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Titipkan kunci cadangan itu ke tetangga sebelum berangkat.

Titipkan kunci cadangan itu ke tetangga sebelum berangkat.
Leave the spare key with the neighbor before you leave.
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Questions & Answers about Titipkan kunci cadangan itu ke tetangga sebelum berangkat.

What does titipkan mean, and what is its base form?

Titipkan comes from the base word titip (to entrust / to leave something in someone’s care) plus the suffix -kan.
So titipkan X (ke/pada Y) means entrust/leave X with Y (so they keep it for you).

Why is titipkan in this form—what does -kan do here?

In many everyday cases, -kan makes the verb more clearly transitive (taking a direct object) and often has a “cause/put/place” feel.
Here it helps express “place/leave (something) with someone”:

  • Titipkan kunci... = Leave/entrust the key...

You may also hear titip alone in casual speech (especially in conversation), but titipkan is very common in instructions.

Is this sentence an imperative? Where is the subject?

Yes. Titipkan... is an imperative (a command/instruction), and Indonesian commonly omits the subject in imperatives.
The implied subject is you.

If you want to include it, you could say:

  • Kamu titipkan kunci cadangan itu... (more direct/blunt)
  • Tolong titipkan kunci cadangan itu... (more polite)
How polite is Titipkan... on its own? Should I add something?

On its own, Titipkan... sounds like a straightforward instruction—fine in many contexts (family, friends, giving practical instructions).
To sound softer/more polite, add:

  • Tolong titipkan... (Please leave/entrust...)
  • Coba titipkan... (Try leaving...)
  • Bisa titipkan... ? (turns it into a request: Could you... ?)
Why is itu placed after kunci cadangan?

In Indonesian, demonstratives typically come after the noun phrase:

  • kunci cadangan itu = that spare key
  • kunci cadangan ini = this spare key

So the order is normal: noun + demonstrative.

What’s the function of ke in ke tetangga? Could it be pada/kepada?

Ke literally means to and is widely used for movement/direction, but it’s also common in everyday Indonesian with verbs like titipkan to mark the recipient:

  • titipkan ... ke tetangga = leave it with the neighbor

You can also say pada/kepada tetangga, which can feel a bit more “recipient-focused” and sometimes slightly more formal:

  • Titipkan kunci cadangan itu kepada tetangga...

Both are natural; ke tetangga is very common in speech.

Does tetangga need an article like a/the?

No—Indonesian doesn’t use a/the the way English does. Tetangga can mean a neighbor or the neighbor depending on context.
If you want to be more specific, you can add something like:

  • tetangga sebelah = the next-door neighbor
  • tetangga rumah nomor 7 = the neighbor at house number 7
Who is berangkat referring to in sebelum berangkat?

By default, sebelum berangkat refers to the same implied subject as the command—you.
So it means before (you) leave/depart.

If it’s someone else leaving, Indonesian would usually specify it:

  • sebelum dia berangkat = before he/she leaves
  • sebelum kalian berangkat = before you all leave
Can I move sebelum berangkat to the beginning of the sentence?

Yes, and it’s very natural. Indonesian often front-loads time expressions:

  • Sebelum berangkat, titipkan kunci cadangan itu ke tetangga.
    Meaning stays the same; it just changes the flow/emphasis.
Is kunci the same as anak kunci?

Often, yes in everyday usage, but there can be nuance:

  • kunci = key (general word; also can mean “lock” in some contexts)
  • anak kunci = literally “child of the lock,” often meaning the physical key specifically

In this sentence, kunci cadangan is completely natural and common for spare key.

Is there any difference between cadangan and words like spare in English?

Cadangan broadly means spare / backup / reserve depending on context:

  • kunci cadangan = spare key
  • ban cadangan = spare tire
  • rencana cadangan = backup plan

So it maps well to English spare/backup, with meaning determined by context.