Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Akhirnya rapat selesai lebih cepat.

Indonesian doesn’t use a linking verb like “is” in this kind of sentence. Selesai is a stative verb/adjective meaning “finished/over.” So rapat selesai literally reads “the meeting finished/is finished,” and it’s perfectly natural without a copula. You can add aspect markers like sudah to stress completion: rapat sudah selesai (“the meeting is already finished”).

Do I need sudah or telah here? What’s the difference if I add them?

You don’t need them, but adding them emphasizes completion:

Rapat selesai = the meeting is/was finished (neutral).
Rapat sudah selesai = the meeting has already finished (common, conversational).
Rapat telah selesai = has finished (more formal/written). All work with akhirnya.

Does the -nya in akhirnya mean “his/her/its,” like a possessive?

Not here. Akhirnya is a set adverb meaning “finally/in the end.” Morphologically it’s akhir (“end”) + -nya, which often marks definiteness (“the”), and in this word it’s lexicalized. It’s not a possessive pronoun in this use.

Is a comma required after Akhirnya?

It’s optional. You’ll see both:

Akhirnya, rapat selesai lebih cepat.
Akhirnya rapat selesai lebih cepat. With a comma, it reads like a sentence adverb (“Finally,”). Without it, it’s still correct and common.

Can I move akhirnya to another position?

Yes:

Akhirnya, rapat selesai lebih cepat. (neutral; common)
Rapat akhirnya selesai lebih cepat. (focus slightly shifts to the meeting finally ending) Putting akhirnya at the very end (…akhirnya) is possible but less common in careful writing.

What’s the nuance difference between selesai, berakhir, and usai?

All can mean “to end/be over,” but:

Selesai emphasizes completion (a task/activity is done). Very common: rapat selesai.
Berakhir emphasizes an event coming to its end: rapat berakhir.
Usai is a bit formal/literary: rapat usai. In this sentence, any of the three would be understood; selesai is the most neutral.

Does lebih cepat mean “earlier” (time) or “faster/shorter” (duration)?

It can mean either, depending on context:

“Ended earlier than expected” (time-of-day).
“Took less time / was shorter” (duration). To be explicit:
Earlier time: rapat selesai lebih awal.
Shorter duration: durasi rapat lebih singkat or rapat berlangsung lebih singkat.

Why is there no daripada after lebih cepat? Don’t we need “than …” in a comparative?

Indonesian often omits the comparator if it’s clear from context. Lebih + adjective alone implies “more X (than expected/than usual).” Add it when you want to be explicit:

lebih cepat daripada biasanya
lebih cepat daripada yang diperkirakan

Can I say rapat lebih cepat selesai instead of rapat selesai lebih cepat?

Yes, both are natural. Rapat lebih cepat selesai slightly foregrounds the speed (“the meeting finished faster”), while rapat selesai lebih cepat foregrounds the finishing (“the meeting ended—faster”). In practice, they’re interchangeable.

How would I make it even more specific?

Add a comparator or reference:

Akhirnya, rapat selesai lebih cepat daripada biasanya.
Akhirnya, rapat selesai lebih cepat dari yang direncanakan.
Time anchor: Akhirnya, rapat selesai lebih cepat, sekitar pukul tiga.

Is there any tense in the sentence? How do we know it’s past?

Indonesian has no grammatical tense. Completion is inferred from context and words like akhirnya and selesai. If you need future, use akan but not usually with akhirnya:

Future plan: Rapat akan selesai lebih cepat.
Outcome discovered (instead of “finally”): Ternyata rapat selesai lebih cepat.

What’s the difference between rapat and pertemuan?

Rapat = a meeting (often formal/organizational: office, committee).
Pertemuan = a meeting/encounter in a broader sense (could be formal or informal, two people or more). In an office context, rapat is the usual word.

How would this sound in casual everyday speech?

A natural colloquial version is:

Akhirnya rapatnya kelar lebih cepet. Notes: rapatnya (“the meeting”), kelar (slang for “finished”), cepet (Jakarta colloquial for cepat).

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

akhirnya: the kh is a voiceless fricative (like German “Bach”) in careful speech, but many pronounce it like a plain k or h. ny = the “ny” in “canyon” (a single sound).
rapat: both a’s like “a” in “father.”
selesai: the first e is a schwa (uh): sə-lə-SAI; stress commonly falls near the end.
cepat: first e is also a schwa: chə-PAT.

Could I use akhir-akhir ini instead of akhirnya?

No. Akhirnya means “finally/in the end.” Akhir-akhir ini means “lately/recently,” which changes the meaning entirely.

How would I say “We finished the meeting faster” (i.e., we actively ended it)?

Use the transitive verb menyelesaikan (“to finish [something]”):

Kami menyelesaikan rapat lebih cepat. That highlights the agents (“we”) bringing the meeting to a close.