Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Petir terlihat jauh di atas pagar; kami menunggu di teras. - Lightning is seen far above the fence; we wait on the porch.

Terlihat is a stative verb formed with the prefix ter- + lihat (“see”), meaning “to be visible/seen; to appear.” It doesn’t mark tense by itself, so it can be rendered as “is/was visible” depending on context. It emphasizes the state (visibility), not an agent who is doing the seeing.

Compare:
- melihat = to see (active)
- dilihat = to be seen (passive, implies an agent)
- terlihat = visible/appears (stative, no agent focus)
- kelihatan = visible/looks (more colloquial)
- tampak = appears/visible (neutral–formal)

Why is it di atas and not just atas? And is the spacing correct?

Use di atas (two words) for “above/on top of.” The preposition di must be written separately when it means “at/in/on.” Writing it as diatas is incorrect. The bare word atas (“upper/top”) appears in set phrases like atas nama (“on behalf of”), but to express location you need di atas.

Does di atas mean “above” or “on top of”?

Both, depending on context. Di atas pagar can mean “on top of the fence” (touching) or “above the fence” (not touching). Here, because it’s lightning, it’s naturally read as “above.” Context resolves the ambiguity.

What is the function of jauh in jauh di atas pagar? Is there any ambiguity?

Here jauh modifies the location, giving “far above the fence.” The structure is best parsed as: terlihat (jauh di atas pagar). It’s not about seeing “far” as in distance of vision; it qualifies how high/remote the lightning is relative to the fence.

Why kami and not kita?

Indonesian distinguishes inclusive and exclusive “we”:

kami = we (excluding the listener)
kita = we (including the listener) The sentence implies the listener isn’t part of the waiting group, so kami is used.

Is menunggu present or past? How do I show tense/aspect?

Indonesian doesn’t inflect for tense. Menunggu can be present, past, or future from context. To be explicit, add time/aspect markers:

Ongoing: sedang menunggu
Completed: sudah menunggu
Future/intended: akan menunggu
Past time adverbs: tadi (earlier), kemarin (yesterday), etc.

Can I say kami sedang menunggu di teras to emphasize it was in progress?

Yes. Sedang highlights an action in progress (at that time). It’s optional; the original is already natural, but sedang removes ambiguity about aspect.

Is the semicolon (;) natural in Indonesian? What are other options?

Yes, a semicolon is acceptable to link two closely related independent clauses. Alternatives:

Period: … pagar. Kami menunggu …
Conjunctions: …, dan kami menunggu …; …, sementara kami menunggu … Avoid sambil here, because it typically links two actions by the same subject, and the two clauses have different subjects/foci.

Could I replace terlihat with tampak or kelihatan?

Yes:

Petir tampak jauh di atas pagar (neutral–formal)
Petir kelihatan jauh di atas pagar (colloquial) All three are fine; terlihat and tampak feel a bit more neutral/formal than kelihatan.

What’s the difference between petir, kilat, guntur/guruh, and halilintar?

petir: lightning (the electrical discharge); everyday default for “lightning”
kilat: the visible flash; also “fast” in other contexts
guntur/guruh: thunder (the sound)
halilintar: literary/poetic term for a dramatic lightning/thunderbolt Examples: petir menyambar (lightning strikes), guntur menggelegar (thunder rumbles), ada kilat (there’s lightning/a flash).

Can I reorder the sentence, e.g., Kami menunggu di teras; petir terlihat jauh di atas pagar?

Yes. Indonesian word order is flexible for information flow. You can front the human perspective (Kami…) or the scene (Petir…). You can also say Terlihat petir jauh di atas pagar, which is natural in narratives to foreground the event.

Why di and not ke in di atas?

Di marks a static location (“at/in/on”). Ke marks motion toward a place/direction (“to/into/onto”). Here the lightning is being located, not moving, so di atas is correct. If something moved onto the fence, you’d use ke atas pagar.

Any spelling pitfalls with di here (e.g., di teras)?

Yes: write prepositional di separately from the noun: di teras, di atas. Attach di- only when it’s a passive verb prefix, e.g., dilihat, ditunggu. So di teras is correct; diteras is wrong.

What exactly does pagar mean? Is it the fence or the gate?

Pagar is a fence/railing. A gate is gerbang or pintu pagar. If you need to specify it’s the house fence, you can say pagar rumah.

Is teras the same as “porch,” “veranda,” or “balcony”? Are there synonyms?

Teras commonly refers to a porch/terrace area at a house entrance (often ground level). Synonyms: beranda (veranda/porch), serambi (front porch, more literary/regional). A raised outside platform on an upper floor is a balkon (balcony). Context determines the best English rendering.

How would I negate or qualify terlihat naturally?

Negation: tidak terlihat (“not visible”)
Degree: hampir tidak terlihat (“barely visible”), terlihat jelas (“clearly visible”) Example: Petir hampir tidak terlihat karena kabut (“The lightning was barely visible because of the fog”).