Breakdown of Dia lelah, sampai-sampai tertidur di kasur tanpa mengganti seprai.
adalah
to be
dia
he/she
di
on
lelah
tired
tertidur
to fall asleep
tanpa
without
mengganti
to change
seprai
the bedsheet
kasur
the mattress
sampai-sampai
so much so that
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Indonesian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Dia lelah, sampai-sampai tertidur di kasur tanpa mengganti seprai.
What does the phrase "sampai-sampai" do? Could I just use "sampai"?
- "sampai-sampai" is an intensifier meaning "to the point that / so ... that," highlighting an extreme or notable result.
- Using just "sampai" is also correct: "Dia lelah sampai tertidur..."—a bit less emphatic.
- Alternatives:
- More formal: "hingga" → "Dia lelah hingga tertidur..."
- Pattern: "begitu + ADJ + sehingga + result" → "Dia begitu lelah sehingga tertidur..."
- Colloquial/emphatic: "Saking + ADJ + -nya, ..." → "Saking lelahnya, dia tertidur..."
Why is there a comma before "sampai-sampai"?
- It marks a natural pause between the main clause and the result clause; it’s for readability and optional.
- Without the comma, the sentence is still correct.
Why use "tertidur" instead of "tidur"?
- "tertidur" = "fell asleep / dozed off" (the onset of sleep, often unintentionally).
- "tidur" = "to sleep" (the state). After an intensifier of degree, you want the result-onset, so "tertidur" fits better than "tidur."
Can I use "ketiduran" here? How is it different from "tertidur"?
- "ketiduran" strongly implies an accidental or unintended falling asleep (e.g., while doing something else).
- "tertidur" is neutral or mildly unintended.
- Both work in this context; "ketiduran" sounds a bit more colloquial/accidental.
Do I need to repeat the subject: "sampai-sampai dia tertidur"?
- Indonesian often drops the repeated subject when it’s obvious. Both are fine:
- "Dia lelah, sampai-sampai tertidur..."
- "Dia lelah, sampai-sampai dia tertidur..." (clearer/emphatic)
"di kasur" vs "di atas kasur" vs "di tempat tidur" vs "di ranjang": what's the difference?
- "di kasur" = on the mattress/bed; very common and idiomatic.
- "di atas kasur" = explicitly "on top of the mattress" (more literal).
- "di tempat tidur" = in/on the bed (neutral, general).
- "di ranjang" = on/in the bed; largely synonymous with "di tempat tidur."
Why "tanpa mengganti" and not "tidak mengganti"?
- "tanpa + verb" = "without doing X" (adverbial phrase modifying how the action happened).
- "tidak mengganti seprai" = a standalone negation ("did not change the sheets").
- Here, we want the manner: "fell asleep without changing..."
Is "seprai" the same as "sprei"? Which is correct?
- Both mean "bedsheet."
- "seprai" is the standardized spelling (formal). "sprei" is very common in everyday usage.
- In formal writing, prefer "seprai"; in speech or casual text, "sprei" is fine.
Do I need "-nya" after "seprai" to mean "the sheets"?
- Indonesian usually leaves definiteness to context. Plain "seprai" can mean "the sheet(s)."
- To make it explicit:
- "seprainya" = his/her/their sheets (context-dependent possessor).
- "seprai itu" = that/those sheets.
- Plural is not marked unless you specify it.
Is "lelah" formal? Can I say "capek" or "letih"?
- "lelah" = neutral/standard.
- "capek/capai" = informal/colloquial (common in speech).
- "letih" = somewhat literary/poetic but understood.
- Stronger: "kelelahan" = exhausted.
Could I restructure with "saking" or other patterns?
- Yes:
- "Saking lelahnya, dia tertidur di kasur tanpa mengganti seprai."
- "Dia begitu lelah sehingga tertidur di kasur tanpa mengganti seprai."
- "Karena terlalu lelah, dia tertidur..." (cause-focused)
Why is "sampai-sampai" hyphenated?
- The hyphen shows reduplication used for emphasis. It’s the recommended form in formal writing.
- In informal contexts you may see "sampai sampai" or just "sampai"; "sampai-sampai" looks most polished.
Can "mengganti" be just "ganti"?
- In casual speech: yes—"tanpa ganti seprai" is common.
- In standard written Indonesian, prefer the transitive meN- form: "mengganti seprai."
Any spelling note about "di" here?
- As a preposition (at/on/in), it’s written separately: "di kasur."
- As a passive prefix, it attaches to a verb without a space (e.g., "ditidurkan"). Here it’s a preposition, so use a space.
Could I use "ia" instead of "dia"? Any gender nuance?
- "dia" and "ia" both mean "he/she"; Indonesian pronouns are gender-neutral.
- "ia" is more common in formal writing (especially as a subject). "dia" is neutral and very common in speech.
- After prepositions, use the clitic form: e.g., "kepadanya," not "kepada ia."