Sakelar lampu di dapur terasa longgar.

A natural word-by-word breakdown is:

• sakelar = switch
• lampu = lamp, light
• di = in / at
• dapur = kitchen
• terasa = feels / seems / is felt
• longgar = loose

So sakelar lampu means light switch, and the whole sentence means that the light switch in the kitchen feels loose.

In Indonesian, noun + noun combinations often work with the main noun first and the describing noun second.

So:

• sakelar lampu = switch for the light = light switch
• meja makan = table for eating = dining table
• kamar tidur = room for sleeping = bedroom

English often puts the describing noun first, but Indonesian commonly puts it after the main noun.

Di dapur means in the kitchen.

• di is a preposition meaning in, at, or on, depending on context.
• dapur = kitchen

So sakelar lampu di dapur means the light switch in the kitchen.

In this sentence, di dapur tells you which light switch is being talked about.

Because this di is a preposition, not a prefix.

• di dapur = in the kitchen
• di meja = on the table
• di rumah = at home

When di is a preposition showing location, it is written separately.

Compare that with di- as a verb prefix:

• dibuka = opened
• ditutup = closed

That di- is written attached to the verb.

Both are possible, but they are slightly different in nuance.

• Sakelar lampu di dapur terasa longgar = The kitchen light switch feels loose.
• Sakelar lampu di dapur longgar = The kitchen light switch is loose.

Using terasa adds the idea of physical sensation or impression. It suggests someone touched or used the switch and noticed that it feels loose.

Without terasa, the statement is more direct and objective.

This is a very common question.

• terasa = feels / can be felt / seems
• merasa = to feel

In this sentence, terasa describes how something feels to a person without naming the experiencer directly.

Examples:

• Pintunya terasa berat. = The door feels heavy.
• Ruangan ini terasa dingin. = This room feels cold.

With merasa, you usually need a person as the subject:

• Saya merasa dingin. = I feel cold.
• Saya merasa sakelar itu longgar. = I feel that the switch is loose.

So terasa fits well when the thing itself is the subject.

Yes, longgar can describe more than clothing.

It often means loose, not tight, or not firmly attached.

Examples:

• baju longgar = loose clothes
• mur longgar = a loose nut
• gigi longgar = a loose tooth
• sakelar terasa longgar = the switch feels loose

So in this sentence, longgar means the switch is not firm or tight in place.

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

So:

• sakelar lampu can mean a light switch or the light switch
• di dapur helps make it more specific: the light switch in the kitchen

Indonesian often leaves definiteness to be understood from context.

The structure is:

• Sakelar lampu di dapur = subject noun phrase
• terasa longgar = predicate

So the pattern is basically:

[Subject] + [Predicate]

More specifically:

[Noun] + [location phrase] + [feeling/state expression]

You can think of it as:

The light switch in the kitchen + feels loose

Yes, sometimes seems loose works, but feels loose is usually the best translation here.

Why?

Because terasa often suggests something detected by touch, physical use, or direct sensation.

For a switch, feels loose sounds more natural in English than seems loose, especially if someone has actually pressed or touched it.

Some changes are possible, but the original order is the most natural.

Standard:

• Sakelar lampu di dapur terasa longgar.

You might also hear:

• Sakelar lampu yang ada di dapur terasa longgar.
  • This is more explicit: The light switch that is in the kitchen feels loose.

But changing the order too much can sound unnatural or change the focus.

For example, starting with Di dapur... is possible if you want to emphasize the location:

• Di dapur, sakelar lampu terasa longgar.
  • In the kitchen, the light switch feels loose.

It is neutral and natural.

It works well in everyday conversation and also in simple written Indonesian.

• sakelar is a standard word for switch
• terasa is normal and natural
• longgar is standard vocabulary

So this sentence does not sound overly formal or overly casual. It is just straightforward Indonesian.