Time expressions: sudah/sedang/akan for tense, days, time of day, clock time. setengah trap!
Can express past, present, and future using time markers and tell the time
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Saya sudah makan pagi.
I have already eaten breakfast.
Dia sedang bekerja di kantor.
He/She is currently working at the office.
Kami akan pergi besok pagi.
We will go tomorrow morning.
Sekarang jam setengah delapan.
It's now 7:30 (half to eight).
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Indonesian expresses tense through time words, not verb changes: sudah (already/past), sedang (currently), akan (will/future), belum (not yet). Days: Senin-Minggu. Time of day: pagi (morning), siang (midday), sore (afternoon), malam (night). Clock: 'Jam berapa?' (What time?). WARNING: 'setengah delapan' = 7:30 (half TO 8), NOT 8:30!
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesTrying to change verb form for different tenses
Indonesian verbs DON'T change for tense. Use: sudah (past), sedang (now), akan (future) BEFORE the verb.
Interpreting 'setengah delapan' as 8:30 instead of 7:30
'setengah' + number = half TO that number. 'setengah delapan' = 7:30 (half to 8). Like German 'halb acht'.
Saya sudah makan pagi.
I have already eaten breakfast.
'sudah' = already (marks completed action). 'makan pagi' = eat morning = breakfast. The verb 'makan' doesn't change!
Dia sedang bekerja di kantor.
He/She is currently working at the office.
'sedang' = currently/right now (progressive). Like English 'is -ing'. 'bekerja' = work (ber- + kerja).
Kami akan pergi besok pagi.
We will go tomorrow morning.
'akan' = will (future marker). 'besok' = tomorrow. 'besok pagi' = tomorrow morning. Simple!
Sekarang jam setengah delapan.
It's now 7:30 (half to eight).
WARNING: 'setengah delapan' = 7:30, NOT 8:30! It means 'half TO eight'. Same as German 'halb acht'. This catches almost every learner!
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises