Kemarin, saya pergi ke kantor pos.

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Breakdown of Kemarin, saya pergi ke kantor pos.

• pergi: to go
• ke: to
• kemarin: yesterday

Questions & Answers about Kemarin, saya pergi ke kantor pos.

What does Kemarin mean, and can I move it to the end of the sentence?

Kemarin means “yesterday.” It’s a time adverb that tells you when something happened. You can place it at the beginning for emphasis or at the end without changing the meaning:

• At the beginning: Kemarin saya pergi ke kantor pos.
• At the end: Saya pergi ke kantor pos kemarin.

Both are correct; it’s just a matter of style and focus.

Why is there a comma after Kemarin, and is it required?

The comma after Kemarin separates the introductory time phrase from the main clause. It’s not strictly required, but it makes the sentence clearer, especially in writing. Without it, you’d write: Kemarin saya pergi ke kantor pos.

Why doesn’t the verb pergi change form to show past tense?

Indonesian verbs are not conjugated for tense. Instead, time words like kemarin (yesterday), sekarang (now), or besok (tomorrow) indicate when an action takes place. The verb pergi stays the same whether it’s past, present, or future.

Why is saya used here instead of other pronouns like aku or gue?

Saya is the standard, polite pronoun for “I.”

• Aku is more informal and often used with close friends or family.
• is very informal Indonesian slang (Jakarta style).