Saya lebih suka salad sayur daripada keripik asin.

Indonesian often expresses prefer as lebih suka, literally more like.

• suka = to like
• lebih = more

So Saya lebih suka X daripada Y is the normal way to say I prefer X to Y.

You may also see memilih (to choose), but that is not the same as prefer in everyday use.

daripada means than in comparisons like this.

So the pattern is:

Subject + lebih suka + thing A + daripada + thing B

Example:

• Saya lebih suka teh daripada kopi. = I prefer tea to coffee.

Without daripada, lebih suka just means like more, but the second thing being compared would not be stated clearly.

In careful or standard Indonesian, daripada is the better choice for than in comparisons.

• Standard: lebih suka ... daripada ...
• Colloquial speech: many people say dari

So you may hear:

• Saya lebih suka salad sayur dari keripik asin.

That is common in conversation, but daripada is the safer form for learners and for formal writing.

In Indonesian noun phrases, the main noun usually comes first, and the word describing or specifying it comes after.

So:

• salad sayur = vegetable salad
  • main noun: salad
  • modifier: sayur

This is a very common pattern in Indonesian:

• jus apel = apple juice
• sup ayam = chicken soup
• salad buah = fruit salad

English often puts the describing word first, but Indonesian usually puts it after.

Because adjectives usually come after the noun in Indonesian.

• keripik asin = salty chips
• rumah besar = big house
• kopi panas = hot coffee

So the normal order is:

noun + adjective

That is why keripik asin sounds natural, while asin keripik does not.

They are related, but not always identical in feel.

• sayur can mean vegetables or vegetable dish, depending on context.
• sayuran often means vegetables in a slightly more explicit or collective sense.

In a phrase like salad sayur, sayur is very natural.
You may also hear salad sayuran, and it can sound a bit more formal or explicit.

So:

• salad sayur = very common
• salad sayuran = also possible

It is understandable, but Saya lebih suka salad sayur daripada keripik asin is the more natural and standard structure.

Indonesian usually places lebih directly before what is being compared:

• natural: Saya lebih suka X daripada Y
• less natural: Saya suka X lebih daripada Y

So learners should stick with lebih suka as a set phrase.

Yes, it can be used with verbs as well.

Examples:

• Saya lebih suka membaca daripada menonton TV. = I prefer reading to watching TV.
• Mereka lebih suka makan di rumah daripada di restoran. = They prefer eating at home rather than in restaurants.

So lebih suka can compare:

• nouns
• activities
• situations

No. In Indonesian, suka can directly take an object.

• Saya suka kopi.
• Dia suka musik.
• Kami lebih suka salad sayur.

There is no special object marker needed here.

Yes, saya is neutral and polite. It works in most situations.

More casual alternatives include:

• aku = casual I
• sometimes omitted in conversation if the subject is obvious

Examples:

• Aku lebih suka salad sayur daripada keripik asin.
• Lebih suka salad sayur daripada keripik asin.
  (possible in casual speech if context is clear)

For learners, saya is a very safe choice.

Indonesian usually does not require plural marking unless it is important.

So:

• keripik asin can mean salty chips in a general sense
• salad sayur can mean vegetable salad as a category or serving

Context usually tells you whether something is singular, plural, or generic.

If you really wanted to show plurality, Indonesian can use reduplication:

• keripik-keripik
• sayur-sayur

But in this sentence, that would sound unnecessary.

daripada is specifically used for comparison or sometimes for instead of / rather than.

• lebih baik A daripada B = better A than B
• lebih suka A daripada B = prefer A to B

It is not like:

• karena = because
• tentang = about

So in this sentence, daripada is the comparison word linking the two things being compared.

Yes. Without any time marker, the sentence naturally sounds like a general preference.

Saya lebih suka salad sayur daripada keripik asin means the speaker generally prefers vegetable salad over salty chips.

If you wanted to make it specific to a time or situation, you could add context:

• Hari ini saya lebih suka salad sayur daripada keripik asin. = Today I prefer vegetable salad to salty chips.

So the original sentence sounds broad and general.