Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya suka penjelasan detail dari guru. - I like the teacher's detailed explanation.

Saya – “I”; first-person singular pronoun (neutral/formal).
suka – “like”; verb expressing liking or preference.
penjelasan – “explanation”; noun. (From jelas = clear; pen- -an nominalizes it.)
detail – “detailed”; here it functions like an adjective modifying penjelasan.
dari – “from / of”; preposition showing source or origin.
guru – “teacher”; noun.

So structurally: Saya (subject) + suka (verb) + penjelasan detail (object) + dari guru (prepositional phrase, “from the teacher”).

Why is the adjective detail placed after penjelasan, not before it like in English?

In Indonesian, most adjectives come after the noun they modify:

penjelasan detail = “detailed explanation”
rumah besar = “big house”
buku baru = “new book”

Putting detail before penjelasan (detail penjelasan) is not natural in standard Indonesian for this meaning. So the normal pattern is noun + adjective, not adjective + noun.

Is detail here an adjective or a noun in Indonesian?

In this sentence, detail works like an adjective meaning “detailed / in detail”.

Indonesian often borrows words from English and uses them flexibly:

penjelasan detail – “detailed explanation” (adjective use)
bisa dijelaskan lebih detail? – “can it be explained in more detail?” (adverb-like use)

There’s also a more “native” adjective rinci with almost the same meaning:

penjelasan rinci – detailed, thorough explanation

Both detail and rinci are acceptable. Detail feels a bit more colloquial/modern; rinci often sounds slightly more formal/standard.

Why is dari used before guru? Could we just say penjelasan guru?

dari literally means “from”, and here it marks the source of the explanations:

penjelasan detail dari guru
= “detailed explanations from the teacher”

You can say penjelasan guru; that usually means “the teacher’s explanation(s)” (possessive/attributive), without emphasizing the “from” idea.

Nuance:

penjelasan guru yang detail – “the teacher’s explanation that is detailed”
penjelasan detail dari guru – “detailed explanations from the teacher” (a bit more like “when it comes from the teacher, I like it”)

Both are grammatical; the original slightly highlights the source (“from the teacher”).

Could I say Saya suka penjelasan guru yang detail instead? What is the difference?

Yes, Saya suka penjelasan guru yang detail is natural and common.

Nuance:

Saya suka penjelasan detail dari guru.
- Focuses on the type of explanation (detailed) and its source (from the teacher).
- Sounds slightly more like “I like detailed explanations from the teacher (as a source).”
Saya suka penjelasan guru yang detail.
- Treats guru more directly as a modifier: “the teacher’s explanation.”
- yang detail is a relative-clause-like phrase: “that are detailed.”
- Feels like “I like the teacher’s explanations, which are detailed.”

In most everyday contexts, they’re interchangeable; the difference is subtle.

Does penjelasan mean one explanation or several explanations? Do I need a plural form?

Indonesian nouns usually do not mark plural unless needed for clarity. Penjelasan can mean:

“an explanation”
“the explanation”
“explanations”

The context decides. If you really want to stress plurality, you can say:

banyak penjelasan detail – many detailed explanations
penjelasan-penjelasan detail – explanations (reduplication; more formal/written)

But in normal speech, penjelasan detail is enough and can be understood as one or several explanations.

Can I drop Saya and just say Suka penjelasan detail dari guru?

In casual spoken Indonesian, subjects are often dropped when they’re clear from context. So in conversation, you can say:

Suka penjelasan detail dari guru.

This will usually be understood as Saya suka… if the topic is “you” speaking about yourself.

However:

In writing (especially formal), it’s better to keep Saya.
If there’s any chance of confusion about who likes it, include the subject.

So the full sentence with Saya is neutral and always safe.

What is the difference between Saya and Aku here?

Both Saya and Aku mean “I”, but they differ in formality and situation:

Saya
- Neutral–formal
- Safe for talking to teachers, strangers, in class, in writing, etc.
Aku
- Informal/intimate
- Used with close friends, family, in some songs, social media, or casual speech.

So with a teacher, Saya suka penjelasan detail dari guru is more appropriate than Aku suka…, unless the relationship is very close and casual.

What’s the difference between suka, menyukai, and senang in sentences like this?

All are related to liking, but their use and feel are different:

suka – most common, simple “like”:
- Saya suka penjelasan detail dari guru.
menyukai – more formal/literary, often sounds heavier or more distant:
- Saya menyukai penjelasan detail dari guru. (grammatical but a bit formal or written style)
senang – more like “pleased / happy (with)”:
- Saya senang dengan penjelasan detail dari guru.
- Literally “I’m happy with the teacher’s detailed explanation.”

In everyday speech about preferences, suka is usually the best choice.

Could I use oleh instead of dari, like penjelasan detail oleh guru?

You could, but the nuance changes and it becomes more formal and passive-like.

oleh is mainly used in passive constructions or formal written style:
- Penjelasan detail itu disampaikan oleh guru.
  = “That detailed explanation was delivered by the teacher.”

In your original pattern, dari guru is more natural:

Saya suka penjelasan detail dari guru. – normal, neutral.
Saya suka penjelasan detail oleh guru. – sounds odd in everyday speech; feels like a clipped passive phrase.

So stick with dari here.

If I want to sound more formal or “textbook-like,” how could I slightly refine this sentence?

Several small changes can make it more formal:

Use menyukai instead of suka (more formal verb)
Use rinci instead of detail (more standard/formal adjective)
Attach a possessive to guru if appropriate

Example:

Saya menyukai penjelasan guru yang rinci.
= “I like the teacher’s detailed explanations.”

This sounds more like something you might write in an essay or formal statement.

Is Saya suka penjelasan detail dari guru acceptable in a formal context, like an academic essay?

It’s understandable and not “wrong,” but it’s slightly more conversational because of:

suka (neutral, but a bit casual compared to menyukai)
detail (common and fine, but rinci often feels more formal)

For an academic or formal text, something like these are more typical:

Saya menyukai penjelasan guru yang rinci.
Saya sangat menghargai penjelasan guru yang rinci.

For speaking in class to your teacher, your original sentence is completely acceptable and natural.