Learn Hardcore Malay: Bas tiba tepat pukul tujuh. - The bus arrives exactly at seven o'clock.

In this context, pukul is the word used for telling clock time. Pukul tujuh = seven o’clock. Although pukul can also be a verb meaning “to hit,” here it functions like “o’clock.”

What’s the difference between “pukul” and “jam”?

In Standard Malay (Malaysia): use pukul + number for clock times (e.g., pukul 7). Jam usually means “hour” (duration) or “clock/watch.”
Informal Malaysian speech: you’ll hear jam 7 too, but pukul 7 is the safest standard choice.
Indonesian: jam 7 is standard for “7 o’clock.”
Examples:
Duration: dua jam = two hours.
Clock time (Malay): pukul tujuh = 7 o’clock.

What nuance does “tepat” add?

Tepat means “exact(ly)/sharp/on the dot.” Bas tiba tepat pukul tujuh emphasizes punctuality. Without it (just Bas tiba pukul tujuh), it’s a plain time statement. Related phrases: tepat pada waktunya/masanya (on time). Indonesian: tepat waktu.

Do I need “pada” before the time?

It’s optional. Both are correct:

Bas tiba tepat pukul tujuh.
Bas tiba tepat pada pukul tujuh.
Omitting pada is very common in speech and perfectly acceptable.

Can I move the time phrase around?

Yes. Word order is flexible for adverbials:

Bas tiba tepat pukul tujuh.
Bas tiba pukul tujuh tepat.
Tepat pukul tujuh, bas tiba. (fronting the time for emphasis)

Is “tiba” the same as “sampai” or “datang”?

tiba = arrive (neutral/standard; good for announcements and writing).
sampai = arrive (more conversational; very common).
datang = come (focus on coming, often used with a destination: datang ke).
All can appear with times, but for schedules/announcements, tiba or sampai sounds most natural:
Bas tiba/sampai pukul tujuh.
Bas datang pukul tujuh is understandable but less “schedule-like.”

Is there any tense here? How do I say past or future?

Malay verbs don’t change for tense. Use time words/particles:

Past/completed: sudah/telah (or a time adverb)
- Bas sudah tiba tepat pukul tujuh tadi. (It already arrived at seven earlier.)
Future: akan
- Bas akan tiba tepat pukul tujuh. (will arrive)

How do I specify AM/PM in Malay?

Use parts of the day:

pagi (morning): pukul tujuh pagi = 7 a.m.
tengah hari (noon): pukul dua belas tengah hari = 12:00 noon
petang (afternoon/evening): roughly 2–6 p.m. (e.g., pukul lima petang)
malam (night): after about 7 p.m. (e.g., pukul tujuh malam)
Midnight: tengah malam (12:00 a.m.)

How do I say “about 7,” “almost 7,” or “just after 7”?

About/around: kira-kira/lebih kurang/sekitar pukul tujuh
Almost: hampir pukul tujuh
After: selepas/lepas pukul tujuh
“A few minutes past seven”: pukul tujuh lebih beberapa minit or pukul tujuh lebih lima minit (7:05).
You can also say minutes directly: tujuh sepuluh (7:10), tujuh suku (regional, 7:15).

Can I just drop “tepat”?

Yes. Bas tiba pukul tujuh is perfectly fine; tepat simply highlights exactness/punctuality.

Is there any article like “the/a” for “bas”?

Malay has no articles. Bas can mean “the bus” or “a bus” depending on context. To be explicit:

sebuah bas / satu bas = a bus (one bus)
bas itu = that/the bus
bas ini = this bus

How do I make it plural? Does the verb change?

Plural marking is optional and the verb doesn’t change:

Bas-bas itu tiba tepat pukul tujuh. (reduplication for emphasis)
Or use a quantifier: Banyak bas tiba tepat pukul tujuh.
The verb tiba remains the same.

Any quick pronunciation tips for the words?

bas: like “bahs” (short a), final s as in “sun.”
tiba: “TEE-bah” (stress tends to fall on the first syllable).
tepat: “teh-PAHT” (the first e is like a quick “uh”).
pukul: “POO-kool” (both u’s like “oo” in “book”).
tujuh: “too-juh,” with a very light final h (often barely audible).

Which preposition goes with places: “di” or “ke”?

With arrival verbs, use di for the location:

Bas tiba di stesen. (The bus arrives at the station.)
Use ke with motion toward a place (go/come to):
Bas pergi ke stesen. / Bas datang ke stesen.

Is the sentence formal or casual? What would people say in conversation?

Bas tiba tepat pukul tujuh is neutral and fine anywhere, especially in writing/announcements. In everyday speech, many would say:

Bas sampai pukul tujuh (tepat).
Both are natural; tiba just sounds a bit more formal.

How do I ask “What time does the bus arrive?”

Pukul berapa bas tiba?
Also common:
Bas tiba pukul berapa?
Informal with sampai:
Pukul berapa bas sampai?

Is “bas” the same as English “bus”? What about Indonesian?

Yes—Malay bas is a local spelling of English “bus.” In Indonesian you’ll usually see bus (older spelling bis). The rest of the sentence maps closely across the two languages, though Indonesian more often uses jam for clock time (e.g., bus tiba tepat jam tujuh).