Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Bagaimana keadaan di kantor pagi ini? - How is the situation at the office this morning?

You can drop keadaan. Bagaimana di kantor pagi ini? is natural and common in speech. Using keadaan makes the noun “the situation/condition” explicit and sounds a bit more formal or careful.

What is the structure of the word keadaan?

It’s formed with the circumfix ke- … -an on the root ada (“to exist/be present”), giving a noun meaning “state/condition.”

ada → ke- + ada + -an = keadaan (“condition; state”) You’ll see the same pattern in words like kebersihan (from bersih, “cleanliness”) and kehidupan (from hidup, “life”). The double “aa” in keadaan comes from the “a” at the end of ada plus the “a” of the suffix -an.

What’s the difference between keadaan, situasi, suasana, and kondisi?

keadaan: general “state/condition,” catch‑all and neutral.
situasi: “situation,” often factual/external circumstances.
suasana: “atmosphere/mood,” how a place feels.
kondisi: “condition,” often physical/health or “terms/conditions.” Examples:
Bagaimana suasana di kantor pagi ini? (What’s the mood/atmosphere?)
Bagaimana situasinya di kantor pagi ini? (What’s the situation like?)

Why is it di kantor and not some other preposition?

di means “at/in,” so di kantor = “at the office.” Related contrasts:

ke kantor = “to the office”
dari kantor = “from the office” Also note: di as a preposition is written separately (e.g., di kantor). The attached form di- is a passive prefix on verbs (e.g., ditutup = “is/was closed”).

Do I need an article like “the” before kantor? How do I specify whose office?

Indonesian has no articles, so kantor can mean “the office” in context. To specify:

di kantor saya / di kantorku = at my office (neutral / informal)
di kantor Anda = at your office (formal)
di kantor kamu / di kantormu = at your office (informal)
di kantor kita = at our office

Where should the time phrase pagi ini go?

Time phrases are often placed at the end, but fronting is also natural:

Standard: Bagaimana keadaan di kantor pagi ini?
Fronted: Pagi ini, bagaimana keadaan di kantor? Keeping pagi ini at the end is the most typical in everyday speech.

What’s the difference between pagi ini and tadi pagi?

pagi ini = “this morning” (the morning that’s happening now)
tadi pagi = “earlier this morning” (already past) If it’s no longer morning, use tadi pagi. You’ll also hear pagi tadi with the same meaning. For “tomorrow morning,” say besok pagi.

How do I pronounce the sentence naturally?

Bagaimana: ba-gai-MA-na (stress on MA), “g” always hard; ai like “eye.”
keadaan: ke-a-DA-an (stress on DA); the double “aa” is pronounced smoothly.
di: “dee”
kantor: KAN-tor
pagi ini: PA-gi EE-ni

Is ini functioning like “this”? Why does it come after pagi?

Yes. Demonstratives follow the noun in Indonesian:

pagi ini = this morning
orang itu = that person
kantor ini = this office

Is the sentence formal, informal, or neutral? How would I say it casually?

Neutral-to-polite. Casual options:

Gimana di kantor pagi ini?
Kantor pagi ini gimana?
Gimana suasana di kantor pagi ini?

Can I move bagaimana to the end: Keadaan di kantor pagi ini bagaimana?

Yes. That’s very common in spoken Indonesian and sounds open-ended/inviting:

Keadaan di kantor pagi ini bagaimana?

Is Bagaimana kabar di kantor pagi ini? okay?

It’s understandable but not idiomatic. kabar (“news”) is usually for people (e.g., Apa kabar?). For “news from the office,” say:

Ada kabar apa dari kantor? (Any news from the office?) For the original meaning (“How are things at the office?”), stick with keadaan/situasi/suasana or omit the noun.

What are some natural ways to answer this question?

Examples (Indonesian + quick gloss):

Lumayan sibuk. — Quite busy.
Aman. — All good.
Ramai. — Crowded/busy.
Sepi. — Quiet.
Santai. — Relaxed.
Kacau. — Chaotic.
Lancar. — Going smoothly.
Ada rapat besar. — There’s a big meeting.
Semua WFH hari ini. — Everyone’s working from home today.
Ada kendala IT. — There are IT issues.

Can I say Bagaimana keadaan kantor pagi ini? without di? Does it change the meaning?

You can. Bagaimana keadaan kantor pagi ini? is fine. With di, you emphasize location (“the situation at the office”). Without di, it can sound slightly more like “the office’s condition,” which some might take as physical state, but in context both are generally understood the same.