happened):
- Dulu saya suka alur cerpen fantasi itu.
  = I used to like / I liked that fantasy short story’s plot (in the past).
Now (present / general preference):
- Sekarang saya suka alur cerpen fantasi itu.
  = Now I like that fantasy short story’s plot.
Habitual, general:
- Saya memang suka alur cerpen fantasi.
  = I really do like fantasy short-story plots (in general).

But grammatically, suka doesn’t change: context and time expressions carry the tense/aspect meaning.

Why is it alur cerpen fantasi, not alur fantasi cerpen? What is the ordering rule inside this noun phrase?

In Indonesian noun phrases, the normal pattern is:

Head noun → followed by things that describe it (other nouns, adjectives, etc.)

In alur cerpen fantasi itu:

alur = head noun (plot)
cerpen = noun modifying alur (what kind of plot? short-story plot)
fantasi = adjective-like noun modifying cerpen (what kind of short story? fantasy short story)
itu = demonstrative pointing to the whole phrase

So the structure is:

alur (head) + cerpen (modifying noun) + fantasi (genre/descriptor) + itu (that)

If you said alur fantasi cerpen, it would sound unnatural/confusing, like “fantasy plot short story,” which doesn’t follow the usual head → modifier order. Keep the main thing first (alur), then narrow it down step by step.

Can I leave out alur and just say Saya suka cerpen fantasi itu? How does the meaning change?

Yes, you can, and it changes the focus:

Saya suka alur cerpen fantasi itu.
= I like the plot of that fantasy short story.
(You’re commenting specifically on the storyline.)
Saya suka cerpen fantasi itu.
= I like that fantasy short story.
(You like the story as a whole: style, characters, ending, etc.)

Both are natural; choose based on what exactly you want to say:

Talk about the story overall → cerpen fantasi itu
Talk only about the plot/storyline → alur cerpen fantasi itu

How do I say I don’t like the plot of that fantasy short story?

Use tidak before suka:

Saya tidak suka alur cerpen fantasi itu.
= I don’t like the plot of that fantasy short story.

Pattern:

Saya suka … = I like …
Saya tidak suka … = I don’t like …

Some other examples:

Saya tidak suka kopi. = I don’t like coffee.
Dia tidak suka film horor. = He/She doesn’t like horror movies.

Can I drop Saya and just say Suka alur cerpen fantasi itu in Indonesian?

Yes, in very informal spoken Indonesian (or text/chat), speakers often drop the subject when it’s obvious from context:

(Saya) suka alur cerpen fantasi itu.

If the context makes it clear that you are speaking about your own preference, Suka alur cerpen fantasi itu will usually be understood as:

[I] like the plot of that fantasy short story.

However:

In more formal situations (classroom answers, writing, polite speech), keep Saya.
Dropping Saya can sound casual/elliptical and is more common in relaxed conversation or messaging.

So it’s grammatical and natural in the right context, but for learner-safe, clear Indonesian, it’s better to keep Saya.