Breakdown of Kami duduk di ujung ruangan sambil menunggu Ibu.
di
at
kami
we
sambil
while
menunggu
to wait
ruangan
the room
ibu
the mother
duduk
to sit
ujung
the end
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Questions & Answers about Kami duduk di ujung ruangan sambil menunggu Ibu.
Why is it kami and not kita?
Kami = we (excluding you, the listener).
Kita = we (including you).
Use kita only if the person you’re talking to is part of the group sitting and waiting.
What does sambil do? Do both actions have the same subject?
Sambil means “while (doing something)” and links two simultaneous actions done by the same subject. Here, the same “we” both sit and wait. If the subjects differ, use something like sementara instead: e.g., “Sementara saya duduk, dia menunggu.”
Can I use sementara, selagi, or seraya instead of sambil?
- sementara = “while/during,” neutral, can be same or different subjects. Works here: “Kami duduk … sementara menunggu Ibu.”
- selagi = “while/as long as,” more casual.
- seraya = “while,” literary/formal.
Sambil most strongly implies the same subject doing both actions.
Why isn’t there sedang or lagi to show “are sitting/are waiting”?
Indonesian doesn’t require progressive marking; context handles time/aspect. To make it explicit:
- Formal/neutral: Kami sedang duduk di ujung ruangan sambil menunggu Ibu.
- Informal: Kami lagi duduk di ujung ruangan sambil nunggu Ibu.
What’s the difference between menunggu, tunggu, nunggu, menanti, and menantikan?
- menunggu: standard “to wait for” (transitive).
- tunggu: base form; common in imperatives or casual speech (e.g., “Tunggu sebentar!”).
- nunggu: colloquial for menunggu.
- menanti: more literary/formal “to await.”
- menantikan: “to look forward to/await,” often with nuance of anticipation (e.g., menantikan kedatangan Ibu).
Do I need a preposition (like “for”) after menunggu?
No. Menunggu takes a direct object: menunggu Ibu, menunggu kereta. Don’t say “menunggu untuk …” or “menunggu kepada …”.
What does Ibu mean here, and why is it capitalized?
Capital Ibu often means a specific “Mother/Mom” or a respectful form of address/title for an adult woman (“Ma’am/Mrs.”, e.g., Ibu Sari). Lowercase ibu is generic “a mother.” In casual speech, Bu is a common shortened address form.
Does di ujung ruangan mean “in the corner of the room”?
Not exactly. ujung = “end/edge.” For “corner,” use sudut or pojok: di sudut/pojok ruangan.
Why ruangan and not ruang or kamar?
- ruangan: a physical/enclosed room or area.
- ruang: “space/area,” often in compounds (e.g., ruang tamu, ruang kelas).
- kamar: a bedroom or hotel room.
So di ujung ruangan fits a generic room/hall space.
Any spelling rule with di here?
Yes. The preposition di is written separately: di ujung.
The passive prefix di- attaches to verbs with no space: dibaca, ditunggu.
Can I put the sambil-phrase at the start?
Yes: Sambil menunggu Ibu, kami duduk di ujung ruangan. Fronting the sambil clause highlights the “while waiting” context.
How do I say “at the end of the room” (definite “the”)?
Indonesian has no articles. Use itu/ini for definiteness: di ujung ruangan itu (that specific room), di ujung ruangan ini (this room).
Does duduk need any affix? Is berduduk correct?
No affix is needed; duduk is the normal intransitive verb. Berduduk isn’t used. Related forms: duduki (“sit on/occupy,” formal) and dudukkan (“to seat [someone]”).