Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kami makan malam setelah kerja.

Past: Kemarin setelah kerja, kami makan malam.
Present (right now): Kami sedang makan malam sekarang, setelah kerja.
Future: Nanti setelah kerja, kami akan makan malam. It can also be generic/habitual: Biasanya kami makan malam setelah kerja.

What’s the difference between kami and kita?

Both mean “we,” but:

kami = we (not including you, the listener)
kita = we (including you) If you’re inviting the person you’re speaking to, use kita makan malam setelah kerja.

Is makan malam one word or two, and is it a verb or a noun?

Two words. It can function as:

A verb phrase “to have/eat dinner”: Kami makan malam.
A noun “dinner”: Dia menyiapkan makan malam. Don’t say bermakan malam or memakan malam for “have dinner.”

Should it be setelah kerja or setelah bekerja?

Both are correct.

setelah kerja = after work (work-time/session; common and neutral)
setelah bekerja = after working (more explicitly verbal; a bit more formal) Meaning is essentially the same here.

Are setelah and sesudah the same?

Yes, they’re interchangeable. Other options:

Informal: habis/sehabis kerja
Formal/literary: usai/seusai bekerja
Less common in Indonesian, common in Malay: selepas kerja

Can I move the time phrase to the front?

Yes. Setelah kerja, kami makan malam. When fronted, use a comma.

Can I omit the subject kami?

You can drop it if context is clear or in notes/schedules: Makan malam setelah kerja. In normal conversation, keep kami (or kita) to avoid ambiguity.

How do I negate this?

Use tidak to negate the verb phrase:

Kami tidak makan malam setelah kerja. Use bukan to contrast or negate a noun focus:
Bukan makan malam setelah kerja, tapi makan siang.

How do I show it’s habitual vs one-time?

Add adverbs:

Habitual: Biasanya/Sering/Kadang-kadang kami makan malam setelah kerja.
One-time past: Kemarin/Tadi kami makan malam setelah kerja.
Planned future: Besok/Nanti kami akan makan malam setelah kerja.

What’s the nuance of kerja, bekerja, and pekerjaan?

kerja = work (noun) and also colloquial verb “to work”
bekerja = “to work” (formal/neutral verb)
pekerjaan = a job/task/occupation (a thing) So you’d say setelah kerja/bekerja, not setelah pekerjaan (unless: setelah pekerjaannya selesai).

How do I say “after we get off work” or “after leaving the office”?

Use pulang (“to go/come home”):

Sepulang kerja, kami makan malam.
Sepulang dari kantor, kami makan malam. Colloquial: Pulang kerja, kami makan malam.

Do I need a preposition like di before kerja (e.g., “after at work”)?

No. Say setelah kerja. If you want a place, mention it: setelah dari kantor or setelah di kantor seharian (after being at the office all day).

How do I make it clearly future-planned?

Add akan and/or a future time:

Kami akan makan malam nanti setelah kerja.
Besok setelah kerja, kami akan makan malam.

How would I turn it into a yes/no question?

Use apakah, intonation, or a tag:

Apakah kita makan malam setelah kerja?
Kita makan malam setelah kerja? (rising intonation)
Kita makan malam setelah kerja, ya/kan?

Is makan malam always “dinner” even if it’s early evening?

Yes. makan malam means dinner (evening meal). Time-of-day words:

pagi (morning), siang (midday/afternoon), sore (late afternoon), malam (night). Dinner is still makan malam, not “makan sore.”

Any register differences for the whole sentence?

Neutral: Kami makan malam setelah kerja. More formal: Kami akan bersantap malam usai bekerja. More casual: Kita makan malam abis kerja, ya? (note colloquial abis for habis)

Do I need articles or plural markers with “dinner”?

No. Indonesian has no articles. makan malam is indefinite by default. To specify, use demonstratives:

makan malam itu (that dinner), makan malam ini (this dinner).