Bedeutung
An apology for arriving after the scheduled time
Kultureller Hintergrund
The concept of 'Jam Karet' (Rubber Time) means that being slightly late is often forgiven, but an apology is still expected to maintain social harmony. Traffic (macet) is the universal excuse. If you say 'Maaf saya telat, macet', people will almost always understand and sympathize. The word 'telat' itself is Javanese. Its widespread use in Indonesian shows how Javanese culture and language heavily influence the national tongue. In modern Indonesian offices, especially in tech or multinational companies, punctuality is becoming stricter. 'Maaf saya telat' is still used, but being late is less 'okay' than it used to be.
Add 'ya'
Adding 'ya' at the end (Maaf saya telat ya) makes you sound much more like a native speaker and softens the apology.
Don't use 'adalah'
Never say 'Saya adalah telat'. It's the most common beginner mistake!
Bedeutung
An apology for arriving after the scheduled time
Add 'ya'
Adding 'ya' at the end (Maaf saya telat ya) makes you sound much more like a native speaker and softens the apology.
Don't use 'adalah'
Never say 'Saya adalah telat'. It's the most common beginner mistake!
The Traffic Excuse
In Indonesia, 'macet' (traffic) is a valid excuse for almost anything. Use it wisely!
Teste dich selbst
Choose the most natural way to say 'Sorry I'm late' to a friend.
You meet a friend at a cafe. What do you say?
Indonesian doesn't use 'adalah' or 'untuk' in this context. 'Maaf saya telat' is the natural structure.
Complete the sentence with the correct word for 'late'.
Maaf saya ______, tadi macet sekali.
'Telat' means late. The other options mean eat, go, and sleep.
Match the phrase to the correct register.
1. Sori telat! | 2. Mohon maaf atas keterlambatan saya.
'Sori' is informal/slang, while 'Mohon maaf atas keterlambatan' is highly formal.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Kamu sudah sampai? B: Belum, ______ saya telat, 5 menit lagi.
You need an apology word because you are late.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Telat vs. Terlambat
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenYou meet a friend at a cafe. What do you say?
Indonesian doesn't use 'adalah' or 'untuk' in this context. 'Maaf saya telat' is the natural structure.
Maaf saya ______, tadi macet sekali.
'Telat' means late. The other options mean eat, go, and sleep.
1. Sori telat! | 2. Mohon maaf atas keterlambatan saya.
'Sori' is informal/slang, while 'Mohon maaf atas keterlambatan' is highly formal.
A: Kamu sudah sampai? B: Belum, ______ saya telat, 5 menit lagi.
You need an apology word because you are late.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNo, it's not rude, but it is informal. It's perfect for friends and colleagues you know well.
Yes! Dropping 'saya' is very common in casual speech and texting.
'Telat' is informal/neutral (Javanese origin), 'terlambat' is formal (Malay origin).
Add 'banget' at the end: 'Maaf saya telat banget'.
No, Indonesian verbs and adjectives never change their form.
Say 'Maaf telat, tadi hujan' (Sorry I'm late, it was raining).
Yes, 'Sori' is very common among young people and in urban areas.
Use 'Maaf Pak/Bu, saya terlambat' to be safe and respectful.
It's slang for being late, coming from the word for 'rubber' (elastic time).
Yes, 'telat bulan' is a common euphemism for a late menstrual cycle.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Maaf saya terlambat
synonymSorry I'm late (Formal)
Sori ya
similarSorry, okay?
Macet sekali
builds onVery jammed/traffic
Tunggu sebentar
similarWait a moment
