Saya melihat sekilas poster di papan pengumuman.

I catch a glimpse of a poster on the bulletin board.

Breakdown of Saya melihat sekilas poster di papan pengumuman.

• sebuah: a
• saya: I
• di: on
• poster: the poster
• papan pengumuman: the bulletin board
• melihat sekilas: to catch a glimpse

Questions & Answers about Saya melihat sekilas poster di papan pengumuman.

What does the word sekilas add here?

Sekilas means “briefly,” “at a glance,” or “in passing.” It describes the manner of seeing—i.e., you didn’t look carefully or for long, you just caught a quick glimpse.

Where can I place sekilas in this sentence?

It’s flexible:

• Most neutral: Saya melihat sekilas poster di papan pengumuman.
• Also natural: Saya sekilas melihat poster di papan pengumuman.
• Acceptable: Saya melihat poster sekilas di papan pengumuman.
• For emphasis/topic: Sekilas, saya melihat poster di papan pengumuman. Tip: Don’t separate melihat and sekilas too far unless you have a reason (focus/contrast).

Is melihat sekilas a fixed expression like “to glance”?

It’s a common collocation. Alternatives and nuances:

• melirik = to glance (often sideways, a bit surreptitious)
• sepintas (synonym of sekilas, slightly more formal/literary)
• sekilas pandang = at a quick glance
• mengintip = to peek (secretive) Choose based on the nuance you want.

Do I need a preposition like “at” after “glance,” e.g., “glance at the poster”?

No. Indonesian uses a direct object: melihat (sekilas) poster. With melirik, you can use a direct object or a directional phrase: melirik poster or melirik ke arah poster.

How do I show this happened in the past?

Indonesian doesn’t mark tense on the verb. Add a time word:

• Tadi saya melihat sekilas poster… (earlier today)
• Barusan saya melihat sekilas poster… (just now)
• Kemarin saya melihat sekilas poster… (yesterday)

Can I drop the subject Saya?

Yes, in casual notes or when context is clear: (Tadi) melihat sekilas poster… But in neutral/standard sentences, keeping Saya is clearer.

What’s the difference between saya and aku?

• saya: polite/neutral, safe in most situations (work, with strangers).
• aku: informal/intimate (friends, family). Regional/informal variants exist (e.g., gue in Jakarta), but stick to saya/aku until you know the context.

Do I need an article like “a/an” before poster?

No articles in Indonesian. If you want to emphasize “one poster,” you can say:

• sebuah poster (a poster, one unit)
• satu poster (specifically “one” poster, numeric) You might also hear selembar poster (a sheet/poster), though selembar is more common with paper in general.

How do I say “this poster” or “that poster”?

Use demonstratives after the noun:

• poster ini = this poster
• poster itu = that poster You can also mark definiteness with -nya: posternya (the poster already known in context).

Does di here mean “on” or “at,” and how is it different from di- (passive)?

• di (separate word) is a preposition meaning “at/in/on,” e.g., di papan pengumuman.
• di- (attached to a verb) is the passive prefix, e.g., dilihat (be seen). Don’t confuse the two: spacing matters in writing.

What exactly is papan pengumuman?

Literally “announcement board,” i.e., a bulletin/notice board. Near-synonyms:

• papan buletin, papan informasi
• In schools, majalah dinding (often shortened to mading)

Is poster the right word, or should I use something else?

Poster is correct for a printed poster. Related items:

• spanduk = banner (long, hanging)
• pamflet/selebaran = leaflet/handout
• brosur = brochure (multi-fold) Use the term that fits the physical format.

Can I move the location phrase to the front?

Yes, to set the scene or contrast:

• Di papan pengumuman, saya melihat sekilas poster. This is a common way to topicalize place/time in Indonesian.

How would I make this passive or emphasize the poster?

Several options:

• Object-fronting (very natural): Poster di papan pengumuman sekilas saya lihat.
• Passive with di-: Poster di papan pengumuman dilihat sekilas (oleh saya). (more formal/heavy)
• Stative “was visible”: Poster di papan pengumuman terlihat sekilas. (focus on the poster’s being briefly visible)

Difference between sekilas, sejenak, and sebentar?

• sekilas: manner of seeing—only a quick glance.
• sejenak/sebentar: a short duration (“for a moment”), not specifically about seeing. You can combine for emphasis: Saya hanya melihat sekilas saja.

How do melihat, memandang, menatap, and menonton differ?

• melihat: to see/look (neutral/generic)
• memandang: to gaze/look at (more deliberate, often longer)
• menatap: to stare/fix one’s eyes on
• menonton: to watch (performances, TV, videos)

Is it normal to see lihat/liat/ngeliat in speech?

Yes. Colloquially:

• lihat often becomes liat in speech.
• With the meN- prefix, melihat can surface as ngeliat in casual Jakarta-style Indonesian. Use the full forms (melihat) in writing and formal speech.

How can I say “I only/just glanced at it”?

Add a limiter:

• Saya cuma/hanya melihat sekilas (saja) poster di papan pengumuman. This stresses that the look was minimal.