How to Express Frequency and Duration in Indonesian

Understanding Frequency in Indonesian

In Indonesian, expressing how often something happens is important for everyday conversations. Frequency words help you describe events that occur regularly, occasionally, or rarely.

Common Frequency Words

• Selalu (Always)
• Sering (Often)
• Kadang-kadang (Sometimes)
• Jarang (Rarely)
• Tidak pernah (Never)

These words can be placed before the verb or at the beginning of the sentence to indicate how frequently an action occurs.

Examples of Frequency in Sentences

• Saya selalu minum kopi di pagi hari. (I always drink coffee in the morning.)
• Dia sering pergi ke gym. (He often goes to the gym.)
• Mereka kadang-kadang menonton film bersama. (They sometimes watch movies together.)
• Kami jarang makan di luar. (We rarely eat out.)
• Saya tidak pernah merokok. (I never smoke.)

Expressing Duration in Indonesian

Duration refers to how long an action or event lasts. Indonesian uses specific words and phrases to express duration clearly.

Common Duration Words and Phrases

• Selama (For, during)
• Sepanjang (Throughout)
• Beberapa jam (A few hours)
• Beberapa hari (A few days)
• Sampai (Until)

These words are often used with time expressions to indicate the length of time an activity takes place.

Examples of Duration in Sentences

• Saya belajar bahasa Indonesia selama dua jam setiap hari. (I study Indonesian for two hours every day.)
• Dia bekerja sepanjang minggu lalu. (He worked throughout last week.)
• Kami tinggal di Bali beberapa hari. (We stayed in Bali for a few days.)
• Pertemuan berlangsung sampai jam lima sore. (The meeting lasted until 5 PM.)

Tips for Using Frequency and Duration in Indonesian

• Place frequency words before the verb for natural sentence flow.
• Use duration words with specific time units like jam (hours), hari (days), minggu (weeks).
• Combine frequency and duration to give detailed information, e.g., "Saya sering belajar selama dua jam." (I often study for two hours.)
• Practice by making sentences about your daily routine using these words.