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Questions & Answers about Listrik padam tadi malam.
Why is there no article before listrik when in English we say “the electricity”?
Indonesian does not use definite or indefinite articles (no “a,” “an,” or “the”). Context alone indicates whether something is general or specific. So listrik can mean “electricity” in general or “the electricity” in a given situation.
What part of speech is padam, and why don’t we need a helping verb like “went”?
Padam is an intransitive verb meaning “to go off,” “to be extinguished,” or “to lose power.” It conveys the entire action, so no extra verb (like “went”) or auxiliary is required.
What does tadi malam mean, and how is it different from semalam?
Tadi malam literally means “earlier this night,” referring to some time last night. Semalam also means “last night.” They’re often interchangeable, but tadi malam can feel a bit more specific—as if recalling a moment a few hours ago.
Why is the time expression placed at the end of the sentence? Could we put it at the beginning?
Word order for time expressions in Indonesian is flexible. You can say either Listrik padam tadi malam or Tadi malam listrik padam. Placing the time first (Tadi malam…) emphasizes “last night” as the key info.
Can we use mati instead of padam to say “the electricity went out”?
Yes. Listrik mati tadi malam is perfectly understandable. Mati means “to die” or “to go off,” and is often used for lights or appliances, but padam is the more standard choice for power outages.
How do we indicate past tense in Indonesian? Do we need a tense marker?
Indonesian verbs do not change form for tense. Instead, you rely on time words (like tadi malam, kemarin, sebentar lagi) or aspect markers such as sudah (already) for past (“Listrik sudah padam tadi malam”).
How would you say “There was a power outage at my house last night”?
You could say Kemarin malam listrik di rumah saya padam or more succinctly Listrik rumah saya padam tadi malam. Possession is usually shown with di + noun + saya (at my house).