Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Cuaca tadi pagi sangat dingin. - The weather this morning was very cold.

In Indonesian, tadi is an adverb of time meaning “earlier” or “just now.” When combined with another time word like pagi (morning), tadi pagi specifically means “earlier this morning” (the morning that has already passed).

Why is it tadi pagi instead of just pagi?

Using tadi pagi clarifies that you’re referring to the morning that already happened today. Pagi alone can mean “morning” in general or the upcoming morning, so adding tadi anchors the event to earlier today.

Can you swap the order and say pagi tadi? Are they interchangeable?

Yes, pagi tadi is grammatically correct and still means “this morning.” However, tadi pagi is more common in everyday speech. Swapping the order is acceptable but might sound slightly more emphatic or literary.

What role does sangat play in the sentence? Can I use other intensifiers?

Sangat is an intensifier meaning “very.” It always precedes adjectives and adverbs. Alternatives include:
• sekali, which comes after the adjective (e.g., dingin sekali)
• amat (formal/archaic)
But sangat and sekali are the most frequently used.

Does dingin change form depending on cuaca (weather)? Any agreement?

No. Indonesian adjectives like dingin do not agree in gender, number, or case. They remain unchanged whether you describe weather, objects, or sensations.

Why isn’t there a verb like “is” or “was” in this sentence?

Indonesian typically omits a copula (“to be”) when linking a subject to an adjective. The structure Subject + Adjective is sufficient to express “X is Y” or “X was Y.” Contextual time words (e.g., tadi pagi) handle tense.

How does Indonesian express tense here, since there’s no past-tense verb?

Indonesian doesn’t conjugate verbs for tense. Instead, it uses time adverbs such as tadi pagi (this morning), kemarin (yesterday), or besok (tomorrow). Without a time adverb, the verb form is neutral in time.

Could I ask “How was the weather this morning?” in Indonesian?

Yes. You would say Bagaimana cuaca tadi pagi?
• bagaimana = “how”
• cuaca = “weather”
• tadi pagi = “this morning”

Is cuaca always used to talk about weather, or are there alternatives?

Cuaca is the standard noun for “weather” in Indonesian. You might see udara (“air”) in poetic or specific contexts (e.g., Udara pagi ini sangat dingin), but cuaca is by far the most common word for describing weather conditions.