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Take your Bahasa Indonesia to the next level! Master essential advanced rules of Indonesian prepositional phrases that every learner — from beginner to pro — must know.
If you have already gone through our guide on Indonesian prepositional phrases — Part 1, you know how prepositions like kepada, dengan, and melalui work. Now it is time to level up. In Part 2, we are going to explore a whole new set of Indonesian prepositional phrases — ones that are all about time. These are the phrases native speakers use every single day, and mastering them will make your sentences sound far more natural and precise.
What Makes These Indonesian Prepositional Phrases Different?
In Part 1, we covered prepositions that express relationships between people, objects, or purposes. In this part, the focus shifts to time-based prepositions — words that tell your listener when something happens, how long it lasts, or from which point it began.
The same simple rule still applies:
Preposition + Noun = Indonesian Prepositional Phrase
For example: sejak (since) + kemarin (yesterday) = sejak kemarin (since yesterday).
Simple in theory — but each preposition carries a specific meaning, and using the wrong one can confuse your listener. Let’s break them down one by one.
10 Essential Time-Based Indonesian Prepositional Phrases
1. Pada — At / On (a specific time)
Pada is used to point to a specific moment or period, similar to “on” or “at” in English when referring to time.
- Pada sore hari, aku membuat nasi goreng. — In the afternoon, I made fried rice.
- Film itu mulai pada pukul 20.00. — The film starts at 8 PM.
Note: Pada can appear at the beginning or end of a sentence without changing the meaning.
2. Untuk — For (a period of time)
You may remember untuk from Part 1 as “for” in terms of purpose. It also works as a time-based Indonesian prepositional phrase meaning “for” a certain duration.
- Untuk satu minggu ini, Rian tidak bisa bertemu denganku. — For this one week, Rian cannot meet me.
3. Sampai — Until / Up to
Sampai indicates the end point of an action or period.
- Nindi bertugas di Seoul sampai hari Selasa. — Nindi is on duty in Seoul until Tuesday.
- Pengunjung boleh menjenguk pasien sampai pukul 17.00. — Visitors may visit patients until 5 PM.
4. Hingga — Until / As far as
Hingga is very similar to sampai and is often interchangeable. However, hingga tends to sound slightly more formal or literary.
- Dia tidak pulang ke rumah hingga bulan lalu. — She did not come home until last month.
- Kami mengobrol hingga matahari terbit. — We chatted until the sun rose.
5. Sejak — Since / From (a starting point)
While sampai and hingga mark the end, sejak marks the beginning of something.
- Sejak tahun 2024, ayah Riska bekerja di kantor kami. — Since 2024, Riska’s father has worked at our office.
- Dia menungguku di depan pintu sejak kemarin. — He has been waiting for me at the door since yesterday.
6. Sebelum — Before
Sebelum expresses that something happens prior to another event or time.
- Sebelum makan, kita harus mencuci tangan. — Before eating, we must wash our hands.
- Dia harus minum obat sebelum makan. — He must take medicine before eating.
7. Setelah — After
The counterpart of sebelum, setelah is used when something happens following an event.
- Setelah bekerja, saya akan bermain golf bersama teman-teman. — After work, I will play golf with friends.
8. Sesudah — After (formal / interchangeable with setelah)
Sesudah carries the same meaning as setelah. It is slightly more formal and often found in written Indonesian.
- Dia akan menjemputku sesudah pukul 10.00. — She will pick me up after 10 AM.
- Semua rakyat Indonesia bisa belajar di sekolah sesudah merdeka. — All Indonesians could study at school after independence.
9. Selama — During / For (while something is ongoing)
Selama describes an action that happens throughout a continuous period.
- Selama liburan semester, berat badanku naik 10 kg. — During the semester break, I gained 10 kg.
- Sinta istirahat di rumah selama liburan tahun baru. — Sinta rested at home during the New Year holiday.
Important: Do not confuse selama (during) with selamanya (forever). One small suffix completely changes the meaning!
10. Sepanjang — Throughout / All along
Sepanjang emphasizes continuity across an entire span of time, similar to “all through” or “throughout.”
- Petani tidak bisa menanam padi sepanjang musim hujan. — Farmers cannot plant rice throughout the rainy season.
- Adik tidak bisa tidur sepanjang malam. — My younger sibling could not sleep all night.
Quick Reference: Time Prepositions at a Glance
Preposition | Meaning | Example |
pada | at / on (specific time) | pada pukul 08.00 |
untuk | for (duration) | untuk satu minggu |
sampai | until | sampai malam |
hingga | until (formal) | hingga bulan depan |
sejak | since | sejak kemarin |
sebelum | before | sebelum makan |
setelah | after | setelah bekerja |
sesudah | after (formal) | sesudah pukul 10.00 |
selama | during / for | selama liburan |
sepanjang | throughout | sepanjang hari |
Practice Exercise: Fill in the Blanks
Now that you know all 10 Indonesian prepositional phrases, let’s test your understanding. Fill in the blank with the most appropriate preposition from the box:
Word box: pada, sampai, sejak, sebelum, sesudah, selama, sepanjang, hingga
- Indonesia merdeka ________ tahun 1945.
- Kami harus memasak ________ sarapan besok.
- Karyawan itu terlalu rajin. Dia bekerja ________ malam.
- Pekerjaanku terlalu banyak. Aku tidak bisa bermain ________ hari.
- Pacarku belum meneleponku ________ kemarin. Aku sangat khawatir.
- ________ makan, kita harus mencuci tangan.
- ________ makan, aku ingin bermain bulu tangkis.
- Kami berlibur ke Bali ________ musim panas.
Answer Key:
- pada — 2. untuk — 3. sampai — 4. sepanjang — 5. sejak — 6. sebelum — 7. sesudah — 8. selama
Final Thoughts: Keep Building Your Indonesian Prepositional Phrases Skills
Mastering Indonesian prepositional phrases — both Part 1 and Part 2 — is one of the most practical steps you can take toward real fluency in Bahasa Indonesia. These small but powerful words shape how meaning flows in every sentence, whether you are speaking casually with friends or writing professionally.
The key is consistent practice. Try using one new preposition each day in a sentence about your own life. The more you anchor these words to real moments, the faster they will stick.
Ready to Take Your Bahasa Indonesia Further?
If you want guided, structured learning with native Indonesian teachers, Basantara is here to help. We offer online Indonesian courses for all levels — from complete beginners to advanced learners looking to sharpen their grammar.
📱 WhatsApp us: +62 852 1396 8601 🌐 Visit our website: basantara.net
We would love to be part of your Indonesian learning journey!
