Kami menarik napas dalam-dalam agar aliran oksigen ke tubuh tetap cukup.

We took deep breaths so that the flow of oxygen to the body stayed sufficient.

Breakdown of Kami menarik napas dalam-dalam agar aliran oksigen ke tubuh tetap cukup.

• adalah: to be
• kami: we
• ke: to
• tetap: still
• agar: so that
• cukup: enough
• tubuh: the body
• menarik napas: to take a breath
• dalam-dalam: deeply
• aliran oksigen: the flow of oxygen

Questions & Answers about Kami menarik napas dalam-dalam agar aliran oksigen ke tubuh tetap cukup.

What is the difference between kami and kita, and why is kami used here?

Indonesian has several words for we:

• kami = we (not including the person being spoken to) → exclusive
• kita = we (including the person being spoken to) → inclusive

So:

• Kami menarik napas dalam-dalam...
  = We took a deep breath (but you are not part of this group).

If the speaker wants to include the listener (for example, a teacher telling the whole class including themselves), they might say:

• Kita menarik napas dalam-dalam...
  = We (you and I, all of us) take a deep breath...

In this sentence, kami suggests the group doing the action does not include the listener.

What does menarik napas literally mean, and how is it different from bernapas?

• menarik = to pull
• napas = breath

So menarik napas literally means to pull (in) breath, i.e. to inhale / to take a breath.

bernapas (or bernafas) means to breathe (as an ongoing process).

Compare:

• Kami menarik napas dalam-dalam.
  We take a deep breath. (a specific action)
• Manusia harus bernapas untuk hidup.
  Humans must breathe to live. (general, continuous process)

I’ve seen napas and nafas. Which one is correct?

Both forms exist, but:

• napas is the standard, modern spelling in Indonesian.
• nafas is an older or alternative spelling, still often seen in informal writing, song lyrics, poetry, or older texts.

In formal or standard Indonesian (e.g., exams, official documents), you should prefer napas.

Why is dalam-dalam repeated? What does that doubling mean?

In Indonesian, repeating a word (reduplication) can change or intensify its meaning.

• dalam by itself = deep
• dalam-dalam here functions as an adverb meaning deeply or very deep.

So:

• napas dalam = a deep breath (adjective: deep)
• menarik napas dalam-dalam = to breathe deeply / to take a deep breath (adverb: deeply)

The repetition dalam-dalam emphasizes the depth or intensity of the action.

Could we say napas yang dalam instead of napas dalam-dalam?

Yes, but the nuance changes:

• menarik napas yang dalam
  = take a breath that is deep (adjective describing napas)

• menarik napas dalam-dalam
  = breathe deeply (adverb describing menarik → how you breathe)

Both are understandable, but menarik napas dalam-dalam sounds more natural for “to take a deep breath” as an action.

What does agar mean, and how is it different from supaya and untuk?

agar introduces a purpose or desired result. It’s close to so that / in order that.

• Kami menarik napas dalam-dalam agar aliran oksigen ke tubuh tetap cukup.
  We take a deep breath so that the flow of oxygen to the body stays sufficient.

Comparisons:

• agar and supaya are very similar in meaning (so that).
  In everyday speech, supaya often sounds slightly more casual; agar can sound a bit more formal or written, but both are widely used.
• untuk = for / to (do something), often followed by a verb or noun:
  • untuk bernapas = to breathe
  • untuk kesehatan = for (our) health

You usually cannot just replace agar with untuk in this sentence without changing the structure. You’d need something like:

• Kami menarik napas dalam-dalam untuk menjaga aliran oksigen ke tubuh tetap cukup.
  (We take a deep breath to keep the oxygen flow to the body sufficient.)

What exactly does aliran oksigen mean, and is it necessary to say aliran?

• aliran = flow, stream, circulation
• oksigen = oxygen

So aliran oksigen = the flow (or circulation) of oxygen.

If you only say oksigen, the focus is on the substance itself, not on its movement:

• agar oksigen ke tubuh tetap cukup
  This is understandable, but slightly less natural; it sounds like “so that the oxygen to the body stays enough”.

aliran oksigen makes it clear we are talking about the flow of oxygen in the body, which is more precise and natural in this context.

Why is it ke tubuh and not ke dalam tubuh?

• ke = to, toward
• ke dalam = into (emphasizes entering inside)

ke tubuh here means to the body, and in context it is understood as into the body / through the body because we are talking about oxygen flowing to the body.

You could say:

• ke dalam tubuh = into the body

This is also correct:

• agar aliran oksigen ke dalam tubuh tetap cukup.

The difference is subtle:

• ke tubuh feels a bit shorter and more general.
• ke dalam tubuh emphasizes the inside of the body more strongly.

Both are acceptable; the original is just slightly more concise.

What does tetap cukup mean literally, and why is tetap placed before cukup?

• tetap = to remain, to stay, still (in the sense of remaining in a state)
• cukup = enough, sufficient

So tetap cukup = to remain enough / to stay sufficient.

Word order:

In Indonesian, adverbs like tetap, masih (still), sudah (already), etc. usually come before the adjective:

• tetap cukup = remain sufficient
• masih muda = still young
• sudah siap = already ready

So here:

• aliran oksigen ... tetap cukup
  = the flow of oxygen ... remains sufficient

Is the word order aliran oksigen ke tubuh tetap cukup fixed, or can it be changed?

Indonesian word order is a bit flexible, but some orders are more natural.

Current structure:

• aliran oksigen ke tubuh = subject (the flow of oxygen to the body)
• tetap = adverb (remains)
• cukup = adjective (enough)

You could move ke tubuh slightly:

• agar aliran oksigen tetap cukup ke tubuh → grammatical, but less natural.
• agar ke tubuh aliran oksigen tetap cukup → sounds awkward.

The original:

• agar aliran oksigen ke tubuh tetap cukup

is the most natural and clear. So while Indonesian allows some movement, this particular word order is the best choice here.

Could the subject kami be omitted in this sentence?

Yes, in many contexts Indonesian can drop the subject if it is already clear from context.

• Menarik napas dalam-dalam agar aliran oksigen ke tubuh tetap cukup.

This would still be understood as “(We/they/you) take a deep breath so that the flow of oxygen to the body stays sufficient.”

However:

• If you want to be explicit about who is doing the action, especially in a standalone sentence or written text, keeping kami is clearer.

• In instructions or general advice (“you should…” / “we should…”), people often omit the subject:

  • Tarik napas dalam-dalam agar aliran oksigen ke tubuh tetap cukup.
    (Take a deep breath so that the flow of oxygen to the body stays sufficient.) – sounds like an instruction.

Are there other common ways to say “take a deep breath” in Indonesian?

Yes, several natural alternatives:

• Tarik napas dalam-dalam.
  (Imperative form – common as an instruction.)

• Ambil napas dalam-dalam.
  (also “take a deep breath”, more colloquial in some regions)

• Bernapaslah dalam-dalam.
  (Breathe deeply – slightly more formal or instructional.)

• Tarik napas yang dalam.
  (Take a deep breath – uses yang dalam instead of dalam-dalam.)

All of these are understandable. The original menarik napas dalam-dalam is very natural and common.