When used to describe things, lama means old, but specifically in the sense of something having existed for a long time, not necessarily dilapidated or worn out. It's often used for items that have been around a while but are still functional, like an old house or an old car.
When referring to time, lama translates to 'long time.' For example, if you say 'sudah lama,' it means 'it's been a long time.' It can also be used to ask 'how long?' as in 'berapa lama?'
حقيقة ممتعة
The word 'lama' has cognates in many other Austronesian languages, reflecting its ancient origin. For instance, in Malay, it also means 'old' or 'long time'.
قواعد يجب معرفتها
Can be used to describe the age of inanimate objects. It is placed after the noun it describes.
Rumah ini sudah lama. (This house is old.)
Used to describe a duration of time. It often appears with the word 'sudah' (already) to indicate something has been happening for a long time.
Saya sudah lama menunggu. (I have been waiting for a long time.)
Can be reduplicated to emphasize the duration or age. 'Lama-lama' means 'eventually' or 'in the long run'.
Lama-lama dia akan mengerti. (Eventually, he will understand.)
Can be used in comparative constructions. 'Lebih lama' means 'longer' and 'paling lama' means 'longest'.
Perjalanan ini lebih lama dari yang kemarin. (This journey is longer than the one yesterday.)
When referring to 'how long' something takes, the question word 'berapa lama' is used.
Berapa lama kamu di sini? (How long have you been here?)
أصل الكلمة
Proto-Malayo-Polynesian
المعنى الأصلي: old, long (time)
Austronesianالسياق الثقافي
In Indonesian culture, the concept of 'lama' often appears when talking about friendships, relationships, or even objects. Saying something has been 'lama' can imply a sense of familiarity, history, or durability. It can also be used in a more casual way to refer to the duration of an activity.
اختبر نفسك 6 أسئلة
Rumah itu sudah sangat ___.
The house is already very old. 'Lama' means old for things.
Berapa ___ kamu belajar bahasa Indonesia?
How long have you been studying Indonesian? 'Lama' refers to a long duration here.
Saya tidak suka menunggu terlalu ___.
I don't like to wait too long. 'Lama' implies a long time.
Sepeda ini sudah ___ sekali.
This bicycle is very old. 'Lama' describes the age of the bicycle.
Butuh waktu ___ untuk sampai di sana.
It takes a long time to get there. 'Lama' indicates a long duration.
Ini adalah foto dari teman ___ saya.
This is a photo of my old friend. 'Teman lama' is a common phrase for an old friend.
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