A2 · Elemental Capítulo 27

Expressing Opinions

4 Reglas totales
1 min
Reglas en este capítulo Práctica rápida

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Move beyond facts and start sharing your perspective with confidence and cultural grace.

  • Use verbs like 'pikir' and 'rasa' to describe your internal thoughts.
  • Structure formal and informal opinions using 'menurut'.
  • Navigate social disagreements using polite Indonesian cultural markers.
Your voice, your perspective, your Indonesian journey.

Lo que aprenderás

Covers verbs of perception and opinion. Teaches how to agree and disagree politely.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to use sensory and mental verbs to describe your perceptions.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to frame a complete opinion using 'menurut saya'.
  3. 3
    By the end you will be able to validate others' views using standard agreement phrases.
  4. 4
    By the end you will be able to express a differing view without causing offense.

Consejos y trucos (4)

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Prefix Power

Always remember the 'me-' prefix for active perception verbs. It makes your Indonesian sound natural.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbs of Perception
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Use the comma

Always add a comma after 'Menurut saya'. It makes your sentence much easier to read.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Expressing Opinions
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Use Particles

Particles like 'deh' make you sound like a local.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Agreeing Politely
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Use 'Kurang'

Instead of saying 'Tidak' (No), use 'Kurang' (Less). It sounds much softer and less confrontational.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Disagreeing Politely

Vocabulario clave (7)

menurut according to setuju to agree pendapat opinion rasa to feel / to think pikir to think benar correct / true kurang less / not quite

Real-World Preview

film

Choosing a Movie

Review Summary

  • Saya + [rasa/pikir] + [Sentence]
  • Menurut + [Person], ...
  • Saya + setuju / Benar sekali
  • Saya + kurang + setuju

Errores comunes

While 'Saya pikir' is understood, 'Menurut saya' is much more natural and common for stating opinions in Indonesian.

Wrong: Saya pikir bahwa dia baik.
Correcto: Menurut saya, dia baik.

You cannot use 'Menurut saya' (According to me) with the verb 'setuju' (agree). It’s redundant and grammatically incorrect. Just say 'I agree'.

Wrong: Menurut saya setuju.
Correcto: Saya setuju.

Saying 'You are wrong' (Kamu salah) is considered very blunt and rude in most Indonesian social contexts. Use 'kurang setuju' to be polite.

Wrong: Kamu salah.
Correcto: Saya kurang setuju dengan itu.

Next Steps

You're doing amazing! Being able to express your thoughts is a huge milestone in language learning. Keep practicing your 'soft no's' and you'll sound like a local in no time.

Write 3 sentences about your favorite Indonesian food using 'Menurut saya'.

Listen to an Indonesian talk show and count how many times they say 'setuju'.

Continue to: Health and Well-being

Práctica rápida (10)

Fill in the blank.

Boleh ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: juga
Correct phrase.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Agreeing Politely

Fill in the blank with the correct verb.

Saya ___ (see) burung itu.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: melihat
The active verb is 'melihat'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbs of Perception

Fill in the blank.

Ya, ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Pak
Use formal title.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Agreeing Politely

Choose the most formal option.

Which is most formal?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: c
'Menurut pendapat saya' is the standard formal phrase.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Expressing Opinions

Fill in the blank.

Dia ___ (listen) ceramah itu.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mendengarkan
Use 'mendengarkan' for active listening.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbs of Perception

Fix the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Iya, Pak.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ya, Pak
Formal register.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Agreeing Politely

Choose the correct sentence.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Saya melihat burung.
Transitive verbs don't take prepositions.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbs of Perception

Fill in the blank with the correct softener.

___, saya kurang setuju.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Maaf
Maaf is the standard polite softener.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Disagreeing Politely

Choose the best verb.

Saya ___ (watch) film di bioskop.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: menonton
Use 'menonton' for movies.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbs of Perception

Which sentence is more polite?

Which is better?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Maaf, saya rasa kurang tepat.
This uses a softener and avoids direct confrontation.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Disagreeing Politely

Score: /10

Preguntas frecuentes (6)

Yes, for active transitive verbs in standard Indonesian. It marks the verb as active.
In very casual speech, yes, but it is incorrect in standard Indonesian.
Yes, it is perfectly acceptable in most professional contexts.
'Menurut saya' is based on observation/logic, 'Saya pikir' is more internal/thought-based.
They add tone and emotion.
No, it's neutral.
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