Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Topi abu-abu muda itu cocok dengan syal biru saya. - That light gray hat matches my blue scarf.

abu-abu = gray (literally ash-ash, from abu = ash; reduplication makes it a color).
muda = light when talking about colors (as opposed to tua = dark).

So:

abu-abu muda = light gray
abu-abu tua = dark gray

Yes, muda by itself usually means young (a young person, young age), but with colors it means light.

Why is it topi abu-abu muda and not muda abu-abu topi? How does adjective order work?

In Indonesian, adjectives almost always come after the noun they modify.

topi = hat
topi abu-abu = gray hat
topi abu-abu muda = light gray hat

So the basic pattern is:

noun + adjective(s)

If there are multiple adjectives, they just stack after the noun:

rumah besar baru = a big new house
baju merah panjang = a long red shirt

Putting adjectives before the noun (like English) is wrong in Indonesian:
✗ muda abu-abu topi is ungrammatical.

What is the function of itu in topi abu-abu muda itu? Is it always that?

Itu is a demonstrative. Its basic meaning is that, but it also often works as a kind of definite marker (“the”).

Here, topi abu-abu muda itu can be understood as:

that light gray hat (the one over there / previously mentioned), or
the light gray hat (the specific one we both know).

So:

topi abu-abu muda = a light gray hat (non-specific)
topi abu-abu muda itu = that/the light gray hat (specific)

What’s the difference between ini and itu here? Could we say topi abu-abu muda ini?

Yes, you can say:

topi abu-abu muda ini = this light gray hat (near the speaker)
topi abu-abu muda itu = that light gray hat (farther away, or already known in context)

If you omit both:

Topi abu-abu muda cocok dengan syal biru saya.
This sounds more like a general statement:
“(A) light gray hat goes well with my blue scarf” (less clearly that one specific hat).

What exactly does cocok mean? Is it like fit, match, or suit?

Cocok is a very common word meaning:

to match
to go well with
to suit / to be suitable / to be appropriate

In this sentence:

Topi abu-abu muda itu cocok dengan syal biru saya.
= That light gray hat goes well with my blue scarf.

Other uses:

Baju ini cocok untukmu. = This shirt suits you.
Jam 8 tidak cocok untuk saya. = 8 o’clock is not suitable for me.

Why do we say cocok dengan? Can I use cocok sama or just cocok?

Cocok commonly appears with dengan:

cocok dengan X = matches / goes well with X

In everyday speech, sama is also very common and more informal:

Topi abu-abu muda itu cocok sama syal biru saya. (colloquial but very natural)

Sometimes, especially in casual talk, people drop the preposition if the context is clear, but the most natural and clear pattern in standard Indonesian is:

cocok dengan + noun
or
cocok sama + noun (informal)

Why is there no adalah in the sentence, like Topi… itu adalah cocok dengan…?

Adalah is often used like “is/are” in equative sentences (A = B):

Dia adalah dokter. = He/She is a doctor.
Jakarta adalah ibu kota Indonesia.

But cocok is already a predicate (a stative verb/adjective meaning “matches/is suitable”). You don’t add adalah before it.

So:

✔ Topi itu cocok dengan syal saya.
✗ Topi itu adalah cocok dengan syal saya. (sounds wrong/foreign)

Think of cocok more like “to match / be fitting” rather than a noun that needs a separate “is”.

Is cocok an adjective or a verb in Indonesian?

Indonesian doesn’t strictly separate adjectives and stative verbs the way English does. Cocok behaves like a stative predicate that can be translated as either:

is suitable / matches (verb-like), or
suitable / matching (adjective-like).

You use it directly as the predicate of the sentence:

Warnanya cocok. = The color matches / is suitable.
Baju ini tidak cocok untuk saya. = This shirt doesn’t suit me.

No extra “to be” is added.

How does the possessive saya work in syal biru saya? Why is saya at the end?

In Indonesian, the neutral way to say my X is:

X saya = my X

So:

syal saya = my scarf
syal biru saya = my blue scarf

The basic order is:

noun + (adjective) + possessor

Compare:

rumah besar saya = my big house
mobil baru saya = my new car

Putting saya before the noun (saya syal) is incorrect for possession. You might also hear syal biru aku (informal, using aku instead of saya).

What’s the difference between saya and aku here?

Both mean I / me / my, but they differ in register:

saya = formal / neutral, polite, safe in most situations.
aku = informal, used with friends, family, or in casual contexts.

So:

syal biru saya = my blue scarf (neutral/polite)
syal biru aku = my blue scarf (more casual/intimate)

Grammar is the same; only the level of formality changes.

Is syal a native Indonesian word? Are there alternatives like selendang?

Syal is a loanword, ultimately from European languages (like Dutch sjaal, English shawl/scarf).

Other related words:

syal: modern, neutral, typically a fashion scarf (around the neck).
selendang: a traditional long cloth/shawl, often worn over the shoulder or used to carry babies.
scarf: in very informal Indonesian you might also hear the English word used.

In this sentence, syal is the natural word for a typical neck scarf.

Why is abu-abu written with a hyphen and repeated? What does the reduplication mean?

Abu-abu comes from abu = ash. Reduplicating it (with a hyphen) turns it into a color word:

abu-abu = gray

This kind of reduplication is common with colors:

hijau-hijau is not standard for “green”, but
kemerah-merahan, kekuning-kuningan, etc. can mean “reddish”, “yellowish”.

For gray, abu-abu is the standard.
You may also see kelabu, another word meaning “gray,” but abu-abu is very common.

How would I say “Those light gray hats go well with my blue scarves” in Indonesian?

Indonesian often leaves plurality implicit, so you can keep the sentence almost the same and rely on context:

Topi abu-abu muda itu cocok dengan syal biru saya.

This can mean:

That light gray hat goes well with my blue scarf, or
Those light gray hats go well with my blue scarves, depending on context.

If you really want to emphasize plural, you can add plural markers:

Topi-topi abu-abu muda itu cocok dengan syal-syal biru saya.

But in everyday Indonesian, doubling like topi-topi, syal-syal is usually only used when you need to stress “many hats/many scarves.”

Can I change the word order to Syal biru saya cocok dengan topi abu-abu muda itu?

Yes. That is also grammatical and natural:

Syal biru saya cocok dengan topi abu-abu muda itu.

Indonesian word order is fairly flexible for known elements. Changing the order can slightly shift the focus:

Topi abu-abu muda itu cocok dengan syal biru saya.
→ “That light gray hat matches my blue scarf.” (hat is the topic)
Syal biru saya cocok dengan topi abu-abu muda itu.
→ “My blue scarf matches that light gray hat.” (scarf is the topic)

The basic meaning is the same.

Are there more natural synonyms for cocok here, like serasi or pas?

Yes, you can use a few alternatives, each with a slightly different flavor:

serasi (more formal/poetic, often about harmony in appearance):
- Topi abu-abu muda itu serasi dengan syal biru saya.
pas (very colloquial, from Dutch pas, meaning fits):
- Topi abu-abu muda itu pas dengan syal biru saya.
matching is sometimes borrowed in very casual speech:
- Topi abu-abu muda itu matching sama syal biru saya. (very informal)

The most neutral and widely used in all registers is still cocok.