Log inSign up

Setelah hujan reda, kami mengucapkan terima kasih kepada polisi yang membantu mengatur lalu lintas di depan sekolah.

Setelah hujan reda, kami mengucapkan terima kasih kepada polisi yang membantu mengatur lalu lintas di depan sekolah.
After the rain lets up, we thank the police officer who helps direct traffic in front of the school.
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Indonesian grammar and vocabulary.

Start learning Indonesian now

Questions & Answers about Setelah hujan reda, kami mengucapkan terima kasih kepada polisi yang membantu mengatur lalu lintas di depan sekolah.

Why does Indonesian start with Setelah hujan reda? Is that a “time clause”?

Yes. Setelah means after, and setelah + clause is a common way to set the time/background first.

  • Setelah hujan reda, ... = “After the rain let up, …”
    This fronting is optional; you could also say Kami mengucapkan terima kasih ... setelah hujan reda with the same meaning, just a different emphasis.
What does reda mean, and why use it instead of berhenti?

Reda means to subside / to let up / to die down—often used for rain, wind, noise, anger, etc. It suggests the intensity decreases.
Berhenti means to stop (more absolute).
So hujan reda = the rain eased up (maybe still drizzling or just calmer), while hujan berhenti = the rain stopped.

Is hujan a verb or a noun here? Why is there no itu or sebuah?

Here hujan functions as a noun: “rain.” Indonesian often uses bare nouns without articles like “the/a.”

  • hujan reda is a very common pattern: noun + adjective/verb-like word to describe a state (“rain + subsided”).
Why is there no past tense marker (like “was” or “did”) in this sentence?

Indonesian doesn’t mark tense the way English does. Time is usually shown by context words like setelah (after), kemarin (yesterday), tadi (earlier), etc.
So Setelah ... already makes the whole situation feel past (or at least “earlier than the main event”) without changing verb forms.

What is going on with the verb form mengucapkan? What is the root?

Root: ucap = “to say/utter.”
With the active verb prefix meN-, it becomes mengucap / mengucapkan.

  • mengucap = to say/utter (often intransitive or less “object-focused”)
  • mengucapkan = to say/express something (more clearly transitive; the -kan often highlights an object)
    In this sentence, the “something” is terima kasih.
How does mengucapkan terima kasih differ from berterima kasih?

Both relate to thanking, but they’re used differently:

  • mengucapkan terima kasih (kepada X) = “to say thank you (to X)” (focus on the act of saying it)
  • berterima kasih (kepada X / atas Y) = “to be grateful / to thank” (can sound a bit more “state/attitude”) Example alternatives:
  • Kami mengucapkan terima kasih kepada polisi... (said thank you)
  • Kami berterima kasih kepada polisi... (we thanked / we are grateful to)
Why is kepada used after terima kasih? Could it be untuk?

kepada is the standard preposition for the recipient of thanks, apologies, etc.:

  • terima kasih kepada polisi = thanks to the police (recipient)

untuk usually means for (purpose/benefit) and can sound off here if you mean the recipient.
You can sometimes hear terima kasih untuk ... in casual speech, but kepada is safer and more standard for “to (a person/organization).”

What does yang do in polisi yang membantu...?

yang introduces a relative clause (like “who/that/which” in English).

  • polisi yang membantu ... = “the police officer(s) who helped …”
    It connects polisi with the description membantu mengatur lalu lintas di depan sekolah.
Why doesn’t Indonesian say who or that explicitly? Is yang always required?

yang is the main tool Indonesian uses for “who/that/which.” It’s very common and often required for clarity when you attach a full clause to a noun.
Without yang, polisi membantu... would normally be read as a new clause (“the police help...”) rather than “the police who helped...”.

How should I understand membantu mengatur—two verbs in a row?

It’s a common “verb chain” meaning help (to) do something:

  • membantu = to help
  • mengatur = to arrange/manage/direct
    So membantu mengatur lalu lintas = “help (to) direct traffic.”
    Indonesian usually doesn’t need a word like “to” between the verbs.
What exactly is lalu lintas? Is it one word or two?

lalu lintas is a fixed phrase (two words) meaning traffic (road traffic).
You’ll often see it in common combinations like:

  • mengatur lalu lintas = direct traffic
  • macet lalu lintas / kemacetan lalu lintas = traffic jam / congestion
  • rambu lalu lintas = traffic signs
Why is it di depan sekolah and not ke depan or di hadapan?
  • di depan sekolah = in front of the school (location; di = “at/in/on” as a place marker)
  • ke depan = to the front / forward (movement; ke = “to”)
  • di hadapan is also “in front of,” but it often sounds more formal or more like “in the presence of.” For physical location outside a building, di depan is the most natural.
Is polisi singular or plural here? Why no plural marker?

polisi can be interpreted as a police officer or the police (plural/collective) depending on context. Indonesian often leaves number unmarked unless it matters.
If you want to be explicit:

  • Singular: seorang polisi
  • Plural: para polisi or polisi-polisi (often para is more natural for people in roles)
Could this sentence be made more formal or more casual?

Yes. Some common variations:

  • More formal: Setelah hujan reda, kami menyampaikan terima kasih kepada petugas kepolisian yang membantu mengatur lalu lintas di depan sekolah.
    (menyampaikan = to convey; petugas kepolisian = police personnel)
  • More casual: Habis hujan reda, kami bilang terima kasih ke polisi yang bantu ngatur lalu lintas depan sekolah.
    (habis/ke/bantu/ngatur are informal/casual forms)