Setelah mencuci rambut, saya memakai sampo sedikit lagi dan menyisirnya pelan dengan sisir kayu.

In Indonesian, the subject is often omitted when it is obvious from context.

In this sentence, saya appears in the main clause:

Setelah mencuci rambut, saya memakai ...

So the listener naturally understands that the person who washed the hair is also the person who used the shampoo and combed it. Indonesian often does this in time clauses like setelah ..., sebelum ..., and sesudah ....

A more explicit version would be:

Setelah saya mencuci rambut, saya memakai ...

But that sounds a bit more repetitive.

Because Indonesian often leaves out possessive words like my, your, or his/her when the owner is already clear.

So:

mencuci rambut
literally: wash hair

In context, it naturally means wash my hair because the subject is saya.

If you want to be extra explicit, you could say:

mencuci rambut saya

But in everyday Indonesian, that is often unnecessary.

Cuci is the base word meaning wash.

mencuci is the verb form with the prefix meN-, which often forms active verbs.

So:

• cuci = wash / washing
• mencuci = to wash

In full sentences, Indonesian often prefers the meN- form for active verbs:

• Saya mencuci rambut. = I wash my hair.

Using just cuci can happen in informal speech, commands, or certain constructions, but mencuci is the standard full verb here.

Here, sedikit lagi means a little more.

So:

memakai sampo sedikit lagi
= use a little more shampoo

This is important because sedikit lagi can also mean something like almost or in a little while in other contexts.

For example:

• Sedikit lagi selesai. = It will be finished soon / It’s almost finished.

But in your sentence, because it follows sampo, it means an additional small amount.

Both memakai and menggunakan can mean to use, but they are not always identical in tone.

• memakai is very common and natural for things you wear, apply, or make use of in everyday life
• menggunakan is a bit more formal or neutral

With shampoo, memakai sampo sounds very natural.

Examples:

• memakai baju = wear clothes
• memakai sabun = use soap
• menggunakan alat ini = use this tool

So memakai sampo is a normal, everyday choice.

The -nya means it here, and it refers to rambut.

So:

• menyisir = to comb
• menyisirnya = to comb it

Because rambut was mentioned earlier, Indonesian can use -nya to refer back to it.

So the sequence is:

• wash the hair
• use a little more shampoo
• comb it

In English, we might say comb it or comb my hair. Indonesian uses -nya very naturally for this kind of reference.

Yes, -nya can mean him, her, it, or even their, depending on context.

But in this sentence, the most natural meaning is it, referring to rambut.

That is very common in Indonesian: -nya is a flexible third-person or definite marker, and you figure out its meaning from context.

Both can work.

• pelan = slowly / gentle / soft
• pelan-pelan = slowly, gently, carefully

In many contexts, pelan-pelan sounds a bit more idiomatic when describing how an action is done, but pelan is also understandable and acceptable.

So:

• menyisirnya pelan = comb it gently / slowly
• menyisirnya pelan-pelan = comb it gently / slowly, with a slightly more natural adverbial feel

Indonesian often uses either a simple adjective/adverb or a reduplicated form for this kind of meaning.

Yes. dengan sisir kayu means with a wooden comb.

Word order in Indonesian is usually:

noun + describing noun/adjective

So:

• sisir kayu = wooden comb
• literally: comb wood

This is normal Indonesian structure. Similar examples:

• meja kayu = wooden table
• rumah batu = stone house

So dengan sisir kayu means the tool used for combing is a wooden comb.

Dengan usually means with.

In this sentence, it introduces the instrument or tool:

menyisirnya pelan dengan sisir kayu
= comb it gently with a wooden comb

So dengan tells you what was used to do the action.

It can also mean with in other senses, such as:

• dengan teman = with a friend
• dengan hati-hati = carefully

It is understandable, but some learners might notice that it sounds a little unusual because of the sequence:

After washing the hair, I use a little more shampoo...

That suggests shampoo is being applied after washing, which may or may not fit the intended situation.

If the idea is:

1. wash the hair,
2. apply a little more shampoo,
3. comb it gently,

then the sentence is grammatically fine.

But if the intended routine is more like after washing my hair, I apply a little more product and comb it, many speakers might choose a different word instead of sampo, or slightly rephrase the sentence for smoother real-life wording.

So the grammar is useful to study, even if the real-world action sequence may feel a bit unexpected.

Yes, but the tone changes.

• saya = neutral, polite, standard
• aku = informal, personal, casual

So:

• Setelah mencuci rambut, saya memakai ... sounds neutral and standard
• Setelah mencuci rambut, aku memakai ... sounds more casual

A native speaker would choose based on situation and relationship.