Breakdown of Tolong baca keterangan di papan tulis.
di
on
tolong
please
baca
to read
papan tulis
the board
keterangan
the information
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Questions & Answers about Tolong baca keterangan di papan tulis.
What nuance does Tolong add? Could I say Silakan or Harap instead?
- Tolong literally means help and functions like please. It softens an imperative into a polite request.
- Silakan is an invitation or permission (please go ahead), not a request for help. It’s polite and neutral.
- Harap is formal and directive (kindly/please), common on notices and announcements, more like an instruction.
- Very formal: Mohon (I beg/please), e.g., Mohon dibaca… sounds quite formal.
- Mild coaxing: Coba (try), e.g., Coba baca…, softer, often teacher-to-student.
Why is it baca and not membaca?
Indonesian imperatives usually use the bare verb root. Baca is the root; membaca is the active meN- form used in statements (e.g., Saya membaca…). For commands, baca is the norm. Both Silakan baca… and Silakan membaca… are possible, but a plain request uses baca.
What exactly does keterangan mean here?
Keterangan is explanatory information, clarification, details, or a legend/notes. In a classroom, it might mean the teacher’s explanatory notes. Depending on context, you might also see:
- Penjelasan: explanation
- Petunjuk: instructions
- Pengumuman: announcement
- Catatan or tulisan: notes/writing Choose the noun that matches the content on the board.
Does di papan tulis mean on the board or at the board?
Di marks location and often corresponds to on/at/in. With papan tulis (writing board), the natural reading is on the board (i.e., written on its surface).
In this sentence, does di papan tulis modify keterangan or the act of reading?
By default it attaches to the nearest noun, so it modifies keterangan: read the information that is on the board. If you want to make this explicit, you can say keterangan yang ada di papan tulis.
How could I make this more formal or softer?
- Add -lah for a polite, slightly softer imperative: Bacalah keterangan di papan tulis.
- Use passive imperative for impersonal politeness: Tolong dibaca keterangan di papan tulis. / Harap dibaca keterangan di papan tulis.
- Very formal: Mohon dibaca keterangan di papan tulis.
Do I need an article like the in Indonesian? How do I say that board?
Indonesian has no articles. Use demonstratives or clitics to mark definiteness:
- di papan tulis itu = on that board
- di papan tulis ini = on this board
- Possessive/definite sense with -nya: keterangannya (the information, its information)
Is a comma after Tolong necessary?
No. Tolong baca… is fine without a comma. A comma is optional if you want to reflect a pause: Tolong, baca…, but it’s not required.
How do I address one person versus a group?
The imperative leaves the subject implicit. To be explicit:
- One person, polite: Tolong Anda baca…
- One person, familiar: Tolong kamu baca…
- A group: Tolong kalian baca… Word order is flexible: Anda tolong baca…, Tolong Anda baca…, Kalian tolong baca… are all acceptable.
Would lihat be better than baca?
Use baca when you want someone to read the text. Use lihat if you just want them to look at or pay attention to something without necessarily reading every word.
Why di and not pada?
Di is the default locative preposition for physical places. Pada is more formal and used with abstract references, time, or in official writing. Pada papan tulis sounds stilted in everyday speech; di papan tulis is natural.
Is papan tulis a blackboard, a whiteboard, or a noticeboard?
Papan tulis is any writing board used for teaching—traditionally a blackboard, now often a whiteboard. A noticeboard/bulletin board is papan pengumuman. If you need to be specific: papan tulis putih (whiteboard), papan tulis hitam (blackboard).
How do I express time, like please read it now?
Add an adverb:
- sekarang (now): Tolong baca… sekarang.
- nanti (later): Tolong baca… nanti.
- sebelum mulai (before starting), sesudah pelajaran (after the lesson), etc.
Does keterangan imply singular or plural?
Indonesian usually doesn’t mark number. Keterangan can mean information in general. To stress plurality or variety, use:
- berbagai keterangan (various pieces of information)
- semua keterangan (all the information) Reduplication (keterangan-keterangan) is grammatically possible but sounds heavy here.
Any spelling tips with di here?
Yes. As a preposition, di is written separately: di papan tulis. Do not write dipapan. When di- is a passive prefix (e.g., dibaca), it attaches to the verb.