Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Menurut saya, metode belajar tatabahasa lewat percakapan lisan lebih menyenangkan daripada hanya membaca buku. - In my opinion, the method of learning grammar through spoken conversations is more enjoyable than just reading books.

If you just say “Saya …” (for example, “Saya suka belajar …”), you’re simply stating something about yourself, but not necessarily emphasizing that it’s an opinion or viewpoint in a discussion.

In this sentence, “Menurut saya,” works like a softening phrase, making your statement sound less absolute and more like a personal view.

Can I say “Saya pikir” instead of “Menurut saya”? What’s the difference?

Yes, you can say “Saya pikir …” instead of “Menurut saya …”, and the meaning will be very similar: “I think …”.

Saya pikir = I think (more cognitive, about your thought)
Menurut saya = in my opinion (more about your point of view)

Nuance:

“Menurut saya” sounds a bit more formal and neutral, common in written Indonesian or polite conversation.
“Saya pikir” is slightly more casual and sounds more like spontaneous thinking.

Both are acceptable here:

Menurut saya, metode belajar tatabahasa…
Saya pikir, metode belajar tatabahasa…

In many everyday situations, they’re interchangeable.

Why is there a comma after “Menurut saya”? Is it required?

The comma after “Menurut saya,” separates an introductory phrase (your opinion marker) from the main clause of the sentence. It’s similar to English:

In my opinion, this method is better.

Is it absolutely required? In everyday informal writing (texts, chats), people might omit it. But in standard / formal writing:

It’s recommended and considered correct punctuation.
It makes the sentence easier to read because it clearly marks where the introductory phrase ends.

What exactly does “metode belajar tatabahasa” mean, and how is the word order working here?

“metode belajar tatabahasa” can be broken down as:

metode = method
belajar = to study / to learn
tatabahasa = grammar

So the phrase means: “a method of learning grammar” or “grammar learning method”.

Word order in Indonesian noun phrases is usually:

HEAD + modifier(s)

Here:

metode is the head noun (method)
belajar tatabahasa is a phrase that modifies metode (what kind of method? a method for learning grammar)

Compare to English:

Indonesian: metode belajar tatabahasa
English: method (for) learning grammar / grammar-learning method

So the order is quite natural for Indonesian: the main noun comes first, then the description.

I’ve seen “tata bahasa” written as two words. Is “tatabahasa” (one word) also correct?

Yes, you will see both:

tata bahasa (two words)
tatabahasa (one word)

Traditionally and in many dictionaries, “tata bahasa” is written as two words, and that is often considered more standard:

tata = arrangement / system / order
bahasa = language

Together: tata bahasa = grammar (literally “the system/order of a language”).

However, in real use (books, internet, everyday writing), “tatabahasa” as a single word is also common. It’s understood and not “wrong” in practice.

If you want to be safe and very standard, especially in formal writing or exams, use:

tata bahasa (two words)

What does “lewat” mean here, and could I use “melalui” or “dengan” instead?

In this sentence:

… metode belajar tatabahasa lewat percakapan lisan …

“lewat” means “through / via / by means of”.

You could replace it with:

melalui — also “through” / “via”, a bit more formal
dengan — “with / by”, more general

So you could say:

metode belajar tatabahasa lewat percakapan lisan
metode belajar tatabahasa melalui percakapan lisan
metode belajar tatabahasa dengan percakapan lisan

All are acceptable. Nuance:

lewat = common, neutral, slightly informal feel.
melalui = more formal/written style.
dengan = very general “using/with”, slightly less specific than “through”.

Isn’t all “percakapan” already spoken? Why say “percakapan lisan”? Could we just say “percakapan”?

You’re right that “percakapan” (conversation) usually implies spoken interaction.

percakapan = conversation
lisan = oral / spoken (as opposed to written)

So “percakapan lisan” literally means “oral conversation” or “spoken conversation”. It’s somewhat redundant, but it adds emphasis that you are talking about spoken practice, not just learning from written dialogues or reading.

You can say just:

menurut saya, belajar tatabahasa lewat percakapan lebih menyenangkan …

That’s still natural and understandable. Adding “lisan” just makes it crystal clear that you mean speaking practice.

How does the comparison structure “lebih … daripada …” work in this sentence?

The pattern is:

lebih + adjective + daripada + comparator

In this sentence:

lebih = more
menyenangkan = enjoyable / pleasant
daripada = than
hanya membaca buku = just reading books

So:

lebih menyenangkan daripada hanya membaca buku
= more enjoyable than just reading books

General pattern:

A lebih besar daripada B = A is bigger than B
Belajar lewat percakapan lebih efektif daripada belajar sendiri.
= Learning through conversation is more effective than studying alone.

You can also omit “daripada” if the comparison is obvious from context, but in standard sentences like this, it’s usually kept.

What does “hanya” do in “daripada hanya membaca buku”? Where can it be placed?

“hanya” means “only / just / merely”.
In “daripada hanya membaca buku” it emphasizes that the second option is “just reading books (and nothing else)”, implying it’s limited or less interesting.

Placement:

daripada hanya membaca buku (most natural)
daripada membaca buku saja (also common; saja works like “only” here)
daripada sekadar membaca buku (more formal: “than merely reading books”)

All these carry a similar idea: the compared activity is only/merely reading, which sounds less fun or less rich than conversation practice.

What is “menyenangkan” exactly? Is it an adjective or a verb, and how is it formed?

“menyenangkan” comes from the base word “senang”:

senang = happy / pleased / glad

With the prefix-suffix me- … -kan, it becomes:

menyenangkan

Functions:

Adjective-like meaning:
- menyenangkan = enjoyable / pleasant / fun
  Example: Pengalaman itu sangat menyenangkan. = That experience was very enjoyable.
Verb-like meaning (“to make someone happy”):
- menyenangkan dia = to please him/her

In your sentence:

lebih menyenangkan = more enjoyable / more fun (adjective-like use)

Could we say “belajar tatabahasa lewat percakapan lisan” without “metode”? Would that change the meaning?

Yes, you can remove “metode” and say:

Menurut saya, belajar tatabahasa lewat percakapan lisan lebih menyenangkan daripada hanya membaca buku.

Differences in nuance:

metode belajar tatabahasa …
= “the method of learning grammar …” (talking about the method itself)
belajar tatabahasa lewat percakapan lisan …
= “learning grammar through spoken conversation …” (talking more directly about the activity of learning)

Both are grammatically correct and natural. The version without “metode” is slightly more direct and conversational.

How formal or informal is this sentence? Where could I appropriately use it?

The sentence is in neutral–polite Indonesian:

Menurut saya, metode belajar tatabahasa lewat percakapan lisan lebih menyenangkan daripada hanya membaca buku.

Features:

Uses “saya” (polite “I”)
No slang or casual particles
Vocabulary like “menurut”, “metode”, “tatabahasa” is fairly standard

You can use this sentence in:

Class discussions
Essays or written assignments about learning methods
Conversations with teachers, classmates, or colleagues

In more casual speech with friends, you might simplify it a bit, for example:

Menurut aku, belajar tata bahasa lewat ngobrol itu lebih asyik daripada cuma baca buku.
(casual: aku, ngobrol, asyik, cuma)

Why is it “membaca buku” and not something like “untuk membaca buku” or “dengan membaca buku”?

In “daripada hanya membaca buku”, the phrase “membaca buku” (reading books) is treated as an activity that you are comparing with another activity.

Indonesian often uses a bare verb phrase as a noun-like phrase to refer to an activity:

belajar bahasa = learning a language
makan malam = having dinner
membaca buku = reading books

So:

lebih menyenangkan daripada hanya membaca buku
= more enjoyable than just (the activity of) reading books

You could say things like “dengan hanya membaca buku” or “hanya dengan membaca buku”, but they sound more complicated and are not needed here for a simple comparison. The original is natural and idiomatic.