Breakdown of Kami menunggu lima belas menit di peron.
kami
we
menunggu
to wait
di
on
peron
the platform
lima belas
fifteen
menit
the minute
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Questions & Answers about Kami menunggu lima belas menit di peron.
Why is it kami and not kita? When would I use kita?
- kami = we (excluding the person you’re talking to).
- kita = we (including the person you’re talking to). Example: Telling someone who wasn’t there: Kami menunggu… Talking to someone who was with you: Kita menunggu…
How do I show past, present, or future? The verb looks the same.
Indonesian doesn’t inflect for tense. Use time/aspect words.
- Past: Tadi kami menunggu… or add a time like kemarin.
- Ongoing now: Kami sedang menunggu di peron.
- Have been (still ongoing): Kami sudah menunggu selama lima belas menit (dan masih menunggu).
- Future: Kami akan menunggu… or Nanti kami menunggu…
Do I need selama before the duration?
It’s optional. Both are correct:
- Kami menunggu lima belas menit di peron.
- Kami menunggu selama lima belas menit di peron. (emphasizes the span) Don’t use untuk for duration here.
How do I say “wait for the train” vs “wait for 15 minutes”? Do I need “for” in Indonesian?
- Duration “for”: use nothing or selama: menunggu (selama) 15 menit.
- Waiting “for” something: make it the object, no preposition: menunggu kereta (not menunggu untuk kereta).
- “Wait until”: menunggu sampai/hingga kereta datang.
Is di the right preposition for “on the platform”? Why not di atas?
Yes, di is right. di covers “at/on/in” for locations. Use di atas only if you mean physically on top of something. So: di peron, not di atas peron.
What exactly does peron mean? Is it only for trains?
peron = platform at a station, especially trains. You may see peron stasiun or peron kereta. In bus terminals, peron can mean a boarding bay; at street bus stops you’ll more often hear halte.
Can I move the time and place around? What word orders are natural?
Yes, it’s flexible:
- Kami menunggu di peron selama lima belas menit.
- Kami menunggu selama lima belas menit di peron.
- For emphasis: Di peron, kami menunggu selama lima belas menit.
How would I say it more casually?
Use colloquial forms and digits:
- Kami nunggu 15 menit di peron.
- If inclusive: Kita nunggu 15 menit di peron. Colloquial pronouns like aku/gue are also common in speech.
Can menunggu take an object? How could I expand the sentence?
Yes. Examples:
- Kami menunggu kereta di peron selama lima belas menit.
- Kami menunggu sampai kereta datang.
How do I write the number correctly? One word or two?
Write it as two words: lima belas. Using digits is fine: 15 menit. For ordinals: ke-15 (e.g., peron ke-15).
How do I specify a platform number?
- di peron dua or di peron nomor dua. Note: some stations number tracks (jalur). You may also hear di jalur dua.
How do I say “We have been waiting for 15 minutes (and we’re still waiting)”?
Kami sudah menunggu selama lima belas menit di peron (dan masih menunggu).
What’s the base form of menunggu? When do I use tunggu vs menunggu?
Base: tunggu. The standard active verb is menunggu. Use tunggu for imperatives (Tunggu!) and it appears in colloquial speech (Aku nunggu…). Formation: meN- + tunggu → menunggu (the initial t drops).