Breakdown of Kita duduk di sini sehingga guru sampai.
kita
we
sini
here
duduk
to sit
di
at
guru
the teacher
sampai
to arrive
sehingga
until
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Questions & Answers about Kita duduk di sini sehingga guru sampai.
What is the difference between kita and kami, and why is kita used here?
kita means “we” inclusive of the listener, whereas kami means “we” exclusive of the listener. In Kita duduk di sini sehingga guru sampai, the speaker includes the person being addressed in the group that is going to stay here, so kita is the correct choice.
Does duduk always mean “to sit down”? Why is it used in this sentence?
While duduk literally means “to sit,” in Malay it often carries the broader sense of “to stay” or “to remain (seated).” Here, kita duduk di sini implies “we stay/are sitting here” (i.e., we’re waiting). It’s not commanding someone to take a seat but describing the ongoing state.
Can we omit di and say duduk sini? What is the function of di in di sini?
In standard Malay, di is the locative preposition marking “at/in,” so di sini = “here.” Omitting di (saying duduk sini) is common in casual speech but is less formal or “textbook.” For correct written or formal spoken Malay, keep di.
What does sehingga mean, and how does it work in this sentence?
sehingga is a conjunction meaning “until.” It links the main clause (kita duduk di sini) with the time clause (guru sampai), indicating that the action of staying here continues up to the moment the teacher arrives.
Could we use sampai instead of sehingga? For example, Kita duduk di sini sampai guru sampai?
You can in colloquial speech say Kita duduk di sini sampai guru sampai, but it sounds informal and repetitive (two sampais). In standard Malay, sehingga is preferred. Alternatively, you could rephrase as Kita duduk di sini sampai guru tiba to avoid duplication.
Why isn’t there a tense marker like past or future? How is time understood?
Malay verbs don’t inflect for tense. Time reference comes from context or time words. Here, sehingga guru sampai sets the time frame: we will remain until that future event. To emphasize completed action, you could add aspect markers: e.g., Kita sudah duduk di sini sehingga guru sampai (“We have been sitting here until the teacher arrived”).
Why is guru not preceded by an article? Could we say si guru or seorang guru?
Malay has no definite/indefinite articles. guru alone can mean “a teacher” or “the teacher” based on context. You can add seorang guru for “a teacher” (one teacher) or si guru to refer to a specific teacher respectfully, but it’s optional if context is clear.
How would you turn this into a question—“Are we sitting here until the teacher arrives?”
You could say formally:
Adakah kita duduk di sini sehingga guru sampai?
Or more colloquially, adding a tag:
Kita duduk di sini sehingga guru sampai, kan?