Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Permisi, saya mau lewat sebentar di lorong. - Excuse me, I want to pass through the hallway for a moment.

Permisi means “excuse me” to get attention, pass by, or enter/leave politely. It’s what you say when someone is blocking your way. Maaf means “sorry” (an apology). You can combine them for extra politeness: Permisi, maaf…, but for passing through, Permisi alone is perfect.

Does saya mau sound rude? Does mau mean “want to” or “going to”?

In everyday Indonesian, mau is a soft, natural way to state intention—closer to “I’d like to.” It isn’t rude here.

More formal: ingin (I wish to)
Pure future: akan (will), but not used in this kind of request

Can I drop saya and just say Permisi, mau lewat sebentar?

Yes. Subject pronouns are often dropped when the meaning is clear. Permisi, mau lewat sebentar is very natural.

What does sebentar add, and where can it go? Is bentar okay?

Sebentar means “for a moment/just a sec,” softening the request. Typical placements:

…mau lewat sebentar.
…mau lewat di lorong sebentar. Colloquial: bentar; e.g., …mau lewat bentar.
“Just” can be added: sebentar aja/saja.
Note: sebentar lagi means “soon,” not “for a moment.”

Why di lorong and not ke lorong or no preposition at all?

di lorong = the location where the action happens (in the corridor).
ke lorong = movement toward the corridor (to the corridor).
No preposition: often omitted if context is clear; Permisi, mau lewat already works if you’re standing in a corridor.
If you mean “via the corridor,” you can say lewat lorong (“through/via the corridor”).

What’s the difference between lewat, melewati, and melalui?

lewat: intransitive or “via,” very common in speech.
melewati: transitive, “to pass through/over” something; needs an object.
Example: Saya melewati lorong itu.
melalui: “through/via,” a bit more formal, common in writing.
All three can express similar ideas; lewat is the most natural here.

Would Permisi, boleh saya lewat? or Bisa saya lewat? be better?

Boleh saya lewat? asks for permission (“May I pass?”) — very polite.
Bisa saya lewat? asks about ability/possibility; as a request it’s understood but slightly less idiomatic than boleh for permission.
Your original sentence is also fine and common.

Are there casual alternatives natives use?

Yes, very common ones include:

Permisi, numpang lewat. (Colloquial “let me pass through.”)
Permisi, lewat ya.
Permisi dulu. (“Let me go first [through].”)
Even just Permisi (or clipped Misi) works in tight spaces.

Is the sentence too long for a crowded situation? What’s the shortest natural way?

In a crowd, people often say just Permisi, repeated if needed: Permisi, permisi…
You can add a softener: Permisi ya or Permisi dulu ya.

Is Permisi, saya mau lewat di lorong sebentar also correct? Does the position of sebentar matter?

Yes, it’s correct. Sebentar can go after the verb phrase or at the end:

…mau lewat sebentar di lorong.
…mau lewat di lorong sebentar. Both are natural; the meaning doesn’t change.

How do pronouns affect tone? saya vs aku vs gue/gua?

saya: neutral/polite; safe with strangers.
aku: informal/intimate with friends/family.
gue/gua: Jakarta slang; very informal.
Use saya in this context unless you’re in a casual setting with peers.

How can I sound extra polite to strangers?

Add a polite address word and/or a softening particle:

Permisi, Pak/Bu/Mas/Mbak, saya mau lewat sebentar.
Particles: ya, dulu, sebentar ya, boleh ya
Example: Permisi ya, Pak, lewat dulu.

What would the typical response be?

Common replies:

Silakan. (Please go ahead.)
Oh, maaf. (Oh, sorry.)
In Java you might also hear Monggo (Javanese for “please [go ahead]”).

Any spelling gotchas?

di as a preposition is separate: di lorong (not “dilorong”).
Don’t confuse di- (passive prefix) with di (preposition).
All words here are lowercase in running text: permisi, saya, mau, lewat, sebentar, di, lorong (capitalize only at sentence start).

Any quick pronunciation tips?

permisi: per-MI-si (the “r” is tapped; the “e” is like the ‘a’ in “sofa”).
saya: SA-ya.
mau: ma-u (two vowels, not “mow”).
lewat: LE-wat.
sebentar: se-ben-TAR.
lorong: LO-rong (final ng as in “sing”).