Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kami menunggu gaji masuk sebelum membayar tagihan. - We wait for the salary to come in before paying the bill.

kami = we (excluding the listener)
kita = we (including the listener) The sentence uses kami to say the speaker’s group waited, not necessarily including the person being spoken to. If you include the listener, say: Kita menunggu gaji masuk sebelum membayar tagihan.

Why is there no “for” after “menunggu”? Why not menunggu untuk …?

In Indonesian, menunggu directly takes what you’re waiting for; you don’t add a preposition like “for.”

Correct: menunggu gaji, menunggu gaji masuk
Correct with a linker of time: menunggu sampai/hingga gaji masuk
Incorrect for this meaning: menunggu untuk gaji masuk

What does gaji masuk literally and idiomatically mean?

Literally “salary enters,” idiomatically “the salary gets deposited/credited (to the account).” Common variants:

gaji masuk ke rekening = salary enters the bank account
gaji sudah masuk? = has the salary hit the account?
Informal synonyms: gaji cair, ditransfer

Is menunggu gaji masuk a normal structure? What is masuk doing here?

Yes. Indonesian allows menunggu + [event/clause]. Here, gaji is the subject of masuk: “wait for [the event that] the salary enters (the account).” You can also add an explicit linker: menunggu sampai/hingga gaji masuk.

Can I say it with “until” instead of “before”?

Yes:

Kami menunggu sampai/hingga gaji masuk, lalu membayar tagihan. This focuses on the waiting until the event. The original focuses on the condition before doing the action.

Do I need to repeat kami before membayar?

No. Subject dropping is natural:

Original (natural): Kami menunggu gaji masuk sebelum membayar tagihan.
Also fine (more explicit): Kami menunggu gaji masuk sebelum kami membayar tagihan.

Why use membayar and not just bayar?

membayar = more formal/neutral
bayar = common in speech/informal writing Both are correct here. Another related form, membayarkan, usually means “to pay (something) on someone else’s behalf.”

Does tagihan mean one bill or multiple bills?

Indonesian doesn’t mark plural by default; tagihan can mean “bill(s).” To be explicit:

“the bills” = semua tagihan or tagihan-tagihan
“the bill (that we mentioned)” = tagihannya

Is rekening the right word for “bill”?

Usually no. In Indonesian:

rekening = bank account (e.g., nomor rekening), and in some set phrases like rekening listrik (utility bill statement)
For “the bill” to pay (restaurant, online, utilities), use tagihan (or bon/nota/struk in shops/restaurants). So say membayar tagihan, not membayar rekening.

How do I show tense/aspect (waited/are waiting/will wait) in Indonesian?

Use particles/time words:

Present/progressive: Kami sedang menunggu gaji masuk sebelum membayar tagihan.
Past: Tadi kami menunggu gaji masuk sebelum membayar tagihan.
Future: Kami akan menunggu gaji masuk sebelum membayar tagihan. Context often makes these clear even without markers.

Can I front the “before” clause?

Yes:

Sebelum membayar tagihan, kami menunggu gaji masuk. This is natural and slightly emphasizes the condition.

How do people say this informally with gajian, dulu, and baru?

Very natural colloquial Indonesian:

Kami nunggu gajian dulu, baru bayar tagihan. Meaning: we’ll get paid first, then only (we’ll) pay the bills. dulu = first; baru = only then.

Is sebelum untuk membayar ever correct?

No. sebelum is followed directly by a verb or clause:

Correct: sebelum membayar (tagihan) / sebelum kami membayar (tagihan)
Incorrect: sebelum untuk membayar

How do I say “We haven’t paid the bills yet because the salary hasn’t come in”?

Use belum (“not yet”), not tidak:

Kami belum membayar tagihan karena gaji belum masuk. (tidak negates in general; belum adds the “yet” idea.)