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Kami menunggu tiga puluh menit di peron.

Kami menunggu tiga puluh menit di peron.
We wait for thirty minutes on the platform.

Breakdown of Kami menunggu tiga puluh menit di peron.

kami
we
menunggu
to wait
di
on
peron
the platform
menit
the minute
tiga puluh
thirty
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Questions & Answers about Kami menunggu tiga puluh menit di peron.

What’s the difference between kami and kita?
  • Both mean we.
  • kami excludes the listener (we = me and my group, not you).
  • kita includes the listener (we = you and I).
  • So the sentence uses kami if the person being addressed was not part of the waiting group. If they were, you’d say: Kita menunggu tiga puluh menit di peron.
Does this sentence mean we waited or we are waiting? Indonesian doesn’t mark tense—so which is it?
  • Indonesian verbs don’t change for tense. Kami menunggu... can mean we waited, we are waiting, or we wait (habitually).
  • Add time/aspect words to clarify:
    • Past/completed: Kami sudah menunggu tiga puluh menit di peron.; Kami menunggu tiga puluh menit di peron tadi.
    • In-progress: Kami sedang menunggu di peron.
    • Future: Kami akan menunggu di peron.
Do I need a word for for before the duration (like for 30 minutes)?
  • Not required. Kami menunggu tiga puluh menit is natural.
  • You can add selama to make the duration explicit: Kami menunggu selama tiga puluh menit di peron.
  • Avoid untuk for simple duration in this kind of clause. Untuk is for purpose or allocation: Tiket ini berlaku untuk tiga puluh menit.
Is tiga puluh menit the correct way to say 30 minutes? Any alternatives?
  • Yes. tiga puluh = thirty; menit = minute(s).
  • Spelling: two words (tiga puluh), no hyphen, not one word.
  • You can also write numbers: 30 menit.
  • A common alternative: setengah jam (half an hour).
Why isn’t menit pluralized (like minutes)?
  • Indonesian nouns don’t change for plural. The number shows plurality: tiga puluh menit, dua jam, lima tahun.
  • Reduplication (menit-menit) is not used for measured amounts; it can show variety/repetition, not needed here.
What does di mean here—at, on, or in?
  • di marks a static location and can translate to at/in/on depending on context.
  • di peron = on/at the platform (both are fine in English).
  • Movement uses ke (to): ke peron = to the platform.
  • di atas peron literally means on top of the platform (not needed for the everyday on/at meaning).
Is peron the usual word for train platform? Any related words I should know?
  • peron is the standard Indonesian word for train platform.
  • platform (English loanword) is also heard but peron is more standard.
  • jalur = track/line (e.g., jalur 2 = track 2); stasiun = station. So: di peron 2 (at platform 2) vs di jalur 2 (at track 2).
Can I change the word order?
  • Yes. Common, natural options:
    • Kami menunggu di peron selama tiga puluh menit.
    • Kami menunggu tiga puluh menit di peron.
    • Selama tiga puluh menit, kami menunggu di peron. (fronted for emphasis on duration)
  • All are acceptable; fronting the duration adds emphasis.
When should I use menunggu vs tunggu vs nunggu?
  • menunggu: neutral/standard verb form for statements. Example: Kami menunggu di peron.
  • tunggu: base form, often used as an imperative or in some set expressions. Example: Tunggu! (Wait!)
  • nunggu: colloquial spoken form of menunggu. Example: Kami nunggu di peron. (informal)
Does menunggu need an object?
  • No. It can stand alone: Kami menunggu di peron.
  • With an object, it means wait for: Kami menunggu kereta.; Aku menunggu kamu.
How do I say on/at platform 2 specifically?
  • di peron dua or di peron 2.
  • If you mean the track rather than the platform: di jalur 2.
How do I make it explicit that the waiting is already completed?
  • Add a completive marker or past-time word:
    • Kami sudah menunggu tiga puluh menit di peron.
    • Kami menunggu tiga puluh menit di peron tadi.
    • Baru saja (just): Kami baru saja menunggu tiga puluh menit di peron.
How do I say we waited until the train arrived?
  • Kami menunggu sampai kereta datang.
  • You can replace sampai with hingga (slightly more formal): Kami menunggu hingga kereta datang.
Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?
  • u is like oo in food (not like the u in put).
  • ngg in menunggu is pronounced [ng] + hard g, as in finger (not like singer).
  • g is always a hard g.
  • r is a tapped r.
  • Stress typically falls on the second-to-last syllable: me-NUN-ggu, pe-RON, TI-ga PU-luh ME-nit.
How do I say the platform (a specific one) vs a platform in Indonesian, since there’s no the/a?
  • Indonesian has no articles. Use demonstratives or context for specificity:
    • Specific: di peron itu (at that platform), di peron nomor dua (at platform number two).
    • Contextual definiteness can also be shown with -nya when already known: di peronnya (at the/that platform), though peron itu is more explicit.
Why is there a double g in menunggu?
  • The base word is tunggu. Adding the active prefix meN- to words beginning with t typically drops the t and yields men- plus the remainder: meN- + tunggu → menunggu.
  • The ngg sequence shows that the g is pronounced; it’s not just nasal ng.