lama

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?'

Practícalo

Dato curioso

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'.

Gramática que debes saber

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?)

Origen de la palabra

Proto-Malayo-Polynesian

Significado original: old, long (time)

Austronesian

Contexto cultural

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.