How to Express Time and Place in Indonesian for English Speakers

Understanding Time Expressions in Indonesian

Expressing time in Indonesian is straightforward and often uses simple words or phrases. Unlike English, Indonesian does not conjugate verbs to indicate tense; instead, time is shown through context or time markers.

Common Time Words

• Hari ini - today
• Kemarin - yesterday
• Besok - tomorrow
• Pagi - morning
• Siang - afternoon
• Sore - evening
• Malam - night

These words can be used alone or combined with numbers to specify time more precisely.

Using Numbers with Time

To express specific times, Indonesian uses numbers followed by time units. For example, jam means 'hour' or 'o'clock'.

• Jam satu - 1 o'clock
• Jam dua - 2 o'clock
• Jam tiga sore - 3 PM
• Jam delapan pagi - 8 AM

Examples of Time in Sentences

• Saya pergi ke pasar pagi ini. (I go to the market this morning.)
• Dia datang kemarin. (He/She came yesterday.)
• Kami akan bertemu besok sore. (We will meet tomorrow evening.)

Expressing Place in Indonesian

Indonesian uses simple prepositions and location words to express place. These are often placed before the noun or location.

Common Place Words and Prepositions

• Di - at/in/on (location marker)
• Ke - to (direction towards)
• Dari - from (origin)
• Rumah - house/home
• Sekolah - school
• Pasar - market
• Kantor - office

The preposition di is used to indicate the location where something is or happens.

Examples of Place in Sentences

• Saya di rumah. (I am at home.)
• Dia pergi ke sekolah. (He/She goes to school.)
• Mereka datang dari kantor. (They come from the office.)

Combining Time and Place in Indonesian Sentences

You can combine time and place expressions to give more detailed information about when and where something happens.

• Saya belajar di perpustakaan pagi ini. (I study at the library this morning.)
• Kami makan malam di restoran besok malam. (We will have dinner at the restaurant tomorrow night.)

Tips for English Speakers Learning Indonesian Time and Place Expressions

• Remember that Indonesian verbs do not change with tense; use time words to indicate when.
• Use di for locations where something is happening or exists.
• Use ke to indicate movement towards a place.
• Practice common time words like kemarin, besok, and parts of the day.
• Combine time and place phrases to form complete sentences.