Sebelum tidur, saya menaruh kacamata di meja rias.

Literally, sebelum means before, and tidur means sleep or to sleep.

So sebelum tidur can be understood as:

• before sleeping
• before going to bed
• literally, before sleep

In Indonesian, tidur can function naturally in this kind of time expression without needing extra words like going or to.

In Indonesian, time expressions like sebelum tidur, sesudah makan, or setelah pulang often leave out the subject when it is obvious from context.

So sebelum tidur does not need saya. It naturally means something like:

• before I sleep
• before going to sleep
• before bed

If you wanted to be more explicit, you could say sebelum saya tidur, but that is not necessary here and often sounds less natural unless you want emphasis.

Menaruh means to put, to place, or to set down.

In this sentence, it describes placing the glasses somewhere:

• menaruh kacamata di meja rias = to put the glasses on the dressing table

It is a normal, natural verb for placing something somewhere.

Taruh is the base word, and menaruh is the active verb form made with the meN- prefix.

So:

• taruh = base form
• menaruh = active verb, often used in standard Indonesian

This happens because the prefix changes depending on the first sound of the root. With taruh, the initial t drops after the prefix is added:

• meN- + taruh → menaruh

In everyday speech, many people do say taruh informally, but menaruh sounds more standard and grammatical in careful Indonesian.

They are very similar. Both can mean to put or to place.

A rough comparison:

• menaruh = to put / place
• meletakkan = to place / put down

In many sentences, they are interchangeable. However, meletakkan can sound a little more formal or deliberate in some contexts.

So this sentence could also be:

• Sebelum tidur, saya meletakkan kacamata di meja rias.

That would still sound natural.

Kacamata means glasses or a pair of glasses.

Even though English uses a plural-looking form, Indonesian treats kacamata as a normal noun. It usually refers to one pair of glasses unless context says otherwise.

So:

• kacamata = glasses / a pair of glasses

You do not need a special plural form here.

Indonesian often leaves out possessives when they are already obvious from context.

Here, if the meaning is clearly my glasses, then kacamata by itself is enough. Indonesian often sounds more natural this way.

Compare:

• saya menaruh kacamata di meja rias = I put my/the glasses on the dressing table
• saya menaruh kacamata saya di meja rias = I put my glasses on the dressing table

The second version is more explicit, but not always necessary.

Di is a location marker, and meja rias means dressing table or vanity table.

So:

• di meja rias = at/on the dressing table

The exact English preposition depends on context. In this sentence, English would usually say on the dressing table, but Indonesian simply uses di for location.

It can correspond to all of those in English, depending on context.

Indonesian di is a general location marker. English is more specific, so translation changes based on the noun:

• di rumah = at home / in the house
• di meja = on the table
• di kantor = at the office
• di kotak = in the box

So in di meja rias, English naturally uses on, even though Indonesian just uses di.

Meja means table, and rias relates to makeup, grooming, or dressing oneself.

So meja rias is a:

• dressing table
• vanity
• vanity table

It is the kind of table where someone might keep cosmetics, a mirror, jewelry, or glasses.

The comma is used because Sebelum tidur is a time expression placed at the beginning of the sentence.

It works like a fronted phrase in English:

• Before going to bed, I put my glasses on the dressing table.

In Indonesian writing, that comma is natural and helpful. It separates the introductory time phrase from the main clause.

Yes. You can also say:

• Saya menaruh kacamata di meja rias sebelum tidur.

This is also natural and means basically the same thing.

The difference is mainly one of focus:

• Sebelum tidur, ... emphasizes the time first
• Saya menaruh ..., sebelum tidur states the action first and adds the time afterward

Both are correct.

No. Indonesian verbs do not change form for tense the way English verbs do.

So menaruh by itself does not specifically mean:

• put
• am putting
• will put

The time is understood from context. This sentence could describe:

• a habit: Before sleeping, I put my glasses on the dressing table
• a past action: Before going to bed, I put my glasses on the dressing table

Context tells you which one is intended.

It sounds neutral to slightly formal, mainly because of saya and menaruh.

A more casual spoken version might be:

• Sebelum tidur, aku taruh kacamata di meja rias.

Comparison:

• saya = neutral/polite
• aku = casual
• menaruh = more standard
• taruh = more casual in everyday speech

So the original sentence is a good standard Indonesian sentence for learners.