Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Sebelum ujian, kami membaca instruksi di papan tulis. - Before the exam, we read the instructions on the board.

In Indonesian, kami means we (excluding the listener), while kita means we (including the listener). Here the speaker is likely talking to someone who isn’t part of the group taking the exam. If addressing classmates, you’d use kita.

What tense is membaca here, and how do I show past, progressive, or future?

Verbs don’t change for tense in Indonesian. Kami membaca can mean we read/we are reading/we read (past), depending on context. Add time markers if needed:

Past: tadi, kemarin, sudah/telah
Progressive: sedang
Future: akan, nanti Example: Sebelum ujian, kami sedang membaca instruksi di papan tulis.

Is the comma after Sebelum ujian necessary?

When a time/condition phrase comes first, a comma is standard in writing but optional in casual text. Without the comma it’s still grammatical. The comma just helps readability.

Can I move sebelum ujian to the end?

Yes. Kami membaca instruksi di papan tulis sebelum ujian. Both orders are natural. Putting the time phrase first emphasizes the timeframe.

Do I need to mark plural on instruksi since English uses plural instructions?

No. Indonesian usually leaves nouns unmarked for number. Instruksi can be singular or plural from context. If needed, use quantifiers like beberapa instruksi or semua instruksi; reduplication (instruksi-instruksi) is possible but uncommon here.

Is instruksi the best word, or should it be petunjuk?

Both work, with nuance:

Instruksi: instructions/commands from an authority.
Petunjuk: guidelines/instructions; very common on exams, often as Petunjuk Pengerjaan.
Perintah: a (strong) command. In an exam context, petunjuk is extremely common: kami membaca petunjuk di papan tulis.

Why di papan tulis and not di atas papan tulis or pada papan tulis?

For surfaces like boards, di already means on/at the board. Di atas papan tulis is usually unnecessary unless you literally mean on top of it. Pada is more formal and rarely used for physical location in everyday speech.

What exactly does papan tulis refer to?

Literally board + write. It’s the classroom board (blackboard or whiteboard). You can specify papan putih (whiteboard) or papan tulis hitam (blackboard).

Should it be instruksinya to mean the instructions (definite) like the in English?

Indonesian has no articles, so bare instruksi can be definite from context. Adding -nya makes it specific or possessive:

Definite: kami membaca instruksinya (we read the instructions).
Possessive: instruksinya guru (the teacher’s instructions). Use -nya if you want to emphasize definiteness or possession.

Any rule about spacing with di here?

Yes. The locative preposition di is written separately: di papan tulis. This contrasts with the passive prefix di-, which attaches to verbs: dibaca (is/was read). Writing dipapan here would be wrong.

Can I say kami baca instead of kami membaca?

In informal Indonesian, the meN- prefix is often dropped: kami baca instruksi... That’s natural in casual speech. In neutral or formal writing, keep membaca.

Is ujian the same as tes or ulangan?

Ujian: exam, often larger or official.
Tes: test (general/loanword), any size.
Ulangan/kuis: quiz/short test at school. Your sentence fits an exam context, so ujian is apt.

Can I omit the subject kami?

Generally no. Indonesian typically states the subject in neutral prose. Sebelum ujian, membaca instruksi... sounds incomplete unless the subject is crystal-clear from context or you’re giving impersonal instructions.

How would I say this in passive voice?

Two natural options:

Instruksi di papan tulis dibaca sebelum ujian. (agentless passive)
Instruksi di papan tulis dibaca oleh kami sebelum ujian. (explicit agent) Colloquially you can front the object with an active verb: Instruksi di papan tulis kami baca sebelum ujian.

Can sebelum take a clause, and how is that different from sebelumnya?

Yes. Sebelum can be followed by a noun or a clause: Sebelum ujian... / Sebelum kami mulai ujian... Sebelumnya is an adverb meaning previously/beforehand: Kami sebelumnya membaca instruksi... Choose based on the structure you want.