Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya menulis daftar ungkapan favorit di kertas warna-warni dan menempelkannya di dinding sebagai metode campuran antara membaca dan latihan lisan. - I write a list of my favorite expressions on colorful paper and stick them on the wall as a mixed method between reading and speaking practice.

Ekspresi usually refers to expression in a more general or emotional sense, like facial expressions or expressing feelings (e.g. ekspresi wajah, mengekspresikan perasaan).

In a language‑learning context, daftar ungkapan favorit = a list of favorite phrases/expressions (that you say or write), so ungkapan is the natural choice here.

Why is it ungkapan favorit and not favorit ungkapan, like in English favorite expressions?

In Indonesian, descriptive words usually come after the noun:

ungkapan favorit = favorite expressions
buku baru = new book
kertas warna-warni = colorful paper

So the normal order is: noun + describing word, not the other way around.
Favorit ungkapan would sound wrong or at least very unnatural.

What is the nuance of favorit here compared to kesukaan or kesayangan?

All relate to “favorite,” but the usage is different:

ungkapan favorit – most natural and common for “favorite expressions.”
ungkapan kesukaan saya – also correct, literally “expressions (of) my liking.” A bit more formal/longer.
ungkapan kesayangan – tends to sound more affectionate or personal, like “dearest expressions,” and is less common in this context.

So favorit is short, neutral, and widely used with things you like:
makanan favorit, film favorit, lagu favorit, ungkapan favorit, etc.

Why is it menulis daftar ungkapan favorit? Could it also be menuliskan or membuat daftar?

All of these are possible, with slightly different focuses:

menulis daftar ungkapan favorit – “write a list of favorite expressions.” Focus on the physical act of writing.
menuliskan daftar ungkapan favorit – similar meaning; menuliskan can sound a bit more like write (something) down, sometimes with a focus on transferring it somewhere.
membuat daftar ungkapan favorit – “make a list of favorite expressions.” Focus more on creating/compiling the list (not just the writing motion).

In your sentence, menulis daftar is clear and natural. You could replace it with membuat daftar without changing the meaning much.

Is daftar only a noun meaning “list,” or can it be a verb too?

Daftar as a noun:

daftar ungkapan = a list of expressions
daftar nama = a list of names

Mendaftar as a verb (with prefix meN-):

Saya mendaftar kursus bahasa. = I register/sign up for a language course.

So in your sentence, daftar is a noun (list), not a verb.

Why is it di kertas warna-warni and not pada kertas or di selembar kertas?

All of these are grammatically possible, but with slightly different flavors:

di kertas warna-warni – “on colorful paper.” Very natural and casual.
pada kertas warna-warni – more formal/literary; pada often shows up in formal writing.
di selembar kertas warna-warni – “on a (single) sheet of colorful paper.” Adds the idea of one sheet (selembar).

So di kertas warna-warni is simple and idiomatic for everyday usage.

What exactly does warna-warni mean, and why is it repeated?

Warna = color.
Warna-warni (reduplication with variation) means colorful, multicolored, various colors.

Reduplication in Indonesian often indicates:

plurality or variety (e.g. buku-buku = books, sayur-mayur = various vegetables)
an intensified or derived meaning

So kertas warna-warni = colorful paper (paper of many colors / multicolored paper).

How is menempelkannya formed, and what does each part mean?

Menempelkannya can be broken down as:

tempel = stick, attach (root)
menempelkan = to stick (something) [to cause it to be attached]
menempelkannya = stick it / stick them

The -kan suffix makes the verb transitive and often means to cause something to be in a certain state or position.
The -nya here is a pronoun meaning it/them, referring back to daftar ungkapan favorit di kertas warna-warni (the things you wrote).

So:
dan menempelkannya di dinding = “and stick them on the wall.”

Could I just say dan menempel di dinding without -kan and -nya?

Not with the same meaning.

menempel = to stick / to be stuck (intransitive or describing state)
- Kertas itu menempel di dinding. = The paper is stuck on the wall.
menempelkan (sesuatu) = to stick something (transitive)
- Saya menempelkan kertas di dinding. = I stick the paper on the wall.

In your sentence, you are doing the action of sticking something. So you need the transitive form:

menempelkannya = stick it/them

If you said dan menempel di dinding, it would sound more like and (they) are stuck on the wall (describing the result/state), not and I stick them on the wall.

What does sebagai metode campuran mean exactly? Is metode campuran natural?

sebagai = as
metode = method
campuran = mixed / mixture

So sebagai metode campuran = as a mixed method or as a combination method.

Yes, metode campuran is understandable and acceptable. Other very natural options:

sebagai metode gabungan (combined method)
sebagai metode kombinasi (combination method)

All suggest you’re mixing more than one way of learning.

How does antara membaca dan latihan lisan work? Why use antara here?

Antara … dan … means between … and … or a mixture/combination of … and ….

So:
metode campuran antara membaca dan latihan lisan
= “a mixed method between reading and oral practice”
= “a method that combines reading and speaking practice.”

Structure:

antara A dan B = between A and B
Here:
A = membaca (reading)
B = latihan lisan (oral practice)

That construction is very common and natural.

Is it okay that one part is membaca (a verb) and the other is latihan lisan (a noun phrase)? Should it be more parallel?

In Indonesian, the base verb (or me- verb) is often used to mean the activity itself, similar to a gerund in English:

membaca = (to) read / reading (the activity)
menulis = (to) write / writing

So membaca functions like a noun phrase “reading (as an activity)” here, and it’s fine to pair it with latihan lisan.

That said, you could make both sides more obviously parallel, for example:

antara membaca dan berbicara (between reading and speaking)
antara latihan membaca dan latihan lisan (between reading practice and oral practice)

But the original is already natural and clear.

What does latihan lisan mean? How is it different from latihan berbicara?

latihan = practice, exercise
lisan = oral / spoken

So latihan lisan = oral practice (speaking out loud, speaking exercises).

Latihan berbicara is almost the same in meaning: speaking practice.
Nuance:

latihan lisan might sound slightly more formal/technical (you’ll see ujian lisan = oral exam).
latihan berbicara sounds more everyday and direct.

Both are acceptable in a language-learning context.

Why is the subject saya used? Could it be aku, and can it be dropped?

saya = I (polite, neutral, standard)
aku = I (more informal, intimate, or casual among friends/family)

In this sentence, saya is a safe, neutral choice.

You could say:

Aku menulis daftar… in a casual context (e.g. in a diary, to friends).

About dropping the subject (pro-drop):

In many contexts, Indonesian allows dropping saya/aku when it’s obvious who the subject is:
- Menulis daftar ungkapan favorit… could be understood as “(I) write a list…” depending on context.
But including saya makes it explicitly clear and is very natural in a standalone sentence like this.

How do we know whether this sentence is in the past, present, or future? There’s no tense marker.

Indonesian verbs do not change form for tense. Time is usually understood from:

context
time adverbs: kemarin (yesterday), sekarang (now), besok (tomorrow), tadi, etc.
additional phrases: sedang, sudah, akan, etc.

Your sentence by itself could mean:

I wrote / I have written … (past)
I write … (present, habitual)
I am writing … (present, progressive)

If you add a time word, it becomes clear:

Kemarin saya menulis daftar… = Yesterday I wrote a list…
Setiap hari saya menulis daftar… = Every day I write a list…

So the ambiguity is normal in Indonesian; context usually resolves it.