Log inSign up

Kami membaca ulang proposal singkat itu sebelum mengirim email resmi.

Kami membaca ulang proposal singkat itu sebelum mengirim email resmi.
We reread the short proposal before sending the official email.

Breakdown of Kami membaca ulang proposal singkat itu sebelum mengirim email resmi.

itu
that
kami
we
sebelum
before
singkat
short
mengirim
to send
email
the email
resmi
official
proposal
the proposal
membaca ulang
to reread
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Indonesian grammar and vocabulary.

Start learning Indonesian now

Questions & Answers about Kami membaca ulang proposal singkat itu sebelum mengirim email resmi.

Why does it use kami and not kita for we?

Indonesian has two common words for we:

  • kami = we (but not you) → the listener is not included.
  • kita = we (including you) → the listener is included.

So Kami membaca ulang... implies the speaker’s group reread it, and the person being spoken to wasn’t part of that group.

How is membaca formed, and why does baca change?

membaca = meN- (verb-forming prefix) + baca (root: read).

When meN- attaches, it changes shape depending on the first sound of the root. With roots starting with b, meN- becomes mem-:

  • meN-
    • baca → mem
      • baca → membaca

This is a normal Indonesian sound/spacing rule for the meN- prefix.

Is membaca ulang one verb, and what exactly is ulang here?

It works like a verb + adverb combination:

  • membaca = to read
  • ulang = again / re-

So membaca ulang = to reread / to read again.
You’ll also see ulang used as a standalone word meaning repeat (e.g., Ulangi! = Repeat it!), but here it’s functioning like again.

Why is ulang placed after the verb, not before?

In Indonesian, adverbs like ulang (again), sudah (already), sedang (currently), baru (just) often come before or after the verb depending on the adverb and style.

For again, the common natural placement is after the verb:

  • membaca ulang = reread (very common)

You can sometimes see different placements in other contexts, but membaca ulang is the standard collocation.

Why is it proposal singkat itu and not itu proposal singkat?

Typical noun phrase order in Indonesian is: Noun + adjective(s) + demonstrative

  • proposal (noun) + singkat (short) + itu (that)

So:

  • proposal singkat itu = that short proposal

Putting itu in front (itu proposal...) is possible in some contexts for emphasis or specific discourse reasons, but the neutral, common order is with itu at the end.

Does itu mean that or the here?

itu literally means that, but in real usage it often also functions like a definiteness marker, similar to the in English—especially when both speaker and listener know which thing is meant.

So proposal ... itu can feel like:

  • that proposal (deictic: pointing to it)
  • or the proposal (definite: we both know the one)

Context decides which English translation sounds best.

Why is there no past tense marking (like read vs reread)?

Indonesian verbs generally don’t change form for tense. Time is usually shown by:

  • context, or
  • time words/connectors like sebelum (before), sesudah (after), kemarin (yesterday), etc.

Here, sebelum mengirim... clearly sets the sequence: rereading happened before sending.

Can sebelum mengirim email resmi have an explicit subject?

Yes. Indonesian often drops repeated subjects when it’s clear, but you can include it:

  • Kami membaca ulang proposal singkat itu sebelum mengirim email resmi. (subject omitted in second clause)
  • Kami membaca ulang proposal singkat itu sebelum kami mengirim email resmi. (subject repeated)

Both are grammatical; repeating kami can add clarity or emphasis.

How is mengirim formed, and why isn’t it mengkir or something?

mengirim = meN- + kirim (send).

With roots starting with k, the k typically drops and the prefix becomes meng-:

  • meN-
    • kirim → meng-
      • irim → mengirim

This is a regular rule for meN- with many k- roots.

Why is there no word like to before email (as in “send an email to someone”)?

In this sentence, email resmi is the direct object: what is being sent.

If you want to add the recipient, you’d use a preposition such as kepada (to) or sometimes ke depending on context:

  • ...sebelum mengirim email resmi kepada klien. = before sending an official email to the client

Without a recipient phrase, mengirim email resmi simply means send an official email.

What does email resmi mean—“official email” or “formal email”?

resmi covers meanings like official, formal, authorized, depending on context. Here it most naturally means an email written in an official/formal capacity (e.g., for work).

If you needed to be more explicit, you could expand it:

  • email yang resmi = an email that is official/formal (more descriptive)

But email resmi is already a normal compact noun phrase.

Should there be sebuah before proposal or email?

Not necessary. Indonesian often omits classifiers like sebuah unless you want to emphasize one item or sound a bit more explicit.

All are possible depending on nuance:

  • proposal singkat itu = that short proposal (natural)
  • sebuah proposal singkat itu = that one short proposal (more specific/emphatic)
  • mengirim email resmi = send an official email (natural)
  • mengirim sebuah email resmi = send one official email (more explicit)