Completed Actions
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'sudah' or 'telah' before a verb to indicate that an action is finished or completed.
- Place 'sudah' before the verb: Saya sudah makan (I have eaten).
- Use 'belum' for the negative: Saya belum makan (I haven't eaten yet).
- Use 'sudah' at the start of a question: Sudah makan? (Have you eaten?)
Meanings
These particles indicate that an action has been completed or a state has been reached.
Completion
The action is finished.
“Saya sudah mandi.”
“Mereka sudah pulang.”
Formal Completion
Used in official or written contexts.
“Pemerintah telah mengumumkan kebijakan baru.”
“Laporan telah diselesaikan.”
State change
Something has become a certain way.
“Dia sudah besar.”
“Hari sudah malam.”
Perfective Aspect Formation
| Form | Marker | Verb/Adj | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | sudah | makan | Saya sudah makan |
| Negative | belum | makan | Saya belum makan |
| Question | Sudah | makan? | Sudah makan? |
| Formal | telah | selesai | Tugas telah selesai |
| State Change | sudah | dingin | Kopi sudah dingin |
| Formal Negative | belum | selesai | Tugas belum selesai |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subj + sudah + Verb | Saya sudah pergi |
| Negative | Subj + belum + Verb | Saya belum pergi |
| Question | Sudah + Subj + Verb? | Sudah kamu pergi? |
| Formal | Subj + telah + Verb | Dia telah pergi |
| State Change | Subj + sudah + Adj | Dia sudah lelah |
| Short Answer | Sudah / Belum | Sudah! / Belum! |
| Emphasis | Sudah + Verb + ya | Sudah makan ya? |
| Time Marker | Sudah + Time | Sudah jam lima |
フォーマル度スペクトル
Pekerjaan telah diselesaikan. (Work/Professional)
Saya sudah menyelesaikan pekerjaan. (Work/Professional)
Kerjaannya udah kelar. (Work/Professional)
Udah beres nih. (Work/Professional)
The Perfective Web
Markers
- sudah already
- telah already (formal)
- belum not yet
Usage
- selesai finished
- perubahan change
Sudah vs Belum
Choosing the Right Marker
Is the action finished?
Examples by Level
Saya sudah makan.
I have eaten.
Dia sudah tidur.
He/she has slept.
Kami sudah datang.
We have arrived.
Ibu sudah masak.
Mother has cooked.
Apakah kamu sudah belajar?
Have you studied?
Saya belum mandi.
I haven't showered yet.
Laporan ini telah selesai.
This report has been finished.
Sudah jam tujuh malam.
It is already seven in the evening.
Dia sudah lama tinggal di sini.
He has lived here for a long time.
Kami belum pernah ke sana.
We have never been there.
Pemerintah telah menetapkan aturan baru.
The government has set new rules.
Kopi ini sudah dingin.
This coffee has gone cold.
Keputusan telah diambil oleh dewan direksi.
The decision has been taken by the board.
Saya sudah mempertimbangkan semua opsi.
I have considered all options.
Belum ada konfirmasi resmi dari mereka.
There has been no official confirmation from them yet.
Dia sudah sering mengunjungi museum itu.
He has visited that museum often.
Masalah tersebut telah lama diabaikan.
That issue has long been ignored.
Sudah saatnya kita bertindak tegas.
It is time we acted decisively.
Belum terpikirkan oleh saya sebelumnya.
It hadn't occurred to me before.
Telah terbukti bahwa metode ini efektif.
It has been proven that this method is effective.
Telah menjadi rahasia umum bahwa dia terlibat.
It has become an open secret that he is involved.
Sudah sepatutnya kita menghargai jasa mereka.
It is only fitting that we appreciate their service.
Belum pernah ada preseden untuk kasus ini.
There has never been a precedent for this case.
Telah lama dinanti, akhirnya dia kembali.
Long awaited, he has finally returned.
Easily Confused
Learners use 'sudah' for life experiences.
Learners use 'telah' in casual speech.
Learners use 'tidak' for 'not yet'.
よくある間違い
Saya tidak makan.
Saya belum makan.
Sudah saya makan.
Saya sudah makan.
Saya sudah pergi kemarin.
Saya pergi kemarin.
Sudah makan?
Sudah makan?
Dia telah makan di warung.
Dia sudah makan di warung.
Saya sudah belum makan.
Saya belum makan.
Apakah kamu sudah pergi?
Sudah pergi?
Saya sudah pernah ke sana.
Saya pernah ke sana.
Telah selesai tugas itu.
Tugas itu telah selesai.
Sudah saya sudah makan.
Saya sudah makan.
Telah saya lakukan.
Sudah saya lakukan.
Belum pernah saya lihat.
Saya belum pernah melihatnya.
Sudah terbukti.
Telah terbukti.
Sudah lama saya menunggu.
Saya sudah lama menunggu.
Sentence Patterns
Saya sudah ___.
Apakah kamu sudah ___?
Saya belum ___ hari ini.
___ telah selesai dikerjakan.
Real World Usage
Udah nyampe?
Saya telah memimpin tim.
Sudah pesan?
Sudah check-in?
Sudah nonton film ini?
Data telah diverifikasi.
Use 'Udah'
Don't over-formalize
The 'Belum' Trick
Greeting
Smart Tips
Use 'udah' instead of 'sudah'.
Use 'telah' to show professionalism.
Just say 'Sudah' or 'Belum'.
Use 'sudah' + adjective.
発音
Sudah
Pronounced 'soo-dah'. The 'h' at the end is a soft aspiration.
Belum
Pronounced 'beh-loom'. The 'm' is a clear bilabial nasal.
Question
Sudah makan? ↗
Rising intonation for yes/no questions.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Sudah is for 'Sure, it's done', Belum is for 'Be-low' (not yet reached).
Visual Association
Imagine a checklist. When you tick a box, you say 'Sudah!'. When the box is empty, you say 'Belum'.
Rhyme
Sudah is done, the battle is won. Belum is not yet, don't place your bet.
Story
Budi is hungry. He asks his mom, 'Sudah masak?' (Have you cooked?). She replies, 'Belum, tunggu sebentar' (Not yet, wait a moment). After an hour, she says, 'Sudah masak!' (It's cooked!).
Word Web
チャレンジ
For the next 24 hours, whenever you finish a task, say 'Sudah!' out loud.
文化メモ
Asking 'Sudah makan?' is a common greeting, similar to 'How are you?'. It shows care for the other person's well-being.
You might hear 'wis' instead of 'sudah' in areas with heavy Javanese influence.
In government or academic settings, 'telah' is strictly used to maintain a professional distance.
The word 'sudah' comes from Malay roots meaning 'finished' or 'done'.
Conversation Starters
Sudah makan siang?
Apakah kamu sudah pernah ke Jakarta?
Tugas ini sudah selesai belum?
Apakah pemerintah telah mengambil langkah?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Saya ___ makan siang.
Saya ___ tidur.
Find and fix the mistake:
Saya tidak sudah makan.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
I have finished.
Answer starts with: Say...
A: Sudah tugasnya? B: ___.
Pemerintah / aturan / menetapkan / telah
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
練習問題
8 exercisesSaya ___ makan siang.
Saya ___ tidur.
Find and fix the mistake:
Saya tidak sudah makan.
makan / sudah / saya
I have finished.
A: Sudah tugasnya? B: ___.
Pemerintah / aturan / menetapkan / telah
Match 'sudah' and 'belum'.
Score: /8
よくある質問 (8)
No, 'sudah' is strictly for completed actions. Use 'akan' for future.
Yes, it is mostly used in news, reports, and formal letters.
'Tidak' is for general negation, 'belum' is for 'not yet'.
In casual conversation, yes, as a short answer.
Use 'Saya belum pernah'.
Yes, it functions almost exactly like 'already'.
No, Indonesian verbs never change.
Use it in professional writing or formal speeches.
In Other Languages
Ya + verb
Spanish verbs conjugate, Indonesian ones do not.
Déjà + verb
French uses auxiliary verbs (avoir/être) for perfect tense.
Schon + verb
German word order is more rigid.
Mou + verb
Japanese particles come after the noun.
Qad + past verb
Arabic verbs change based on the subject.
Le (了)
Chinese 'le' is a suffix, not a prefix.
