Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kami berlatih keterampilan berbicara setiap sore. - We practice speaking skills every afternoon.

kami = we (excluding the person being spoken to)
- Used when the listener is not part of the group.
kita = we (including the person being spoken to)
- Used when the listener is part of the group.

In Kami berlatih keterampilan berbicara setiap sore, the sentence implies:

“We practice speaking skills every afternoon (but you are not part of this group).”

If you want to include the listener (e.g. a teacher talking to a class, or a group member speaking to other members), you would say:

Kita berlatih keterampilan berbicara setiap sore.
→ We (you and I / all of us here) practice speaking skills every afternoon.

Both are grammatically correct; the choice depends on whether the listener is part of “we” or not.

How do we know the tense? Could this sentence mean “we practiced” or “we will practice”?

Indonesian verbs generally do not change form for tense (past, present, future). Tense is understood from context and from time expressions.

Kami berlatih keterampilan berbicara setiap sore.
- Literally: We practice speaking skills every afternoon.
- The phrase setiap sore (“every afternoon”) makes it sound like a habitual action (something done regularly).

Depending on context, it could be translated as:

We practice speaking skills every afternoon. (usual translation)
We used to practice speaking skills every afternoon.
We will be practicing speaking skills every afternoon.

But in Indonesian, the sentence itself stays the same; context clarifies the time.

What does the prefix ber- in berlatih do? Why not just latih?

The root is latih (“to train / to exercise”), and the verb berlatih means “to practice, to train (oneself)”:

ber- often makes an intransitive verb (no direct object) or indicates “having/doing” something.
berlatih = “to engage in practice / to practice (oneself).”

Compare:

berlatih
→ We are practicing (doing practice).
melatih
→ to train someone else.
Example: Dia melatih tim sepak bola. = He/She trains the football team.
latihan (noun)
→ practice, training (the activity or exercise).
Example: Kami punya latihan setiap sore. = We have practice every afternoon.

In Kami berlatih…, berlatih is correct because the subject (“we”) is practicing, not training someone else.

What exactly is keterampilan? How is it formed?

Keterampilan means “skill” or “skills” (number is understood from context).

It is formed with the circumfix ke- … -an from the adjective terampil (skilled):

terampil = skilled, proficient.
ke- + terampil + -an → keterampilan = skill / proficiency / ability.

The pattern ke- … -an often turns adjectives or other bases into abstract nouns:

penting (important) → kepentingan (interest, concern)
indah (beautiful) → keindahan (beauty)

So keterampilan berbicara literally feels like “the skill of speaking”.

Is keterampilan berbicara just one phrase, like “speaking skills”?

Yes. Keterampilan berbicara is a noun phrase:

keterampilan = skill(s)
berbicara = to speak / speaking

Word-for-word it’s “skill(s) speaking,” but in English we would say:

“speaking skills” or
“the skill of speaking.”

In Indonesian, it’s common to put the main noun first and the “explanation” after it:

keterampilan berbicara = speaking skills
keterampilan menulis = writing skills
keterampilan membaca = reading skills

Could I say Kami berlatih berbicara setiap sore instead? What’s the difference?

Yes, Kami berlatih berbicara setiap sore is grammatically correct.

Differences in nuance:

Kami berlatih keterampilan berbicara setiap sore.
→ Emphasizes the skill: “We practice our speaking skills every afternoon.”
Kami berlatih berbicara setiap sore.
→ More literally: “We practice speaking every afternoon.”
The idea of “skills” is still understood, but less explicit.

Both are fine; the original sentence sounds a bit more formal/academic, like in a school or training context.

What is the difference between berbicara and bicara?

Both are commonly used and often interchangeable in everyday speech:

berbicara = to speak, to talk (slightly more formal/complete form).
bicara = to speak, to talk (shorter, more casual, often used in conversation).

Examples:

Dia berbicara dengan guru.
Dia bicara dengan guru.

Both mean: “He/She is talking with the teacher.”

In your sentence, keterampilan berbicara is the more standard form, especially in a formal or educational context. Saying keterampilan bicara is understandable but sounds more casual or less standard.

What time of day does sore refer to exactly?

Sore is roughly late afternoon to early evening.

Common divisions of the day in Indonesian:

pagi = morning (around 5–10 a.m.)
siang = midday/early afternoon (around 11 a.m.–2 p.m.)
sore = late afternoon to early evening (around 3–6 p.m.)
malam = night/evening (after sunset)

So setiap sore is like “every afternoon” or “every late afternoon / early evening.” The exact hours are flexible and depend on context.

Can I move setiap sore to another position in the sentence?

Yes. Setiap sore (every afternoon) is a time expression and can move quite freely. All of these are acceptable:

Kami berlatih keterampilan berbicara setiap sore.
Setiap sore kami berlatih keterampilan berbicara.
Kami setiap sore berlatih keterampilan berbicara.

They all mean the same thing. The most common are:

At the end: … setiap sore.
At the beginning: Setiap sore, kami … (often with a comma in writing).

Why isn’t there a word for “the” or “a” in this sentence?

Indonesian does not use articles like English “a/an” or “the”. Nouns usually appear without articles, and definiteness (specific vs general) is understood from context.

keterampilan berbicara
can mean:
- “speaking skill”
- “speaking skills”
- “the speaking skill”
- “the speaking skills”

We choose the most natural English translation based on context. In this sentence, “speaking skills” is the most natural.