Dia kembali ke kantor setelah makan siang.

He/She returns to the office after lunch.

Breakdown of Dia kembali ke kantor setelah makan siang.

• dia: he/she
• kantor: the office
• ke: to
• makan siang: the lunch
• setelah: after
• kembali: to return

Questions & Answers about Dia kembali ke kantor setelah makan siang.

Does this sentence mean past “returned” or present “goes back”?

Indonesian doesn’t mark tense, so it can mean either. Add time/aspect words if you need clarity:

• Past (earlier today): Dia tadi kembali ke kantor setelah makan siang.
• Completed past: Dia sudah/telah kembali ke kantor setelah makan siang.
• Future: Dia akan kembali ke kantor setelah makan siang.
• Habitual: Dia biasanya kembali ke kantor setelah makan siang.

Does dia mean “he” or “she”? How can I make the gender clear?

Dia can mean either “he” or “she.” To make gender explicit, use:

• A name or title: Pak Andi kembali…, Bu Sari kembali…
• A descriptive noun: Pria itu/Wanita itu kembali… For respectful reference to older or high-status people, use beliau.
  In formal writing, ia can replace dia as the subject.

What’s the difference between kembali, balik, and pulang?

• kembali: neutral/standard “to return, go back.” Works for any place.
• balik: casual/informal “to go back.” Common in speech.
• pulang: “to go (back) home (or one’s origin).” Typically not used for the office. Examples:
• Dia kembali/balik ke kantor setelah makan siang.
• Dia pulang ke rumah setelah makan siang. Note: pulang kantor means “to leave the office (for home),” not “return to the office.”

Why is it ke kantor and not di kantor?

• ke = to (movement toward a place): kembali ke kantor
• di = at/in (location): dia di kantor If you mention the origin, use dari: Dia kembali dari restoran ke kantor.

Can I use sesudah, habis/abis, or usai instead of setelah?

Yes:

• sesudah: synonym, neutral.
• habis/abis: colloquial.
• usai: formal/literary. Examples:
• Dia kembali ke kantor sesudah makan siang.
• Dia balik ke kantor habis makan siang.
• Dia kembali ke kantor usai makan siang.

Can I move the time phrase to the front?

Yes. Both are natural:

• Setelah makan siang, dia kembali ke kantor.
• Dia kembali ke kantor setelah makan siang. Avoid the mid-sentence split like Dia setelah makan siang kembali ke kantor; it sounds stilted.

Is makan siang a noun (“lunch”) or a verb phrase (“to eat lunch”) here?

It can function as either. After setelah, you can read it as:

• A clause with a dropped subject: (dia) makan siang
• A noun phrase meaning “lunch” You can also make the subject explicit: Setelah dia makan siang, dia kembali ke kantor.

Can I drop kembali and just say Dia ke kantor setelah makan siang?

You can, but it changes the meaning.

• Dia ke kantor… = he/she went to the office (no “back” nuance).
• Dia kembali/balik ke kantor… = he/she went back to the office.

How do I say “his/her office” instead of just “the office”?

Use a possessor:

• ke kantornya (his/her office; -nya can also mark “the”/definite)
• ke kantor saya/kamu/dia
• ke kantor itu (that specific office)

What’s the difference between dia, ia, and beliau?

• dia: neutral, common in speech and writing; subject or object.
• ia: formal/written, mainly as subject; avoid after prepositions.
• beliau: respectful “he/she” for elders/high-status people. Examples:
• Ia kembali ke kantor… (formal)
• After prepositions, prefer dia/-nya: dengannya, untuk dia (casual).

How do I show the action is completed?

Use aspect markers:

• sudah (very common): Dia sudah kembali ke kantor…
• telah (formal): Dia telah kembali ke kantor… For “just now,” use barusan/baru: Dia barusan/baru kembali ke kantor…

When do I use lagi vs kembali for “again/back”?

• Returning to a previous place/state: kembali (neutral) or balik (casual).
• Repetition (“again”): lagi. Examples:
• Dia kembali/balik ke kantor.
• Dia pergi ke kantor lagi (he went to the office again, not necessarily “back”).

Can I omit the subject dia?

In context (e.g., notes, headlines, or when the subject is obvious), yes:

• Kembali ke kantor setelah makan siang. In full sentences, especially in careful speech/writing, keep dia.

Why ke and not kepada? Aren’t both “to”?

• ke: physical movement to a place: ke kantor.
• kepada: “to” a person as recipient/target: kepada dia (formal).
  In casual speech, people often use ke with people: aku bilang ke dia, but kepada is preferred in formal contexts.

Where are the articles (“the,” “a”)?

Indonesian has no articles. kantor can mean “the office” or “an office,” depending on context. To be specific:

• kantor itu/ini (that/this office)
• kantornya (that specific office / his/her office, depending on context)

Does kembali also mean “you’re welcome”?

You may see kembali used that way in older/formal contexts, but today Sama-sama is the common reply to “Thank you.”