How to Tell Time and Dates in Indonesian for English Speakers

Understanding the Basics of Telling Time in Indonesian

Telling time in Indonesian is straightforward once you learn the key vocabulary and structure. Unlike English, Indonesian uses a 24-hour clock in formal contexts but the 12-hour clock is common in everyday conversation.

Key Vocabulary for Time

How to Say the Time

To say the time, use the word pukul followed by the hour and minutes. For example, pukul tiga means "three o'clock." To specify minutes, add the number of minutes after the hour, e.g., pukul tiga lima belas means "3:15."

In informal speech, Indonesians often omit pukul and just say the numbers, e.g., tiga lima belas for 3:15.

Examples of Telling Time

• Pukul dua (2:00)
• Pukul empat tiga puluh (4:30)
• Pukul sembilan lima belas (9:15)
• Pukul tujuh malam (7:00 PM)

Expressing Dates in Indonesian

Dates in Indonesian follow the day-month-year format, similar to many other countries. The names of the months are important to learn.

Months of the Year in Indonesian

How to Say Dates

To say a date, start with the day number, then the month, and finally the year. For example, tanggal dua puluh lima Desember dua ribu dua puluh tiga means "December 25, 2023." The word tanggal means "date" and is often used before the day number.

Examples of Dates

• Tanggal satu Januari dua ribu dua puluh empat (January 1, 2024)
• Tanggal lima belas Agustus dua ribu dua puluh tiga (August 15, 2023)
• Tanggal dua puluh sembilan Februari dua ribu dua puluh (February 29, 2020)

Additional Tips for English Speakers Learning Indonesian Time and Dates

Remember that Indonesian numbers are important to master for telling time and dates. Practice counting and saying numbers clearly.