Kami duduk rapat di bangku panjang.

We sit close together on the long bench.

Breakdown of Kami duduk rapat di bangku panjang.

• duduk: to sit
• panjang: long
• di: on
• bangku: the bench
• kami: we
• rapat: close

Questions & Answers about Kami duduk rapat di bangku panjang.

Is kami the right “we” here? What’s the difference between kami and kita?

• kami = we/us, excluding the listener.
• kita = we/us, including the listener.
• Examples: Kami duduk rapat… (you’re not part of the group). Kita duduk rapat… (you’re included).
• Colloquial alternatives you’ll hear: kitorang (MY), kita used broadly (ID).

How do I show past, present, or ongoing action with duduk?

• Malay doesn’t inflect verbs for tense. Use time/aspect words.
• Present progressive: Kami sedang duduk rapat… (we are sitting…).
• Simple past: Tadi kami duduk rapat… or add a time word like semalam.
• Future: Kami akan duduk rapat….
• Completed action (formal/news): Kami sudah/telah duduk rapat….

Can duduk also mean “live/stay”? Would Kami duduk di Kuala Lumpur be understood?

• Yes. In everyday Malay, duduk can mean “live/stay,” e.g., Saya duduk di KL.
• More neutral/formal for “live” is tinggal: Kami tinggal di Kuala Lumpur.
• With rapat, duduk only means “sit,” not “live.”

Is rapat an adverb here, and where should it go?

• Yes. rapat functions adverbially and comes after the verb: duduk rapat.
• To intensify “close together,” use reduplication: duduk rapat-rapat.
• Don’t front it as rapat duduk in neutral sentences; keep it after duduk.

What’s the difference between rapat, dekat, and berdekatan?

• rapat = tight/close with little or no gap (often touching): Kami duduk rapat.
• berdekatan = nearby to each other (not necessarily touching): Kami duduk berdekatan.
• dekat = near; often used with dengan to mark what it’s near: Kami duduk dekat dengan pintu. Colloquially, dekat-dekat can mean “close to each other.”

I’ve seen rapat meaning “meeting.” Does it mean that here?

• That’s Indonesian usage (noun). In Malay, “meeting” is mesyuarat.
• Here rapat is “close/tightly,” not “meeting.”

Should it be di bangku panjang or di atas bangku panjang for “on the bench”?

• Both are acceptable. di often covers “at/on/in” based on context, so di bangku is natural.
• di atas bangku explicitly means “on top of the bench” and is used for clarity or emphasis.

How do I say “the long bench” versus “a long bench”?

• “the long bench” = bangku panjang itu; “this long bench” = bangku panjang ini.
• “a long bench” = sebuah bangku panjang (classifier sebuah is optional but clear).
• Full examples: Kami duduk rapat di bangku panjang itu / di sebuah bangku panjang.

Why is there no yang before panjang? When do I use yang?

• Adjectives usually follow the noun without yang: bangku panjang.
• Use yang for emphasis/specification or to attach a longer description: bangku yang panjang itu, bangku yang panjang di sudut itu.

Is bangku the best word for “bench”? I’ve heard kerusi panjang too.

• Both are used and understood. bangku = stool/bench; bangku panjang = long bench (e.g., park bench).
• kerusi panjang is common in Malaysia for “bench.” Either works in everyday speech.

Can I drop kami, or would that sound like a command?

• Dropping the subject is possible if context is clear, especially in narratives.
• But Duduk rapat di bangku panjang can be read as an instruction (“Sit close on the bench”), so keep kami to avoid ambiguity unless context prevents a command reading.

Does duduk rapat already mean “together”? Should I add bersama-sama?

• duduk rapat implies physical closeness to each other.
• bersama-sama means “together (as a group)” and doesn’t imply closeness: Kami duduk bersama-sama (not necessarily touching).
• For “all squeezed together,” use duduk rapat-rapat.

How would I say “We were sitting close together …” versus “We sat close together …” naturally?

• Ongoing (past progressive): Tadi kami sedang duduk rapat di bangku panjang (we were in the middle of it earlier).
• Simple past: Kami duduk rapat di bangku panjang tadi/semalam.

What’s the difference between di and ke?

• di = at/in/on (location): duduk di bangku.
• ke = to/toward (direction): berjalan ke bangku.
• Example: Kami berjalan ke bangku panjang, kemudian duduk di bangku panjang.

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

• bangku: the ng is the “ng” in “sing” (a single nasal sound), not “n” + “g.”
• Final t in rapat and final k in duduk are unreleased (stop quickly).
• r is lightly tapped or trilled; u is like “oo” in “food.”
• Syllable timing is fairly even; no strong English-like stress.

Why is di separated here but attached in words like dibuat?

• di as a preposition (location) is written separately: di bangku.
• di- as a passive prefix attaches to the verb: dibuat, dibaca, diduduki.

How do I say “We sat side by side”?

• Kami duduk bersebelahan di bangku panjang.
• You can also say Kami duduk sebelah-menyebelah di bangku panjang.

What’s the difference between rapat and erat?

• rapat = physically close/tight.
• erat = close in a figurative sense (relationships): hubungan yang erat (a close relationship).

Do I need panjang? What changes if I just say di bangku?

• di bangku is fine and often sufficient; context tells you it’s a bench.
• bangku can also mean “stool,” so bangku panjang explicitly specifies a long bench.

Should I use rapat-rapat here?

• Use rapat-rapat to stress “all very close together” or “squeezed in”: Kami duduk rapat-rapat di bangku panjang.
• Plain rapat already means “close,” so it’s enough if you don’t want the extra emphasis.