Indonesian · BIPA 1 (A1) · Chapter 39
Saya merasa lelahI feel tired
Talking about feelings and states. Vocabulary: merasa, sedih, lelah, capek, takut, bosan, bingung, khawatir, marah, gugup. Key grammar: "merasa + adjective" to express a feeling — "Saya merasa lelah" (I feel tired), "Dia merasa senang" (she feels happy). In Indonesian, an adjective is a predicate ON ITS OWN, without "adalah": "Saya lelah" ✓ is also correct and shorter. "adalah" is only for equating two nouns ("Dia adalah guru" = he is a teacher). English speakers translate "I AM tired" and slip in "adalah": "Saya adalah lelah" ✗ → the correct form is "Saya merasa lelah" ✓ or "Saya lelah" ✓.
Dialogue
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"adalah lelah" atau "merasa lelah"?— "adalah lelah" or "merasa lelah"?
- BudiMike, kamu kelihatan capek. Bagaimana perasaanmu?Mike, you look tired. How do you feel?
- MikeSaya adalah lelah.I am tired. (error: no "adalah" before an adjective → "Saya merasa lelah" / "Saya lelah")
- Budi"adalah" hanya untuk benda: "Dia adalah guru". "lelah" itu kata sifat, jadi katakan "Saya merasa lelah" atau cukup "Saya lelah"."adalah" is only for nouns: "Dia adalah guru". "lelah" is an adjective, so say "Saya merasa lelah" or just "Saya lelah".
- MikeOh begitu. Saya merasa lelah karena banyak bekerja hari ini.Oh, I see. I feel tired because I worked a lot today.
- BudiNah, sempurna! Kalau begitu, istirahatlah. Jangan merasa khawatir soal pekerjaan.There, perfect! In that case, get some rest. Do not feel worried about work.
- MikeTerima kasih. Sekarang saya paham: kata sifat tidak butuh "adalah".Thank you. Now I understand: adjectives do not need "adalah".
Dialogue
i
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Bagaimana perasaanmu hari ini?— How do you feel today?
- MikeSari, bagaimana perasaanmu hari ini?Sari, how do you feel today?
- SariSaya merasa senang! Tadi saya bertemu teman lama.I feel happy! I met an old friend earlier.
- MikeBagus sekali! Tapi kamu juga terlihat sedikit lelah.Wonderful! But you also look a little tired.
- SariYa, saya sedikit lelah, tapi tidak sedih. Kamu bagaimana?Yes, I am a little tired, but not sad. How about you?
- MikeSaya merasa gugup. Besok saya punya wawancara kerja.I feel nervous. Tomorrow I have a job interview.
- SariJangan khawatir, kamu pasti bisa! Setelah itu, kita rayakan.Do not worry, you can definitely do it! Afterwards, we will celebrate.
Vocabulary
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- merasa
verbto feel
- sedih
adjectivesad
- lelah
adjectivetired
- capek
adjectivetired (colloquial)
- takut
adjectiveafraid, scared
- bosan
adjectivebored
- bingung
adjectiveconfused
- khawatir
adjectiveworried
- marah
adjectiveangry
- gugup
adjectivenervous
Grammar
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"merasa + adjective" (no "adalah")
Explanation
To express a feeling, use "merasa + adjective": "Saya merasa lelah" (I feel tired), "Dia merasa sedih" (he feels sad), "Kami merasa senang" (we feel happy). The key point: an adjective in Indonesian is already a PREDICATE on its own — you do not need a "to be" verb. So "Saya lelah" (without "merasa") is also correct and very common; "merasa" only adds the nuance "I feel". Do NOT use "adalah" before an adjective. "adalah" is only for equating two nouns: "Dia adalah guru" (he is a teacher) — both sides are nouns. But "lelah", "sedih", "marah" are adjectives, not nouns, so no "adalah". To ask: "Kamu merasa bagaimana?" or "Bagaimana perasaanmu?" (how do you feel?). Common mistake: English says "I AM tired" with "am", so learners put in "adalah": "Saya adalah lelah" ✗ → the correct form is "Saya merasa lelah" ✓ or "Saya lelah" ✓.
Examples
- Saya merasa lelah setelah bekerja.I feel tired after working.
- Dia merasa gugup sebelum ujian.She feels nervous before the exam.
- Saya lelah. (tanpa "merasa", juga benar)I am tired. (without "merasa", also correct)
- Jangan khawatir, semua akan baik-baik saja.Do not worry, everything will be fine.
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