Dokter berkata ruam itu ringan, tetapi kami tetap diminta berhenti makan udang dulu.

Indonesian does not use articles like the or a/an the way English does.

So Dokter berkata can mean:

• The doctor said
• A doctor said

Which one is intended depends on context. In this sentence, English would naturally use the doctor, but Indonesian does not need a separate word for that.

In Indonesian, demonstratives such as ini (this) and itu (that/the) usually come after the noun.

So:

• ruam itu = that rash / the rash
• udang itu = that shrimp

This is normal Indonesian word order. English puts that before the noun, but Indonesian puts itu after it.

In many contexts, itu does not have to feel very literally like that. It can also function more like the, pointing to something already known in the conversation.

Because Indonesian often does not use a verb meaning to be in simple sentences with adjectives or nouns.

So:

• ruam itu ringan = the rash is mild
• literally: that rash mild

This is completely normal.
You only use words like adalah in more formal or specific situations, and not usually before an adjective like ringan in everyday speech.

So ruam itu ringan is the natural way to say it.

Ringan literally means light, but in medical or symptom contexts it often means:

• mild
• not severe

So ruam itu ringan means the rash is mild, not serious.

This is a good example of how a very common word can have a context-based meaning.

Yes, other verbs are possible, but they are used a little differently.

berkata

This means to say / to speak and does not need a direct object right after it.

• Dokter berkata ruam itu ringan.
• The doctor said the rash was mild.

mengatakan

This also means to say, but it is more explicitly transitive, so it often introduces what was said a bit more directly.

• Dokter mengatakan bahwa ruam itu ringan.

bilang

This is a very common, more informal spoken alternative.

• Dokter bilang ruam itu ringan.

So berkata is correct and a bit more neutral or formal than bilang.

Tetapi means but.

It connects two contrasting ideas:

• The doctor said the rash was mild
• but we were still asked to stop eating shrimp for now

So the contrast is:

• the condition is mild
• however, precautions are still being taken

In everyday speech, many people would also say tapi, which is less formal.

• tetapi = more formal/written
• tapi = very common in conversation

Tetap here means something like:

• still
• nevertheless
• all the same

It shows that the second action happened despite the first clause.

So the idea is:

• the rash was mild,
• but even so, we were asked to stop eating shrimp.

Without tetap, the sentence would still make sense, but tetap strengthens the idea of contrast.

This is an important distinction in Indonesian.

• kami = we, but not including the listener
• kita = we, including the listener

So kami tetap diminta... means we were still asked..., where we does not include the person being spoken to.

English has only one word, we, but Indonesian makes this distinction clearly.

Because diminta is a passive form.

• meminta = to ask/request
• diminta = to be asked/requested

So:

• kami diminta berhenti makan udang dulu = we were asked to stop eating shrimp for now

This is a very common Indonesian passive pattern:

• di-
  • verb root

Examples:

• minta → diminta = be asked
• beri → diberi = be given
• suruh → disuruh = be told/ordered

The passive is often used when the person doing the action is unknown, obvious, or not important.

The sentence does not state it explicitly. That is very normal in Indonesian passive constructions.

From context, the most likely meaning is that the doctor or medical staff asked them to stop eating shrimp. But the grammar itself leaves the agent unstated.

If you wanted to include the doer, you could say something like:

• kami tetap diminta oleh dokter...
• we were still asked by the doctor...

But Indonesian often leaves out oleh dokter if it is already clear from context.

Because Indonesian does not need an infinitive marker like English to.

In English:

• asked to stop eating

In Indonesian:

• diminta berhenti makan

The verb can follow directly.

So:

• diminta berhenti = asked to stop
• ingin makan = want to eat
• mulai bekerja = start to work

This direct verb-following pattern is very common in Indonesian.

Berhenti can be followed directly by another verb to mean stop doing something.

So:

• berhenti makan udang = stop eating shrimp

This is the most natural structure here.

You may sometimes see berhenti dari in certain contexts, but for an action like this, berhenti + verb is the usual pattern.

Examples:

• berhenti merokok = stop smoking
• berhenti bekerja = stop working
• berhenti minum kopi = stop drinking coffee

Here, dulu does not mean past time before.
It means something like:

• for now
• first
• temporarily

So berhenti makan udang dulu means:

• stop eating shrimp for now
• avoid shrimp first, at least for the time being

This use of dulu is very common in everyday Indonesian.

Examples:

• Istirahat dulu. = Rest first / rest for now.
• Makan nanti, kerja dulu. = Eat later, work first.
• Jangan minum kopi dulu. = Don’t drink coffee for now.

So in this sentence, dulu suggests the restriction may be temporary.

Adverbs like dulu are often placed after the part they modify.

Here:

• berhenti makan udang dulu

This naturally gives the sense:

• stop eating shrimp for now

Putting dulu at the end sounds very normal and conversational.

If you moved it, the sentence might still be understandable, but the end position is the most natural here.

It is mostly neutral to somewhat formal.

Clues:

• dokter berkata sounds a bit more formal than dokter bilang
• tetapi is more formal than tapi
• diminta is a standard passive form often used in both speech and writing

A more conversational version might be:

• Dokter bilang ruam itu ringan, tapi kami tetap diminta berhenti makan udang dulu.

Both are correct; the original just sounds a little more polished.

Yes, ruam can absolutely be used on its own. It means rash.

In medical or everyday contexts, people may also describe it more specifically, for example:

• ruam merah = a red rash
• ruam kulit = skin rash

But ruam by itself is a normal word and works fine in this sentence.

It has two main clauses joined by tetapi:

1. Dokter berkata ruam itu ringan

   • Dokter = subject
   • berkata = said
   • ruam itu ringan = what was said

2. tetapi kami tetap diminta berhenti makan udang dulu

   • kami = subject
   • tetap diminta = were still asked
   • berhenti makan udang dulu = to stop eating shrimp for now

So the sentence is basically:

• statement from the doctor
• followed by a contrasting instruction/recommendation

That makes it a very useful example of Indonesian word order, passives, and adverbs all in one sentence.