Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kelas yang mana yang dimulai pukul delapan?

First yang (in yang mana)
- Here, yang combines with mana (which) to form yang mana = which one / which.
- You can think of yang mana as a set phrase that often means “which (one)”.
Second yang (before dimulai pukul delapan)
- This yang introduces a relative clause: yang dimulai pukul delapan = that/which starts at eight o’clock.
- It’s like the English that in “the class that starts at eight”.

So the structure is roughly:

Kelas yang mana – which class
yang dimulai pukul delapan – that starts at eight o’clock

What exactly does yang mana mean, and how is it different from just mana?

Both are related to the English which, but they’re used slightly differently.

mana alone is a question word: mana? = which? / where? (depending on context)
yang mana is more like which one, focusing on choosing one/some item from a known set.

In noun phrases:

kelas mana – which class
kelas yang mana – also which class, but a bit more explicit, often sounding slightly more careful or emphatic.

In practice:

Kelas mana yang dimulai pukul delapan? – very common, natural
Kelas yang mana yang dimulai pukul delapan? – also correct; can feel slightly more deliberate/emphatic, like “Exactly which class is the one that starts at eight?”

When the noun is omitted (because context is clear), you’re more likely to see just:

Yang mana yang dimulai pukul delapan? – Which one starts at eight?

What is the role of the second yang before dimulai pukul delapan?

The second yang introduces a relative clause, describing the noun phrase kelas yang mana.

yang dimulai pukul delapan literally = that/which is started at eight o’clock

Functionally, it’s identical to English that/which in:

Which class *that/which starts at eight o’clock?*

So the full structure is:

Kelas yang mana – which class
yang dimulai pukul delapan – that starts at eight o’clock

In Indonesian, a clause that directly modifies a noun almost always needs yang in front of it.

Could we change the word order, like Kelas mana yang dimulai pukul delapan? Is that different?

Yes, you can say:

Kelas mana yang dimulai pukul delapan?

This is actually more common than Kelas yang mana yang dimulai pukul delapan?, and the meaning is the same: Which class starts at eight o’clock?

Comparing them:

Kelas mana yang dimulai pukul delapan?
– Very natural, everyday phrasing.
Kelas yang mana yang dimulai pukul delapan?
– Also correct; can sound a bit more emphatic or careful in picking out precisely which one.

Other word orders:

Kelas mana dimulai pukul delapan? – possible, but most speakers naturally insert the second yang, so it feels a bit less smooth.
Yang dimulai pukul delapan kelas yang mana? – possible in certain spoken contexts for emphasis, but less neutral; it sounds like “The one that starts at eight, which class is that?”

Why is it dimulai and not just mulai?

Both are possible, but they differ in form and nuance:

mulai – active verb “to start/begin”
- Kelas mulai pukul delapan. = The class starts at eight.
dimulai – passive form “to be started”
- Kelas dimulai pukul delapan. = The class is started at eight.

In many everyday contexts, mulai and dimulai can describe schedules and feel similar in meaning.

Nuance:

mulai is more straightforward and neutral in spoken Indonesian.
dimulai sounds a bit more formal and can suggest that there is an implicit organizer/teacher who “starts” the class, even if that agent is not mentioned.

So you could also ask:

Kelas yang mana yang mulai pukul delapan? – completely fine and a bit more colloquial.
Kelas yang mana yang dimulai pukul delapan? – slightly more formal-sounding.

What is the difference between pukul delapan and jam delapan?

Both essentially mean eight o’clock, but there are register and usage nuances:

pukul delapan
- Literally related to the “strike” of a clock.
- Common in more formal contexts: announcements, schedules, written notices.
- E.g. Rapat akan dimulai pukul delapan. – The meeting will begin at eight o’clock.
jam delapan
- Literally “hour eight / time eight”.
- Very common in everyday speech, neutral and widely used.
- E.g. Kelas mulai jam delapan. – Class starts at eight.

In casual spoken Indonesian, jam delapan is probably more frequent.
In the given sentence, pukul delapan just makes it sound slightly more formal or “bookish,” but it’s still perfectly natural.

Why is there no word like “at” before pukul delapan? Can we say pada pukul delapan?

Indonesian often doesn’t need a preposition like “at” before clock times.

dimulai pukul delapan = starts at eight o’clock
Literally just “is-started eight o’clock”, with no extra “at”.

You can add pada:

dimulai pada pukul delapan – also correct, and sounds more formal or written.

Typical patterns:

Everyday speech: Kelas mulai jam delapan.
More formal / written: Kelas dimulai pukul delapan. or Kelas dimulai pada pukul delapan.

So pada is optional here; it mainly raises the level of formality.

Why is it kelas yang mana, not kelas apa?

yang mana and apa ask different kinds of questions:

yang mana = which (one)
- Used when you are choosing from a known set of options.
- Kelas yang mana yang dimulai pukul delapan?
  → There are several known classes; you’re asking which specific one starts at eight.
apa = what
- Used for asking about identity or kind, not about choosing from a specific list.
- Kelas apa yang dimulai pukul delapan?
  → More like What (kind of) class starts at eight? (math class? English class? yoga class?)
  – You’re asking about the type, not which one among known choices.

So in a timetable context, where you already know there are several classes and you want to pick one of them, yang mana is the natural choice.