Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Pemimpin kami tenang saat rapat dimulai. - Our leader is calm when the meeting starts.

Indonesian doesn’t use a linking verb with adjectives. The adjective itself functions as the predicate. So Pemimpin kami tenang means “Our leader is/was calm.” Using adalah before an adjective is generally incorrect or at least unnatural here; say Pemimpin kami sangat tenang (very calm), not Pemimpin kami adalah tenang.

What’s the difference between kami and kita?

Both mean “we/our,” but:

kami = we/our, excluding the listener.
kita = we/our, including the listener. Here Pemimpin kami implies the listener is not part of the speaker’s group. If you want to include the listener (e.g., a shared leader), use Pemimpin kita.

What does saat mean here, and can I use ketika or waktu instead?

saat is a conjunction meaning “when.” Synonyms:

ketika: also “when,” slightly formal/neutrally standard.
waktu: literally “time,” commonly used as “when” in everyday speech.
Very informal: pas (“right when”). All of these can work: saat/ketika/waktu rapat dimulai. Register and tone differ slightly.

Why is dimulai used? What’s the difference between mulai, memulai, and dimulai?

mulai = “start/begin” (intransitive or as a complement): Rapat mulai pukul 9.
memulai = “to start (something)” (active, transitive): Ketua memulai rapat.
dimulai = “to be started” (passive): Rapat dimulai pukul 9. In the sentence, rapat dimulai leaves the starter/agent unspecified (passive), which is natural.

Can I say saat rapat mulai instead of saat rapat dimulai?

It’s understandable and heard, especially with an added time: saat rapat mulai (pukul 9). However, saat/ketika rapat dimulai is the safer, more neutral/standard wording, especially in writing.

How do I mention who started the meeting?

Two natural options:

Passive with agent: Rapat dimulai oleh ketua.
Active: Ketua memulai rapat. Colloquial passive without di-/oleh also exists (e.g., Rapat ketua mulai), but stick to the two above as a learner.

Does the sentence mean “is calm” or “was calm”? Indonesian has no tense—how is time shown?

Indonesian doesn’t mark tense morphologically. Time is inferred from context words. Here saat rapat dimulai (“when the meeting started”) anchors it in the past, so natural English is “was calm.” For explicit markers:

Past-like/completed: sudah, tadi, kemarin.
Future: akan, nanti.

What does rapat mean? I’ve seen it mean “tight,” too. How is it different from pertemuan?

rapat (noun) = a formal meeting/session (committee, office, etc.).
rapat (adjective) = tight/close/dense (e.g., barisan rapat “tight formation”).
pertemuan = a meeting/encounter (broader, can be less formal or between parties). In this sentence, context clearly makes rapat the noun “meeting.”

Can I move the time clause to the front?

Yes. Both are correct:

Pemimpin kami tenang saat rapat dimulai.
Saat rapat dimulai, pemimpin kami tenang. Use a comma when the time clause comes first.

How do I intensify or soften tenang?

Common modifiers:

Strong: sangat tenang, tenang sekali, amat tenang.
Medium: cukup tenang (“quite”), lumayan tenang.
Mild: agak tenang (“somewhat”). Placement: sangat/cukup/agak before the adjective; sekali after it.

How do I say “our leaders” instead of “our leader”?

Use a plural marker for humans:

Para pemimpin kami = our leaders (most natural/formal).
Or reduplication: pemimpin-pemimpin kami (correct but heavier in style). Base pemimpin kami can be singular or plural by context, but is typically read as singular.

Does tenang mean “calm” or “quiet”? What are related words?

tenang = calm/serene/composed; also for calm water/air. Related:

diam = silent/still (not speaking/moving).
hening = very quiet/silent (atmosphere).
sunyi/sepi = quiet/deserted (few people/sound). Choose based on nuance; here it’s about composure, so tenang fits.

Is pemimpin the same as pimpinan or ketua?

Not exactly:

pemimpin = a leader (a person).
pimpinan = leadership/management as an institution, or the office/authority; sometimes “the leader” in titles like pimpinan rapat (the chair).
ketua = chairperson/head of a committee/organization. In many meeting contexts, the person who runs it is the ketua or pimpinan rapat; pemimpin is a general “leader.”

Could I say tampak tenang to mean “seemed calm”?

Yes. Pemimpin kami tampak/terlihat/kelihatan tenang saat rapat dimulai all mean “Our leader seemed/appeared calm when the meeting started,” which adds the nuance of appearance rather than stating it as a fact.