Saya perlu waktu tambahan untuk menyelesaikan tugas.

I need additional time to finish the assignment.

Breakdown of Saya perlu waktu tambahan untuk menyelesaikan tugas.

• saya: I
• waktu: the time
• untuk: to
• tugas: the assignment
• menyelesaikan: to finish
• tambahan: additional
• perlu: need

Questions & Answers about Saya perlu waktu tambahan untuk menyelesaikan tugas.

What does perlu mean in this sentence, and how is it different from butuh?

perlu means “to need” or “to require.” It’s slightly more formal or neutral than butuh, which is more colloquial.

• You can use them interchangeably in many contexts.
• perlu → neutral/formal
• butuh → informal/casual

What does waktu tambahan literally mean, and could we say tambahan waktu instead?

waktu tambahan literally means “additional time” or “extra time.”

• Both waktu tambahan and tambahan waktu are grammatically correct.
• waktu tambahan is the more common word order, but tambahan waktu shifts a bit more emphasis onto tambahan (“the extra”).

What is the role of untuk here? Could we drop it or replace it?

untuk in this context marks purpose (“in order to”).

• You can’t drop untuk without making the sentence ungrammatical.
• You could replace it with purpose words like agar or supaya, but then you’d need to adjust the structure:
  • “Saya perlu waktu tambahan agar saya bisa menyelesaikan tugas.”

How is menyelesaikan formed, and why not just use selesai?

The root is selesai (“finish/be finished”). Adding the prefix me- and suffix -kan gives menyelesaikan, a transitive verb: “to complete (something).”

• selesai on its own is intransitive/adjective (“to be finished”).
• menyelesaikan tugas means “to complete the assignment,” i.e. you cause the task to finish.

What does the suffix -kan add to menyelesaikan?

The suffix -kan often makes a verb transitive or puts emphasis on causing an action to happen to an object. In menyelesaikan:

• me- marks it as an active verb, and
• -kan shows you’re applying that action to tugas (the object).

Why is tugas used here? Can we say pekerjaan or PR instead?

• tugas means “task” or “assignment.”
• pekerjaan is broader (“work” or “job”) and may refer to your job or daily work, not a school assignment.
• PR is short for pekerjaan rumah (“homework”) and is common in school contexts—use it only if you specifically mean “homework.”

Can I say Saya perlu tambahan waktu instead of Saya perlu waktu tambahan? Which is more natural?

Yes, Saya perlu tambahan waktu is perfectly acceptable and equally natural. Indonesian word order is flexible, so both forms are used in speech and writing.

Could I drop tambahan and say Saya perlu waktu untuk menyelesaikan tugas? How does that change the meaning?

Yes, you can drop tambahan.

• Saya perlu waktu untuk menyelesaikan tugas means “I need time to finish the task,” without implying “extra.”
• Adding tambahan (“extra”) signals you need more time than originally planned.

Why is Saya used here instead of Aku or Gue?

Saya is the formal or polite first-person pronoun in Indonesian.

• Aku is informal and used among close friends or younger speakers.
• Gue is very colloquial/slang, mainly in Jakarta or youth contexts.
  Use Saya in formal writing, speaking to strangers, or professional settings.