Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Sesi kedua berlangsung kira-kira dua puluh menit. - The second session lasts about twenty minutes.

Berlangsung is an intransitive verb meaning “to take place,” “to be in progress,” or “to last.” It’s commonly used with events like rapat (meeting), acara (event), kelas (class), or sesi (session). It emphasizes the ongoing nature or duration of an event and does not take a direct object.

How do we know the tense—does it mean “lasted,” “lasts,” or “will last”?

Indonesian doesn’t mark tense morphologically; context decides. You can add time markers:

Past: sudah/telah — Sesi kedua telah berlangsung kira-kira dua puluh menit.
Ongoing: sedang — Sesi kedua sedang berlangsung.
Future: akan — Sesi kedua akan berlangsung kira-kira dua puluh menit.

Do I need the word “selama” before the duration?

Not required with berlangsung; the duration is clear without it. Both are natural:

Sesi kedua berlangsung kira-kira dua puluh menit.
Sesi kedua berlangsung selama kira-kira dua puluh menit. (a bit more explicit/formal)

Where does “kira-kira” go, and what are alternatives?

Place kira-kira before the number: kira-kira dua puluh menit. Alternatives:

sekitar dua puluh menit (very common)
kurang lebih dua puluh menit (slightly more formal)
The symbol ± 20 menit in writing.
Avoid putting it after the number (e.g., “dua puluh menit kira-kira” sounds odd).

Is “kira-kira” supposed to have a hyphen?

Yes. Kira-kira is a reduplication and is standardly written with a hyphen. You may see it without a hyphen informally, but the recommended spelling is kira-kira.

Why is it “kedua” and not “dua”? What’s the difference?

Dua = the cardinal number “two” (quantity): dua sesi = “two sessions.”
Kedua = the ordinal “second”: sesi kedua = “the second session.”
You can also write sesi ke-2 (with digits) or sesi yang kedua (more explicit). Note that kedua can also mean “both” in other contexts (see below).

How do I ask “How long did the second session last?” in Indonesian?

Berapa lama sesi kedua berlangsung?
Sesi kedua berlangsung berapa lama? (more conversational)

Is “menit” pluralized? Do I add an -s?

No. Indonesian generally doesn’t mark plural. Menit works for both “minute” and “minutes.” For an approximation you can say dua puluh menitan (“around twenty minutes,” casual), or 20-an menit (“twenty-something minutes”).

Any pronunciation tips for the sentence?

r is tapped: be[r]langsung.
ng is the velar nasal
u is like “oo” in “food”: puluh.
e in menit is a schwa [ə] (“uh”).
Final t in menit is typically unreleased.

Can I replace “berlangsung” with other verbs like “terjadi,” “diadakan,” or “memakan waktu”?

Terjadi = “happen/occur” (neutral event occurrence): better for incidents, not planned sessions.
Diadakan/dilaksanakan = “be held/carried out” (focus on being organized): Sesi kedua diadakan selama…
Memakan waktu = “take/consume time”: Sesi kedua memakan waktu sekitar dua puluh menit.
Berlangsung is the most neutral for “lasts/takes place” with a duration.

Can I move the time phrase to another position?

Default and most natural is after the verb: berlangsung kira-kira dua puluh menit. You can front it for emphasis or style: Kira-kira dua puluh menit, sesi kedua berlangsung, but that’s less common in everyday speech.

How do I form other numbers with “menit,” like 21 or 15?

21 minutes: dua puluh satu menit
15 minutes: lima belas menit
30 minutes: tiga puluh menit or setengah jam (“half an hour”)

Does “kedua” ever mean “both”?

Yes. Keduanya = “both of them.” Kedua orang tua saya = “both my parents.” In your sentence, kedua is clearly the ordinal “second” because it modifies sesi in a sequence.

Is “sesi” the only word I can use for “session”?

Sesi is common and neutral. Depending on context you might see:

pertemuan (meeting/class session)
babak (round, e.g., in sports)
sesi pelatihan (training session)
But for general events, sesi is perfectly natural.

What are some concise or casual variants of the sentence?

Sesi kedua sekitar 20 menit.
Lamanya sekitar dua puluh menit.
Sesi kedua memakan waktu sekitar 20 menit.
Sesi kedua dua puluh menitan. (casual)