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Ayah berkata, “Yang penting kalian pulang tepat waktu,” lalu menutup telepon.

Ayah berkata, “Yang penting kalian pulang tepat waktu,” lalu menutup telepon.
Father said, “What matters is that you come home on time,” then hung up the phone.
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Questions & Answers about Ayah berkata, “Yang penting kalian pulang tepat waktu,” lalu menutup telepon.

What does Ayah mean here, and why is it capitalized?

Ayah literally means father, but in this sentence it works more like Dad as a way to refer to one’s own father.

In Indonesian:

  • ayah (lowercase) = the common noun father
  • Ayah (capitalized) = can function as a name / title, like saying Dad

So Ayah berkata = Dad said. It is capitalized because it is being used as a form of address/title, not just as a generic noun.

What is the difference between berkata, mengatakan, and bilang? Why use berkata here?

All three relate to saying something, but they differ in usage and formality:

  • berkata

    • More formal or neutral
    • Common in writing and narration
    • Often followed directly by what is said:
      • Ayah berkata, “…”

  • mengatakan

    • Also formal, often used with an object or bahwa (that)
      • Ayah mengatakan bahwa kalian harus pulang tepat waktu.
        = Dad said that you all must go home on time.

  • bilang

    • Informal / colloquial, very common in speech
    • Often used in conversation:
      • Ayah bilang kalian harus pulang tepat waktu.

The sentence you gave is narrative-style, so berkata fits well, sounding slightly more formal or written.

What does yang penting mean, and why is yang used here if there is no relative clause?

yang penting is a very common fixed expression that means:

  • the important thing is…
  • what matters is…

Literally:

  • yang = that/which (a relative marker)
  • penting = important

When combined as yang penting, it behaves like:

  • what is important is…

So in Yang penting kalian pulang tepat waktu, the structure is:

  • Yang penting = The important thing is / What matters is
  • kalian pulang tepat waktu = that you all go home on time

Indonesian often uses yang + adjective to create a kind of abstract “the X thing”:

  • yang benar = the correct one / what is correct
  • yang utama = the main thing / what is primary
Why is there no adalah in Yang penting kalian pulang tepat waktu?

In Indonesian, the linking verb to be (like English is/are) is often optional, especially in informal or neutral sentences.

A fuller form might be:

  • Yang penting (adalah) kalian pulang tepat waktu.

But adalah is frequently dropped, especially in spoken language or where the meaning is clear.

So:

  • Yang penting kalian pulang tepat waktu ≈ The important thing is that you all go home on time.
    without needing an explicit is.
What exactly does kalian mean, and how is it different from kamu and Anda?

kalian = you (plural), addressing more than one person.

Comparison:

  • kamu = you (singular, informal)
  • kalian = you (plural, informal/neutral)
  • Anda = you (singular or plural, polite/formal)

In the sentence, kalian pulang tepat waktu means you all go home on time. Dad is talking to more than one person (maybe his children). Using kalian sounds family-level informal/neutral, which fits a parent talking to their kids.

What does pulang mean exactly, and how is it different from pergi and datang?
  • pulang = to go back / to return (home or to one’s starting place)
  • pergi = to go (away from here to somewhere)
  • datang = to come (toward the speaker’s place)

So:

  • pulang focuses on returning home or back:
    • Saya pulang. = I’m going home / I’m heading back.
  • pergi is just going somewhere:
    • Saya pergi ke sekolah. = I’m going to school.
  • datang is movement toward a place where the speaker (or reference point) is:
    • Dia datang ke rumah saya. = He/She comes to my house.

In kalian pulang tepat waktu, pulang implies go home or return, not just go.

What does tepat waktu mean, and can it be used generally for on time?

Yes. tepat waktu literally means:

  • tepat = exact, precise
  • waktu = time

Together: tepat waktu = on time / punctual.

It is widely used in many contexts:

  • Datanglah tepat waktu. = Come on time.
  • Kereta ini selalu tepat waktu. = This train is always on time.

So kalian pulang tepat waktu = you all go home on time.

In lalu menutup telepon, who is doing the action? Why is there no subject?

The subject is still Ayah from the first clause. Indonesian often omits the repeated subject if it is clear from context.

Structure:

  • Ayah berkata, “…” lalu menutup telepon.

Understood as:

  • Ayah berkata, “…” lalu (Ayah) menutup telepon.
    = Dad said, “…” and then (he) hung up the phone.

Once Ayah is established as the subject, it doesn’t need to be repeated. This is very natural in Indonesian.

What does lalu mean here, and how is it different from kemudian or just dan?

lalu generally means then / and then (showing sequence).

  • Ayah berkata … lalu menutup telepon.
    = Dad said … then hung up the phone.

Comparison:

  • lalu and kemudian both mean then / afterwards.
    • kemudian can sound a bit more formal or narrative, but they are often interchangeable.
  • dan means and, without the time/sequence sense by itself.

So:

  • Ayah berkata … dan menutup telepon.
    = Dad said … and closed the phone. (just coordination)
  • Ayah berkata … lalu/kemudian menutup telepon.
    = Dad said … then (after that) hung up. (clear sequence)
Why is telepon used instead of something like HP? Does menutup telepon mean to hang up?

telepon can mean:

  • telephone as a device
  • phone call in context

menutup telepon literally = to close the phone, but idiomatically:

  • to end the call / to hang up

In everyday speech, Indonesians might say:

  • Menutup telepon.
  • Menutup HP.
  • Menutup panggilan.

The sentence is neutral; it doesn’t specify mobile or landline. Contextually, menutup telepon is understood as hang up the phone.

Why are the quotation marks and comma placed like this: Ayah berkata, “Yang penting…,” lalu…?

Indonesian punctuation with direct speech is similar to English:

  • Comma before the quote after the reporting verb:

    • Ayah berkata, “Yang penting kalian pulang tepat waktu,” ...

  • The comma after waktu is inside the closing quotation marks because it belongs to the main sentence structure, not to a new sentence.

Breaking it down:

  • Ayah berkata, = reporting clause
  • “Yang penting kalian pulang tepat waktu,” = what he said
  • lalu menutup telepon. = what he did next

This punctuation pattern is standard in written Indonesian for direct speech.

Could you rewrite the sentence in a more indirect way, without direct speech?

Yes. For example:

  • Ayah berkata bahwa yang penting kalian pulang tepat waktu, lalu menutup telepon.
    = Dad said that the important thing is that you all go home on time, then hung up the phone.

This uses bahwa (that) to introduce an indirect statement instead of quoting his exact words.

Is Ayah berkata, “Yang penting kalian pulang tepat waktu” formal, informal, or neutral?

It is mostly neutral, with a slightly narrative/written feel because of berkata and full direct speech.

  • Ayah bilang, yang penting kalian pulang tepat waktu, lalu nutup telepon.
    would be more colloquial/spoken (note bilang, nutup).

The original sentence sounds suitable for stories, written dialogues, or a carefully reported conversation.