Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kereta lewat pukul delapan. - The train passes at eight o’clock.

It means “to pass (by).” In Kereta lewat pukul delapan, the train passes by (goes through) at 8 o’clock. Note that lewat can also mean “past” in time expressions (e.g., jam delapan lewat lima = 8:05), but here it’s a verb.

Could lewat pukul delapan mean “after eight”?

Not in this sentence. For “after eight,” say sesudah/setelah jam (pukul) delapan. For “a little past eight,” say jam/pukul delapan lewat sedikit. The presence of the subject Kereta makes lewat a verb (“passes”), not “past.”

Why pukul and not jam?

Both are correct for telling time:

pukul is more formal/announcement-like.
jam is the everyday, neutral choice. So Kereta lewat pukul delapan and Kereta lewat jam delapan are both fine.

Do I need a preposition like “at” before the time?

It’s optional to add pada. All are correct:

Kereta lewat pukul delapan.
Kereta lewat pada pukul delapan. (more formal) Avoid di for time; di is for places.

Is kereta the same as kereta api?

Yes, in Indonesian kereta commonly means “train,” and kereta api is the full term. In Indonesian, “car” is mobil (not kereta, which in Malay can mean “car”).

How do I say 8 AM vs 8 PM?

Add a time-of-day word:

pukul delapan pagi (around 4–10 a.m. range)
pukul delapan malam (around 6 p.m.–midnight) Also used: siang (~10 a.m.–3 p.m.) and sore (~3–6 p.m.).

If the train departs or arrives at eight (not just passes), what verb should I use?

Departs: Kereta berangkat pukul delapan.
Arrives: Kereta tiba/sampai pukul delapan. Use lewat when it goes through (often without stopping) or you’re emphasizing the passing.

Can I move the time to the front?

Yes:

Pukul delapan, kereta lewat.
Pada pukul delapan, kereta lewat. Word order is flexible; fronting the time is common.

How do I say “the train” specifically vs just “a train”?

Indonesian has no articles. Use demonstratives:

Kereta itu = that/the train (specific)
Kereta ini = this/the train Bare kereta can mean “a/the train” depending on context. Sebuah kereta is grammatical but uncommon here; for counting, use satu kereta.

How do I make it plural, like “trains pass at eight”?

Plural is often unmarked: Kereta lewat pukul delapan can mean “trains pass at eight” in context. To be explicit:

Kereta-kereta lewat pukul delapan.
Beberapa kereta lewat pukul delapan.

How do I pronounce the words?

kereta: ke-RE-ta (first e is a schwa, like the ‘a’ in “sofa”)
lewat: LE-wat (the e is like ‘ay’ in “say,” shorter)
pukul: PU-kul (u like “oo” in “food”)
delapan: de-LA-pan (first e is schwa) Indonesian stress is light, typically on the second-to-last syllable.

Isn’t pukul also “to hit”?

Yes. As a verb it’s “hit” (memukul = to hit). In time expressions, pukul is a noun meaning “o’clock,” as in pukul delapan. Context prevents confusion.

How do I say “exactly at eight,” “around eight,” or “a little after eight”?

Exactly: pukul delapan tepat or pukul delapan pas
Around: sekitar pukul delapan or kira-kira pukul delapan
A little after: pukul delapan lewat sedikit

Can I say kereta lewat stasiun to mean “the train goes past the station”?

Use a transitive verb: Kereta melewati stasiun itu or Kereta melintasi stasiun itu. Lewat by itself is intransitive.

How do I negate this or talk about past/future?

Negation: Kereta tidak lewat pukul delapan.
Past (with a time adverb): Tadi/kemarin kereta lewat pukul delapan.
Future: Nanti/besok kereta lewat pukul delapan.
Already passed: Kereta sudah lewat. Indonesian uses time words; there’s no tense change on the verb.

How do I say times like 8:05, 8:15, 8:30, 8:50?

8:05: pukul delapan lewat lima (menit)
8:15: pukul delapan lewat lima belas (menit) or pukul delapan lewat seperempat
8:30: pukul delapan lewat tiga puluh (menit) or commonly setengah sembilan (“half to nine”)
8:50: pukul sembilan kurang sepuluh (menit)

Can I add akan to show the future?

Yes, optionally: Kereta akan lewat pukul delapan. In schedules, Indonesians often omit akan because the future meaning is clear from context.