Breakdown of Saat bekerja di kantor, saya minum kopi.
saya
I
minum
to drink
kopi
the coffee
di
in
bekerja
to work
kantor
the office
saat
when
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Questions & Answers about Saat bekerja di kantor, saya minum kopi.
What does saat mean in this sentence, and is it interchangeable with ketika?
In this sentence, saat translates to “while” or “when.” It is used to indicate the time or condition in which the main action occurs. Although ketika can also mean “when,” saat is commonly preferred for expressing simultaneous actions or setting a specific moment in time.
Why is there a comma after kantor in the sentence?
The comma is used to separate the introductory time clause Saat bekerja di kantor from the main clause saya minum kopi. This punctuation clarifies that the phrase providing the context (when or where the action happens) is completed, helping the reader understand the structure of the sentence.
What is the function of the word di in di kantor?
Di is a preposition indicating location. In the phrase di kantor, it denotes “at” or “in” the office, specifying where the action of working takes place.
Why is the time clause Saat bekerja di kantor placed at the beginning of the sentence?
Placing the time clause at the beginning helps set the scene by providing contextual background before presenting the main action. This structure is common in Indonesian—it enables the listener or reader to quickly grasp when the action is happening, making the sentence clearer and more organized.
How is tense conveyed in this sentence given that Indonesian verbs like bekerja and minum do not change form?
Indonesian does not use verb conjugation to indicate tense. Instead, time is expressed through context and time markers such as saat. In this sentence, the time clause clearly situates the actions in a specific timeframe, so even without changes to the verb forms, the listener understands when the actions occur.