Aroma bakmi ini bikin aku ngiler.

In Indonesian, demonstratives like ini and itu usually come after the noun.

So:

• bakmi ini = this bakmi
• bakmi itu = that bakmi

This is the normal pattern in Indonesian, unlike English.

Bakmi is a kind of noodle dish. In Indonesian, it usually refers to wheat noodles, often served as a prepared dish rather than just plain noodles by themselves.

So in this sentence, bakmi is the food whose smell is making the speaker react.

Both relate to smell, but they feel different.

• aroma usually sounds more pleasant, appealing, or refined
• bau is more neutral, but often suggests just smell in general and can even sound negative depending on context

So Aroma bakmi ini sounds natural because the speaker is talking about an appetizing smell. Using bau here would sound less elegant and sometimes less positive.

Bikin means make or cause here, as in make someone do/feel something.

So:

• bikin aku ngiler = makes me drool / makes me salivate

In this sentence, bikin works as a causative verb: the aroma causes the speaker to react.

Yes. Bikin is common in everyday speech and casual writing.

A more formal or standard equivalent is membuat.

So:

• Aroma bakmi ini bikin aku ngiler. = casual, natural speech
• Aroma bakmi ini membuat saya ngiler. = more formal in some parts, though ngiler is still casual

If you want the whole sentence to sound more polished, you might say something like:

• Aroma bakmi ini sangat menggugah selera.

Aku is an informal first-person pronoun meaning I or me. It is common in casual conversation, with friends, family, or in relaxed situations.

Saya is more formal or polite.

So:

• aku = casual
• saya = formal / polite

Because the sentence also uses bikin and ngiler, both casual, aku fits the tone well.

Ngiler means to drool or to salivate. It is informal.

In a sentence like this, it can be:

• literal: the smell really makes your mouth water
• figurative: you really want the food because it looks or smells so good

So it often carries the idea of mouth-watering temptation.

The structure is:

• Aroma bakmi ini = the aroma of this bakmi
• bikin = makes
• aku = me
• ngiler = drool / salivate

So the pattern is basically:

[thing causing the effect] + [makes] + [person] + [reaction]

This is a very common Indonesian pattern:

• Film itu bikin aku sedih. = That movie makes me sad.
• Cuaca panas bikin aku capek. = Hot weather makes me tired.

No specific tense is marked here. Indonesian usually does not change the verb to show tense the way English does.

So bikin can mean:

• makes
• is making

depending on context.

If needed, time is usually shown with context or time words such as:

• sekarang = now
• tadi = earlier
• besok = tomorrow

But in this sentence, the meaning is understood without any tense marker.

Ngiler begins with ng, which is a normal sound in Indonesian, even at the start of a word.

A rough guide:

• ngi
  • ler
• approximately ngi-ler

The ng is like the sound at the end of English sing, but in Indonesian it can come at the beginning of a syllable.

A useful trick: say singer, then try removing the si- part so you start directly with the ng sound.

Yes, absolutely. That is correct.

Compare them:

• bikin = more casual, conversational
• membuat = more standard or formal

So:

• Aroma bakmi ini bikin aku ngiler = very natural casual speech
• Aroma bakmi ini membuat aku ngiler = still natural, slightly less casual

Both work. The main difference is tone, not meaning.

Yes. Aroma bakmi bikin aku ngiler is understandable, but it is less specific.

• bakmi ini = this bakmi
• bakmi = bakmi in general, or the bakmi being talked about without pointing it out as clearly

Using ini helps focus on a specific bowl or dish of bakmi that is present or being referred to.