Breakdown of Kelompok kami telah menyelesaikan tugas; guru telah memuji hasilnya.
guru
the teacher
tugas
the assignment
menyelesaikan
to finish
kami
our
nya
its
kelompok
the group
telah
already
telah
already
memuji
to praise
hasil
the result
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Questions & Answers about Kelompok kami telah menyelesaikan tugas; guru telah memuji hasilnya.
What does the word "telah" do here? Is it necessary?
"Telah" marks completed aspect (roughly “has/have already”) and sounds formal/written. It isn’t grammatically required.
- Formal: Kelompok kami telah menyelesaikan tugas.
- Neutral/conversational: Kelompok kami sudah menyelesaikan tugas.
- Also acceptable (relying on context): Kelompok kami menyelesaikan tugas.
How is "telah" different from "sudah" and "udah"?
- Telah: formal/literary; common in news, reports, essays.
- Sudah: neutral and most common in everyday speech and writing.
- Udah: colloquial/slangy form of "sudah" in casual spoken Indonesian.
Why is it "kelompok kami" and not "kami kelompok"? How does possession work?
Indonesian places the possessor after the noun:
- kelompok kami = our group Putting the pronoun before (kami kelompok) is ungrammatical.
When do I use "kami" vs "kita" for “we/our”?
- Kami = we/our excluding the listener.
- Kita = we/our including the listener. So "kelompok kami" means the speaker’s group, not including the listener. If the listener is part of the group, say "kelompok kita."
What’s the difference between "menyelesaikan," "selesai," and "mengerjakan"?
- Menyelesaikan (meN- + selesai + -kan): transitive “to complete/finish something.” Example: menyelesaikan tugas.
- Selesai: adjective/intransitive “finished/done.” Example: Tugasnya sudah selesai.
- Mengerjakan (meN- + kerja + -kan): “to do/work on.” Example: mengerjakan tugas (work on the assignment), not necessarily finish it.
Is the semicolon (;) natural in Indonesian? Could I use something else?
A semicolon is acceptable but less common. Alternatives:
- Period: Kelompok kami telah menyelesaikan tugas. Guru telah memuji hasilnya.
- Conjunctions: … dan guru (then/and the teacher) …; … sehingga guru (so the teacher) …; … lalu/kemudian guru (then the teacher) … Choose the connector to show the relationship (addition, result, sequence).
Does "guru" mean “the teacher,” “a teacher,” or “our teacher”?
Indonesian has no articles, so "guru" can mean “a/the teacher” depending on context. To be explicit:
- guru kami = our teacher
- gurunya = the teacher (contextual/known teacher; -nya often marks definiteness) You can also use titles: Pak Guru (male), Bu Guru (female).
What does the -nya in "hasilnya" mean? Whose results are these?
- -nya can mark third‑person possession (“his/her/its/their results”) or simple definiteness (“the results”).
- Here it likely means “the results (of the work/assignment),” understood from context. To be explicit: hasil kerja kami or hasil tugas kami (our group’s results).
Is "hasilnya" singular or plural? How do plurals work?
Indonesian usually doesn’t mark plural. "Hasilnya" can mean “the result” or “the results.” Add a clarifier if needed:
- banyak hasil = many results
- hasil-hasil = results (reduplication, more formal/emphatic)
Why "memuji hasilnya" and not "memuji kami"? What’s the nuance?
- memuji hasilnya = praising the results/work output (objective focus).
- memuji kami = praising us (the people). Both are correct; choose based on what you want to emphasize.
Can I use the passive voice here?
Yes. Passive is common in Indonesian:
- Hasilnya telah dipuji (oleh guru). = The results have been praised (by the teacher). You can omit "oleh guru" if the agent is clear from context.
Do I have to repeat "telah" before "memuji"? Can I shorten it?
Repetition is optional. All are fine:
- … telah menyelesaikan …; guru telah memuji …
- … telah menyelesaikan …; guru memuji … Dropping the second "telah" is natural and less formal.
Is "grup" okay instead of "kelompok"?
Yes. "Grup" (loan from English) is common and a bit more casual. "Kelompok" is the standard/neutral word. "Tim" is also possible if you mean a team.
Is "tugas" the same as “homework”?
"Tugas" is any assignment/task. “Homework” specifically is "pekerjaan rumah" or "PR" (short for pekerjaan rumah). So:
- menyelesaikan tugas = finish the assignment (general)
- menyelesaikan PR = finish the homework
How would a casual version of the sentence sound in everyday speech?
For a casual tone you might hear:
- Grup kita udah nyelesain tugas; Bu/Pak Guru udah muji hasilnya. Notes:
- kita includes the listener; use kami if excluding.
- udah = sudah (colloquial).
- nyelesain = colloquial for menyelesaikan.