Breakdown of Silakan baca jadwal ujian di papan tulis.
di
on
silakan
please
baca
to read
papan tulis
the board
jadwal ujian
the exam schedule
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Indonesian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Silakan baca jadwal ujian di papan tulis.
What tone does silakan convey here?
Silakan is a polite invitation or permission—“please, go ahead and…”. It softens the directive and sounds courteous, especially in classroom or service settings. It’s less of an urgent request and more of a respectful nudge to do the action.
Can I use tolong, harap, mohon, or coba instead of silakan? What’s the nuance?
- Tolong: a request for help. More like “please (do this for me/us).” Neutral–polite. Example: Tolong baca jadwal ujian di papan tulis.
- Harap: formal/institutional instruction, often on signs/announcements. Slightly impersonal. Example: Harap baca jadwal ujian di papan tulis.
- Mohon: very polite/formal request, often official. Example: Mohon baca jadwal ujian di papan tulis.
- Coba: colloquial softener “try to…”, sounds gentle/informal. Example: Coba baca jadwal ujian di papan tulis.
- Silakan: polite permission/invitation (“feel free to”). Good when the action benefits the listener.
Why is it baca and not membaca?
Imperatives usually use the bare verb root: baca! The affixed form membaca is the active verb used in statements (e.g., Saya membaca), not the default for commands.
Is Silakan membaca also correct? Any difference from Silakan baca?
Yes, Silakan membaca is fine. Both are natural. Silakan baca feels brisk and instructional; Silakan membaca can sound slightly more formal or explanatory. Avoid Silakan untuk membaca—it’s considered redundant/awkward.
Is the spelling silahkan acceptable?
The standard spelling is silakan (from sila + -kan). Silahkan is very common, but it’s not recommended in formal writing.
What does di do here, and why is it separate?
Di is a preposition meaning “at/in/on,” and it’s written separately: di papan tulis. Don’t write it together (dipapan). Be aware that di- (with a hyphen) is also a passive prefix attached to verbs (e.g., dibaca), which is a different function.
Why di and not pada or ke?
- Di marks location: di papan tulis = “on the board.”
- Ke marks movement toward a place: ke papan tulis = “to the board.”
- Pada is used for time, recipients, or abstract relations, and only sometimes for locations in very formal writing; it’s not natural here.
What exactly is papan tulis? Is that a notice board?
Papan tulis is a chalkboard/whiteboard in a classroom (“writing board”). A notice board is papan pengumuman. If you mean a notice board, say: Silakan baca jadwal ujian di papan pengumuman.
Can I change the word order?
Yes, but keep it natural:
- Neutral: Silakan baca jadwal ujian di papan tulis.
- Fronted location (with a comma): Di papan tulis, silakan baca jadwal ujian. Avoid splitting the object awkwardly, e.g., ❌ Silakan baca di papan tulis jadwal ujian.
How do I say “the exam schedule” specifically?
Indonesian doesn’t require articles. Use demonstratives or clitics for definiteness:
- jadwal ujian itu = that/the exam schedule
- jadwal ujiannya = the exam schedule (contextually “its/the”) Example: Silakan baca jadwal ujiannya di papan tulis.
Is jadwal ujian singular or plural? How do I mark plural?
It’s unmarked for number; context decides. To emphasize plural, you can use:
- jadwal-jadwal ujian (reduplication),
- or quantifiers: semua/banyak/berbagai jadwal ujian. Often jadwal ujian already implies the full schedule.
Would lihat, cek, or periksa work instead of baca?
- baca = read (focus on reading text)
- lihat = look at
- cek/periksa = check/inspect All can work depending on intent:
- Silakan lihat jadwal ujian… (look at it)
- Silakan cek/periksa jadwal ujian… (check it)
Can I omit silakan and just say Baca jadwal ujian di papan tulis? How does it sound?
Yes. It becomes a direct command. In class instructions it’s fine. To soften it in speech, add a particle: Baca jadwal ujian di papan tulis, ya. Colloquially you might hear dong for extra softness.
How would I address one person vs. a group? Where do pronouns go?
Pronouns are often omitted. If needed:
- One person (informal): Silakan kamu baca…
- A group: Silakan kalian baca…
- Formal address: Silakan Anda baca… (rare from teacher to students) You can also put the name: Rina, silakan baca…
Can I make it more formal/polite with passive or with -lah?
Yes:
- Passive imperative (very common on signs): Harap dibaca jadwal ujian di papan tulis. / Silakan dibaca jadwal ujian…
- -lah softens commands, especially in writing: Bacalah jadwal ujian di papan tulis. Combining with silakan is very polite/formal: Silakan bacalah…
How is the sentence pronounced? Any tricky letters?
- c = “ch” as in “church” (so baca = “BA-cha”)
- j = “j” as in “jam”
- u = “oo” as in “food” Approximate: si-LA-kan BA-cha JAD-wal oo-JEE-an PA-pan TOO-lees. Indonesian stress is light and tends toward the final syllable of words.