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Breakdown of Datanglah tepat waktu supaya tamu lain tidak menunggu.
tidak
not
menunggu
to wait
datang
to come
supaya
so that
lain
other
tepat waktu
on time
tamu
the guest
Questions & Answers about Datanglah tepat waktu supaya tamu lain tidak menunggu.
What does the enclitic -lah in Datanglah mean?
The enclitic -lah adds emphasis or softens a command, making it more polite or like “do come.” Without it, Datang is a plain “come.” With -lah, it’s akin to “please come” or “do come.”
Can I just say Datang tepat waktu without -lah?
Yes. Datang tepat waktu is perfectly correct and simply means “arrive on time.” Adding -lah is optional for extra emphasis or politeness.
What does tepat waktu mean? Is it different from tepat pada waktunya?
tepat waktu means “on time” or “punctually.” tepat pada waktunya is slightly more formal or wordy but has the same meaning. Both are acceptable.
Why is supaya used? Can we use agar or biar instead?
supaya, agar, and biar all mean “so that” or “in order to.” agar is a bit more formal, supaya neutral, and biar more colloquial. You can interchange them: Agar tamu lain tidak menunggu or Biar tamu lain tidak menunggu work too.
Why does the sentence use tidak menunggu instead of jangan menunggu?
Inside purpose clauses introduced by supaya/agar, you negate with tidak. jangan is used for direct prohibitions in main clauses, e.g., Jangan menunggu (“Don’t wait”).
What is menunggu? Could it just be tunggu?
menunggu is the verb “to wait” with the active prefix me-. In an imperative main clause, you can drop me- and say Tunggu saya. But inside subordinate clauses or formal writing, you use menunggu.
Who is the subject of this imperative sentence?
Imperatives in Indonesian often omit subjects; the subject “you” (either singular or plural) is implied by context.
What does tamu lain mean? Is lain singular or plural?
tamu lain means “other guests.” Indonesian nouns are not marked for number; tamu lain can refer to one or several others. To emphasize plurality, you can say tamu-tamu lain or para tamu lain.
Why is there no word for “the” before tamu lain?
Indonesian does not have articles like “a” or “the.” Definiteness is inferred from context, so tamu lain suffices for “other guests” or “the other guests.”
Is this sentence formal or informal, and how can I adjust the politeness?
It’s neutral. To sound more formal or polite, you could start with Mohon or Harap:
Mohon datang tepat waktu agar tamu lain tidak menunggu.
Harap datang tepat waktu agar para tamu lain tidak menunggu.
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