Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya turun dari angkot di halte utama. - I get off the minibus at the main bus stop.

Turun literally means to go down/descend, and in transportation contexts it means to get off/out of a vehicle.
It’s also used in other contexts: turun hujan (it rains), harga turun (prices go down), turun tangga (go down the stairs). Here, it’s “get off.”

Why is it turun dari angkot, not turun angkot or turun di angkot?

You normally say turun dari + vehicle to mark the source you’re getting off from.
Turun angkot is casual speech you might hear, but turun dari angkot is the clear, standard form.
Turun di angkot would mean “get down in the angkot,” which doesn’t fit the intended meaning.

Why is it di halte and not ke halte?

Di = at/in (location). You use di to say where the action happens: turun di halte (get off at the stop).
Ke = to/toward (destination). You’d use ke for movement toward a place: pergi ke halte (go to the stop).
Note: turun ke is used for physically descending to a lower level: turun ke lantai satu (go down to the first floor), not for getting off a vehicle at a stop.

Is halte utama natural? When would I use terminal instead?

Halte is a bus stop/shelter along a route. Halte utama can mean the main/central stop on a route or in an area; it’s fine if that’s what you mean.
Terminal is a larger hub/depot where routes begin/end and many vehicles gather.
For angkot, you may also hear pangkalan angkot (angkot base/stand).

What exactly is an angkot? Is it formal?

Angkot is short for angkutan kota (city/public minivan). It’s a common, informal word.
More formal/neutral: angkutan kota or angkutan umum (public transport).
Regional terms vary: e.g., mikrolet (Jakarta/Depok), bemo, pete-pete (Makassar). Angkot is widely understood.

Could I say angkutan kota instead of angkot here?

Yes. Saya turun dari angkutan kota di halte utama is more formal/neutral. The meaning is the same.

Do I need an article like “the/a”? How do I say “the angkot” or “that main stop”?

Indonesian has no articles. Angkot and halte can be definite or indefinite by context.
To mark definiteness, add itu or -nya:
- angkot itu / angkotnya = that/the angkot
- halte utama itu / haltenya = that/the main stop

Can I rearrange the sentence? For example, start with the place?

Yes. Word order is flexible for emphasis:

Di halte utama, saya turun dari angkot. (At the main stop, I got off the angkot.)
Keep dari + vehicle and di + place; avoid turun di angkot.
Saying Saya turun di halte utama (dari angkot) is possible but sounds less tidy; Indonesians prefer turun dari X di Y.

Can I drop Saya?

Yes. Indonesian often omits the subject if it’s clear:

How do I show past or future time, since there’s no tense?

Add time words/particles:

Past/recent: tadi, barusan, kemarin, sudah (already)
- Saya tadi turun dari angkot di halte utama.
- Saya sudah turun di halte utama.
Future: nanti, besok, akan
- Saya akan turun dari angkot di halte utama.

How do I negate this?

Use tidak to negate the verb:

Saya tidak turun dari angkot di halte utama. If you’re contrasting locations:
Saya tidak turun di halte utama; saya turun di halte berikutnya.

What’s the difference between turun dari and keluar dari with vehicles?

Turun dari = get off/down from a vehicle (most common for all public transport; also for bikes/motorbikes).
Keluar dari = get out of (emphasizes exiting an enclosed space), e.g., keluar dari mobil (get out of a car). Both can be used with cars; turun dari mobil is also common.

What about menurunkan and diturunkan?

Menurunkan = to drop off/lower something/someone. The driver menurunkan penumpang (drops off a passenger).
Diturunkan = be dropped off.
Don’t say Saya menurunkan dari angkot if you mean “I got off.” Say Saya turun dari angkot or Saya diturunkan di halte utama (I was dropped off at the main stop).

Is pada okay instead of di? And what about daripada?

Use di for locations: di halte utama. Pada is more formal and used with pronouns, times, or abstract objects; not needed here.
Dari means from. Daripada is for comparisons: lebih baik X daripada Y. Don’t use daripada here.

Should halte or utama be capitalized?

No, not unless it’s part of an official proper name. If the stop’s official name were Halte Utama, capitalize both. Otherwise, halte utama is lowercase.

How do you pronounce the words?

Saya: SAH-yah (y as in yes)
turun: TOO-roon (u like oo in food; r is tapped)
angkot: AHNG-kot (ng as in sing; g hard; o like awe)
halte: HAL-teh (short a as in father; final e like schwa/eh)
utama: oo-TAH-mah (u like oo in food; stress usually on the second syllable)

Can I leave out the place or the vehicle and still be correct?

Yes:

Without the place: Saya turun dari angkot.
Without the vehicle: Saya turun di halte utama. Include whichever detail matters for context.