Breakdown of Saya bertanya apakah kereta berikutnya terlambat.
adalah
to be
saya
I
kereta
the train
terlambat
late
berikutnya
next
bertanya
to ask
apakah
whether
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Questions & Answers about Saya bertanya apakah kereta berikutnya terlambat.
What does apakah do in this sentence?
It introduces an embedded yes–no question, equivalent to English whether/if. So apakah kereta berikutnya terlambat is the clause “whether the next train is late/delayed.”
Can I use kalau instead of apakah to mean whether?
No. Kalau means if in a conditional sense, not whether. Use apakah (or alternatives like … atau tidak/apa tidak) for an indirect yes–no question after verbs like bertanya.
Can I use bahwa here?
No. Bahwa means that and introduces statements, not questions. Saya bertanya bahwa … is ungrammatical; you need apakah (or an equivalent) to show you asked a question.
Can I omit apakah?
In casual speech you can, but you should add a yes–no marker:
- Saya tanya, kereta berikutnya terlambat nggak?
- Saya bertanya kereta berikutnya terlambat atau tidak. In careful/standard style, keep apakah: Saya bertanya apakah kereta berikutnya terlambat.
How would the direct question look?
Simply: Apakah kereta berikutnya terlambat?
As direct speech: Saya bertanya: Apakah kereta berikutnya terlambat?
Does this sentence show past vs present?
Indonesian doesn’t mark tense on the verb. Saya bertanya can be past or present depending on context. The clause … kereta berikutnya terlambat is also tenseless; time adverbs clarify if needed.
How do I say will be late or was late?
- Future/predicted: Saya bertanya apakah kereta berikutnya akan terlambat.
- Past (about an earlier next train): add a time adverb like tadi if relevant, or rephrase: Saya bertanya apakah kereta tadi terlambat.
What’s the difference between terlambat and telat?
Both mean late/delayed. Terlambat is neutral/standard; telat is informal. As a noun, use keterlambatan (delay): keterlambatan kereta.
Is terlambat a verb or an adjective here? Do I need adalah?
It functions as a predicate adjective. Indonesian adjectives can be predicates without adalah: kereta … terlambat is complete; don’t add adalah.
What’s the nuance between bertanya, menanyakan, and tanya/nanya?
- Bertanya = to ask (intransitive), often followed by kepada/ke (person) or an embedded clause: bertanya apakah …
- Menanyakan = to ask about (transitive), takes an object: Saya menanyakan keterlambatan kereta / can also take apakah: menanyakan apakah …
- Tanya/nanya = colloquial: Saya tanya/nanya, …
How do I add who I asked?
Use kepada (more formal) or ke (informal):
- Saya bertanya kepada petugas apakah kereta berikutnya terlambat.
- Saya tanya ke petugas, kereta berikutnya telat nggak?
Is kereta berikutnya the best way to say the next train? What about selanjutnya or depan?
Kereta berikutnya and kereta selanjutnya both mean the next train and are interchangeable here. Don’t use depan; that’s for time periods like minggu depan (next week). Kereta depan would mean the front car/locomotive.
Do I need yang (e.g., kereta yang berikutnya)?
Usually no. Kereta berikutnya is the standard noun phrase. Kereta yang berikutnya is possible but adds no benefit here and can sound heavier.
What does the -nya in berikutnya do?
It turns berikut (following) into the next (one), making it definite. Kereta berikut can appear in lists/formulas, but for everyday speech kereta berikutnya is the natural way to say the next train.
Should there be a comma before apakah?
No comma is needed in an indirect question: Saya bertanya apakah … is standard. Use a colon only when introducing a direct quote: Saya bertanya: Apakah …?
How would this sound in informal speech overall?
A natural casual version is: Aku nanya, kereta berikutnya telat nggak?
More neutral but still conversational: Saya tanya, kereta berikutnya terlambat atau tidak?