Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya hampir kehabisan uang tunai di pasar.

hampir means “almost/nearly.” It comes before the verb/adjective/phrase it modifies.
In this sentence, hampir modifies kehabisan, giving “almost ran out (of).”
You could also say Di pasar, saya hampir kehabisan uang tunai (fronting the place for emphasis), but hampir still comes before kehabisan.
Synonym: nyaris (slightly more formal/intense): Saya nyaris kehabisan uang tunai di pasar.

What exactly does “kehabisan” mean, and how is it different from “habis” and “menghabiskan”?

kehabisan (ke-…-an on the root habis) = to run out of something (often unintended/uncontrolled loss). Example: Saya kehabisan uang (I ran out of money).
habis = finished/gone/used up (adjective/stative). Example: Uang saya habis (My money is gone).
menghabiskan = to spend/use up (deliberate action). Example: Saya menghabiskan uang (I spent/used up the money).
Your sentence uses kehabisan because you’re describing almost running out as a situation you experienced.

Is “kehabisan” a verb that takes an object?

Functionally, yes: it’s followed directly by the thing you’re out of.
Pattern: Subject + kehabisan + noun (resource). Examples:
- Dia kehabisan bensin. (He ran out of gas.)
- Kami kehabisan waktu. (We ran out of time.)
- Saya hampir kehabisan uang tunai. (I almost ran out of cash.)

Is the sentence in past or present tense? How do I show the time more clearly?

Indonesian doesn’t mark tense by verb changes; context or time words do the job.
For past: add a time adverb.
- Tadi di pasar, saya hampir kehabisan uang tunai. (Earlier at the market…)
- Kemarin di pasar, saya hampir kehabisan uang tunai. (Yesterday…)
For “just now”: Barusan di pasar, saya hampir kehabisan uang tunai.
For future/hypothetical context, you’d rely on context or words like nanti (later).

Can I move “di pasar” to the beginning or middle?

Yes, word order is flexible for emphasis.
- Neutral: Saya hampir kehabisan uang tunai di pasar.
- Place emphasis on location: Di pasar, saya hampir kehabisan uang tunai.
Meaning stays the same.

Which preposition do I use: “di,” “ke,” or “dari” with “pasar”?

How do I spell “di” correctly here?

As a preposition meaning “at/in/on,” di is written separately: di pasar.
Don’t write dipasar. That would look like the passive prefix di- (which attaches to verbs), not the preposition.

Do I need an article like “the” or “a” for “pasar”? How do I say “that market”?

Indonesian has no articles. pasar can mean “the market” or “a market,” decided by context.
To specify, add a demonstrative:
- di pasar itu = at that market
- di pasar ini = at this market
- With a name: di Pasar Senen

What’s the difference between “uang” and “uang tunai”? Are there synonyms?

uang = money (general).
uang tunai = cash (physical money). Your sentence is “cash-specific.”
Synonyms: bayar tunai (pay in cash), kontan (cash, formal-ish). In casual speech, people often just say cash in code-switching, but uang tunai is the standard Indonesian.

Can I use “tunai” by itself, like “Saya hampir kehabisan tunai”?

Usually, use uang tunai for “cash.” tunai often functions as a modifier (adjective/adverb) rather than a standalone noun.
Natural:
- Saya hampir kehabisan uang tunai.
- Saya bayar tunai.
Less natural: Saya hampir kehabisan tunai.

Can I say the same thing using “habis” instead of “kehabisan”?

Yes, but the structure changes:
- Uang tunai saya hampir habis di pasar. (My cash was almost gone at the market.)
Both are fine. kehabisan frames you as the experiencer of running out; habis describes the resource itself as nearly depleted.

What’s the difference between “hampir kehabisan” and “hampir tidak punya (uang tunai)”?

hampir kehabisan = you nearly used up what you had (focus on depletion/event).
hampir tidak punya uang tunai = you almost didn’t have any cash (focus on absence/quantity).
They can overlap in meaning, but:
- Saya hampir kehabisan uang tunai di pasar. suggests you started with some cash and nearly finished it.
- Saya hampir tidak punya uang tunai di pasar. suggests you basically had none to begin with.

How do “kehabisan uang” and “kekurangan uang” differ?

kehabisan uang = (suddenly) run out of money (zero left).
kekurangan uang = be short of money/insufficient funds (not enough, but not necessarily zero).
Example: Saya kekurangan uang untuk membayar. (I’m short on money to pay.)

Is “saya” the best pronoun here? What about “aku” or “gue”?

saya = polite/neutral; safe in most situations.
aku = informal/intimate; among friends.
gue/gua (Jakarta slang) = very casual.
Your sentence with different registers:
- Saya hampir kehabisan uang tunai di pasar.
- Aku hampir kehabisan uang tunai di pasar.
- Gue hampir kehabisan uang cash di pasar. (casual + code-switch)

Are there more colloquial ways to say this?

Uang (cash) gue hampir abis di pasar. (colloquial; abis = informal for habis)
Dompet saya hampir kosong di pasar. (My wallet was almost empty.)
Tinggal sedikit lagi uang tunai saya di pasar. (I had only a little cash left.)

Can “kehabisan” be used with other things besides money?

What does “hampir saja” do, and can I use it here?

hampir saja adds emphasis to “almost,” like “so close to.”
You can say: Saya hampir saja kehabisan uang tunai di pasar. It feels a bit more dramatic than plain hampir.

Does “di pasar” mean a traditional market specifically?

pasar often implies a traditional market in everyday speech. If you mean a supermarket/mall, specify:
- di supermarket
- di mal
- di pasar tradisional (to be explicit about a traditional market)