Kami tiba lebih dahulu di peron.

We arrive earlier at the platform.

Breakdown of Kami tiba lebih dahulu di peron.

• di: at
• kami: we
• tiba: to arrive
• peron: the platform
• lebih dahulu: earlier

Questions & Answers about Kami tiba lebih dahulu di peron.

What’s the difference between “kami” and “kita”?

• Kami = we (excluding the person you’re talking to).
• Kita = we (including the person you’re talking to). Using kami here implies the listener was not part of the group that arrived at the platform.

Do I need to add “sudah” to show past time (We arrived)?

No. Indonesian doesn’t mark tense on verbs. Kami tiba... can mean “we arrived” or “we have arrived,” depending on context. Add sudah/telah to make completion explicit: Kami sudah tiba.... You can also add a time word like tadi (earlier) or kemarin (yesterday).

What’s the nuance difference between tiba, sampai, and datang?

• tiba di = arrive at (slightly more formal/neutral; common in announcements or writing).
• sampai di = arrive at (very common in speech; neutral/informal).
• datang ke = come to (focus is on coming rather than the moment of arrival). Avoid “tiba ke” and “datang di.” In very casual speech, people may say nyampe for sampai.

Why is it “di peron” and not “ke peron”?

• di marks location (at/in/on): you’re already there. Hence tiba di peron.
• ke marks movement toward a place: pergi ke peron (go to the platform).

Is the spacing of di correct here? I’ve seen “di-” stuck to words too.

Yes. di as a preposition for location is written separately: di peron.
When di- is a passive prefix on a verb, it’s attached: dipanggil, dikerjakan.

What exactly does lebih dahulu mean here?

It means “earlier/before (others or before something else).” It signals precedence. In this sentence it implies your group arrived earlier than another group or earlier than some reference point.

Can I use lebih dulu, terlebih dahulu, or duluan instead? What’s the difference?

• lebih dahulu = formal/neutral.
• lebih dulu = very common, slightly more casual.
• terlebih dahulu = more formal/polite, often “first of all/before anything else” in instructions or polite statements.
• duluan = colloquial (“first/earlier than someone else”): e.g., Kami sampai duluan di peron.

How is lebih dahulu different from lebih awal or lebih cepat?

• lebih dahulu: earlier than someone else/before another event (precedence).
• lebih awal: earlier than expected/scheduled time (earliness on a timeline).
• lebih cepat: faster (speed), not inherently about being earlier in time (though context can sometimes blur it).

Can I move lebih dahulu to a different position?

Yes. All of these are acceptable, with only slight shifts in emphasis:

• Kami tiba lebih dahulu di peron.
• Kami lebih dahulu tiba di peron.
• Kami tiba di peron lebih dahulu. The meaning remains “we arrived earlier,” with minor stylistic differences.

What does peron refer to exactly?

Peron is a train station platform. It’s not used for bus stops (those are typically halte). You may also hear the English loanword platform, but peron is the standard Indonesian term.

How do I specify which platform?

Use a number or a demonstrative:

• di peron 3 / di peron tiga / di peron nomor 3 / di peron ke-3
• di peron itu = at that platform (specific/that one previously mentioned)

Can I drop the subject and just say “Tiba lebih dahulu di peron”?

In casual conversation, subjects are often dropped if clear from context. However, as a standalone sentence, adding kami is clearer and more natural: Kami tiba.... Without context, Tiba lebih dahulu di peron sounds like a note or fragment.

Is tiba more formal than sampai? What would sound most natural in everyday speech?

Yes, tiba tends a bit more formal/neutral; sampai is very common in everyday speech. A natural colloquial version is:

• Kami sampai lebih dulu di peron.

Any pronunciation tips for the words here?

• kami: KAH-mee (a as in “father,” i like “ee”)
• tiba: TEE-bah
• lebih: lə-BEEH (the e is a schwa “uh”; pronounce the final h lightly)
• dahulu: da-HOO-loo (h is sounded)
• peron: pə-RON (r is tapped/trilled; e often a schwa)