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Siaran langsung dimulai pukul delapan.

Siaran langsung dimulai pukul delapan.
The live broadcast starts at eight o'clock.

Breakdown of Siaran langsung dimulai pukul delapan.

dimulai
to start
pukul
at
delapan
eight
siaran
the broadcast
langsung
live
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Questions & Answers about Siaran langsung dimulai pukul delapan.

What does each word in the sentence do?
  • siaran = broadcast (noun)
  • langsung = live/direct (adjective modifying siaran)
  • dimulai = is/gets started (passive verb from mulai)
  • pukul = at (o’clock; time marker)
  • delapan = eight So, the structure is: [topic noun phrase] + [passive verb] + [time phrase].
Why use dimulai instead of mulai or memulai?
  • mulai = start (intransitive) or “starting from”: Siaran langsung mulai pukul delapan.
  • memulai = to start something (transitive): Kami memulai siaran langsung pukul delapan.
  • dimulai = is/gets started (passive), common in announcements: Siaran langsung dimulai pukul delapan. Passive is natural when you focus on the event itself rather than who starts it.
Can I just say Siaran langsung mulai pukul delapan? Any nuance difference?
Yes, it’s fine and common. Dimulai sounds a bit more formal/announcement-like and can imply an organizer starting it; mulai is a straightforward statement of the start time. Both are natural.
Do I need pada before pukul?

It’s optional:

  • More formal: … dimulai pada pukul delapan.
  • Very common and natural: … dimulai pukul delapan. Don’t use di for time; di is for locations.
What’s the difference between pukul and jam?
  • Both can introduce clock time: pukul delapan / jam delapan = 8 o’clock.
  • pukul is a bit more formal or announcement-like; jam is everyday.
  • jam also means “hour” (duration): tiga jam = three hours.
How do I specify a.m. vs p.m.?

Add a time-of-day word:

  • pukul delapan pagi = 8 a.m.
  • pukul delapan malam = 8 p.m. Other options: siang (late morning–early afternoon), sore (late afternoon–early evening).
How do I say “exactly at eight” or “around eight”?
  • Exactly: tepat pukul delapan / (informal) pas jam delapan
  • Around: sekitar pukul delapan / kira-kira jam delapan
How do I say 8:05, 8:15, 8:30, and 7:55?
  • 8:05: pukul delapan lewat lima (08.05)
  • 8:15: pukul delapan lewat lima belas; also heard: lewat seperempat (less common)
  • 8:30: pukul delapan tiga puluh or very common: setengah sembilan (literally “half to nine” = 8:30)
  • 7:55: pukul delapan kurang lima (or 07.55 / tujuh lima puluh lima)
Can I put the time first?
Yes: Pukul delapan, siaran langsung dimulai. This is common for emphasis or style.
How do I ask “What time does the live broadcast start?”
  • Pukul berapa siaran langsung dimulai?
  • Siaran langsung mulai jam berapa?
How do I mark future or past? Indonesian doesn’t show tense, right?

Right—no tense inflections. Use time words/particles:

  • Future: Siaran langsung akan dimulai pukul delapan, or add a future time (e.g., besok, nanti malam).
  • Past: Siaran langsung sudah dimulai pukul delapan, or add a past time (e.g., tadi malam, kemarin).
Do I need a word for “the” (definiteness)?

No articles in Indonesian. To make it definite:

  • itu (that/the): Siaran langsung itu dimulai pukul delapan.
  • -nya (contextually “its/the”): Siaran langsungnya dimulai pukul delapan.
  • ini (this): Siaran langsung ini…
Is siaran langsung always two words? Any synonyms?

Yes, two words. Synonyms/near-synonyms:

  • tayangan langsung (live telecast; TV-ish)
  • siaran live (colloquial mix)
  • live streaming / siaran langsung (for online streams)
Can I say bermulai?
No. Correct options are mulai, memulai, dimulai. Bermula exists but is rare/old-fashioned in Indonesian (more common in Malay).
How do I negate the sentence?
  • General: Siaran langsung tidak dimulai pukul delapan.
  • Contrast/correction: Bukan pukul delapan, tetapi pukul sembilan.
How do I include the time zone?

Add it after the time:

  • pukul delapan WIB (Western Indonesia Time, UTC+7)
  • WITA (UTC+8), WIT (UTC+9)
Does pukul here relate to the verb “to hit” (memukul)?
It’s the same root historically, but in the fixed time expression pukul + number, it simply means “o’clock.” Context prevents confusion.
Any pronunciation tips?
  • siaran: see-AH-rahn
  • langsung: LAHNG-soong (ng as in “sing”)
  • dimulai: dee-moo-LAI (AI like “eye”)
  • pukul: POO-kool (unaspirated k)
  • delapan: duh-LAH-pahn
Could I use acara instead of siaran?

Yes, with a nuance change:

  • Acara dimulai pukul delapan. = The event/program starts at eight (not necessarily broadcast).
  • Siaran (langsung) dimulai… = The broadcast (live) starts…
Are there writing conventions for times?
Both 08.00 (dot) and 08:00 (colon) are seen; the dot is traditional in Indonesian. You can also write pukul 8.00 or pukul delapan. Leading zeroes (e.g., 08.00) are common in schedules.
What common mistakes should I avoid with this pattern?
  • Don’t say bermulai or dimulaikan (wrong). Use mulai/memulai/dimulai.
  • Don’t use di for time: not di pukul delapan, but (pada) pukul delapan.
  • Remember setengah sembilan means 8:30, not 9:30.