Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Lajur khusus di gerbang tol telah dibuka untuk kendaraan listrik. - A special lane at the toll gate has been opened for electric vehicles.

Both mean “already/has” and mark completed action. Telah is more formal and common in news or announcements; sudah is neutral and very common in everyday speech. In this sentence, telah dibuka ≈ sudah dibuka (“has been opened”). Colloquial speech may use udah. Note: for “not yet,” use belum, not tidak.

Why is the passive dibuka used instead of an active verb?

Indonesian often uses passive voice to foreground the thing affected. The focus is on the lane, not who opened it. An active equivalent would be: Petugas/Pengelola telah membuka lajur khusus… (“The staff/operator has opened a special lane…”). You can also add an agent to the passive: …telah dibuka oleh pengelola.

What’s the difference between dibuka, terbuka, and buka?

dibuka: passive verb “to be opened (by someone).” Emphasizes the action.
terbuka: intransitive/state “open.” Emphasizes the resulting state (no actor).
buka: base verb “open” (informal), or adjective-like “open” in some set phrases.
Here, an official action is implied, so dibuka is natural. Lajur sudah terbuka would sound like “the lane is open (unblocked).”

Is di here a preposition or part of the verb? I see both di gerbang and dibuka.

Both exist with different functions:

di (separate word) = preposition “at/in/on,” as in di gerbang tol.
di- (prefix) forms passive verbs, as in di-buka = “be opened.”
Preposition di is written separately; passive prefix di- attaches to the verb.

Can I use jalur instead of lajur?

Often yes in casual speech, but there’s a nuance:

lajur: lane (marked lane on a roadway); more precise for road lanes.
jalur: path/route/line (rail line, route), also used for lanes but broader.
Traffic signs and formal road contexts prefer lajur.

What’s the difference between gerbang tol and pintu tol?

gerbang tol: toll gate/plaza area with booths (general facility).
pintu tol: an entry/exit gate (on/off ramp).
Your sentence refers to the toll gate area in general, so gerbang tol fits.

Why does khusus come after the noun? Could I say khusus lajur?

Adjectives normally follow the noun in Indonesian. So lajur khusus = “special lane.”
khusus lajur is not standard as a noun phrase.
As an adverb, khususnya means “especially/in particular,” e.g., khususnya untuk kendaraan listrik.

Does kendaraan listrik mean only cars, or all EVs?

It’s broad: any electric vehicle (cars, buses, trucks, motorcycles, etc.).
If you mean only cars, use mobil listrik. For e-motorbikes: sepeda motor listrik.

How do I say “a special lane” versus “the special lane”? There’s no article here.

Indonesian has no articles. Definiteness comes from context or markers:

“a special lane”: optionally sebuah lajur khusus or satu lajur khusus (emphasizes one).
“the special lane”: lajur khusus itu (“that special lane”) or context alone.

How do I mark plural (e.g., “for electric vehicles” as clearly plural)?

Context usually covers it. If you must mark plural:

Reduplication: kendaraan-kendaraan listrik.
Quantifiers: banyak/semua kendaraan listrik.
Note: para is only for humans, not vehicles.

Could I use bagi or buat instead of untuk?

Yes, with register nuances:

untuk: neutral, very common for purpose/recipient.
bagi: a bit more formal, often “for (the benefit of).”
buat: colloquial for untuk.
Very formal alternative: guna.

Can I reorder parts of the sentence?

Yes, Indonesian word order is flexible as long as it stays clear:

Lajur khusus untuk kendaraan listrik di gerbang tol telah dibuka.
Di gerbang tol, lajur khusus untuk kendaraan listrik telah dibuka.
Telah dibuka lajur khusus di gerbang tol untuk kendaraan listrik. (more written/formal)
Keep related modifiers together to avoid ambiguity.

How do I say “has just been opened”?

Use baru:

Lajur khusus … baru dibuka.
… baru saja/baru-baru ini dibuka.
Colloquial: barusan dibuka.

How do I say “has not been opened yet”?

Use belum: Lajur khusus … belum dibuka.
Avoid tidak here; tidak dibuka means “is not opened (at all)” or “is not being opened,” not “not yet.”

Pronunciation tips for tricky words like khusus and gerbang?

khusus: the kh is often a fricative like German “Bach” ; many speakers also pronounce it closer to a plain “k,” which is widely understood.
gerbang: the e is a schwa (like the ‘a’ in “sofa”).
tol: like “toll” without the final L sound.
dibuka: u as in “put,” final -ka as “kah.”

Could I drop the location and just say the lane has been opened?

Yes: Lajur khusus telah dibuka untuk kendaraan listrik. If the location is understood from context, this is fine.

Is pada acceptable instead of di before a place?

You’ll hear pada in very formal writing, but di is the natural choice for physical locations. Prefer di gerbang tol.

Can I express the restriction without untuk, like on a sign?

Yes, attributive stacking is common: Lajur Khusus Kendaraan Listrik (= “Electric Vehicles Only Lane”).
In running text you can also say lajur khusus kendaraan listrik with the same meaning.

Where should telah go in the sentence?

Place it before the verb phrase: … gerbang tol telah dibuka …. In questions it stays before the verb: Apakah … telah dibuka …?