Breakdown of Listrik mendadak padam tadi malam.
tadi malam
last night
listrik
the electricity
padam
to go out
mendadak
suddenly
Questions & Answers about Listrik mendadak padam tadi malam.
What does “padam” mean exactly? Could I use “mati” instead?
- Padam means “to be/go out, be extinguished,” and is standard for fire, lights, and electricity: Listrik padam, Api padam, Lampu padam.
- Mati also means “off/dead” and is very common in speech for devices and lights: Lampu mati, Komputernya mati.
- For a power outage, everyday speech often uses mati lampu; the news and formal writing prefer listrik padam or pemadaman listrik.
- Be careful: mati with living beings means “to die,” so it can sound harsh when referring to people or animals.
Is “mendadak” the same as “tiba-tiba”? Where can I put it?
- Yes, both mean “suddenly.” Tiba-tiba is more common; mendadak can sound slightly more formal or “written,” and can also be an adjective (“sudden”): rapat mendadak.
- Position is flexible: Listrik mendadak padam, Listrik padam mendadak, Tiba-tiba, listrik padam, Mendadak, listrik padam. Fronting it adds emphasis.
Why is there no past tense marker like “went”? How is the past shown?
Indonesian doesn’t mark tense on the verb. Time words do the job: tadi malam (“last night”) makes it past. Without a time phrase, Listrik mendadak padam could refer to a past event understood from context or be a general statement.