Questions & Answers about Wawancara dimulai pukul delapan.
What does dimulai mean, and why is it used instead of an active verb?
The prefix di- marks the passive, so dimulai means “is begun/gets started.” Indonesian often uses the passive to foreground an event (common in schedules/announcements). Active options: Wawancara mulai… (intransitive) or (Seseorang) memulai wawancara… (transitive).
Can I say Wawancara mulai pukul delapan?
Yes. Wawancara mulai pukul delapan is correct and a bit more neutral/informal. Wawancara dimulai… sounds slightly more formal/announcer-like. Both are common.
Do I need “at”—should it be pada pukul delapan?
pada is optional with times. Wawancara dimulai (pada) pukul delapan are both fine. Don’t use di for time here; di is for locations (e.g., di kantor).
What’s the difference between pukul and jam?
Both can mean “o’clock.” pukul feels more formal/announcement style; jam is everyday. You can say pukul/jam delapan. For durations, use jam (e.g., dua jam = two hours), not pukul.
Does pukul also mean “to hit”?