Want to actually learn this — with audio, spaced repetition and progress tracking?

Study in the app →

Help improve this content. If something looks off, let us know →

Indonesian · BIPA 1 (A1) · Chapter 38

Kereta hampir berangkat! The train is about to leave!

Talking about something that will happen very soon. Vocabulary: hampir, segera, berangkat, tiba, terlambat, buru-buru, menunggu, jadwal, gerbang, sebentar lagi. Key grammar: "hampir + verb" for an event that is ALMOST happening / about to happen — "Kereta hampir berangkat" (the train is about to leave). This deepens "akan" from chapter 30: "akan" is the general future ("Besok saya akan pergi" = tomorrow I will go), while "hampir" and "sebentar lagi" mark something imminent, right now. English speakers use "akan" for all future, so they say "Kereta akan berangkat" even when the train is already leaving — use "hampir berangkat" or "sebentar lagi berangkat". Pronunciation corner: "hampir", "berangkat", "sebentar lagi".

Di peron: akan atau hampir? — On the platform: akan or hampir?

  1. Mike Tenang, kereta akan berangkat. Relax, the train will leave. (wrong feel: it is leaving NOW → "Kereta hampir berangkat!")
  2. Budi Tapi lihat, pintunya sudah menutup! "akan" untuk nanti. Sekarang katakan "Kereta hampir berangkat!" But look, the doors are already closing! "akan" is for later. Now say "Kereta hampir berangkat!"
  3. Mike Kereta hampir berangkat! Ayo, cepat! The train is about to leave! Come on, quick!
  4. Budi Naik cepat! Nah, kita hampir terlambat tadi. Get on quick! There, we were almost late just now.
  5. Mike Sekarang saya paham: "akan" untuk besok, "hampir" untuk sekarang. Now I understand: "akan" for tomorrow, "hampir" for right now.
  6. Budi Betul sekali. Sebentar lagi kita tiba. Lain kali jangan buru-buru, ya! Exactly right. In a moment we will arrive. Next time do not rush, OK!

Menunggu di gerbang bandara — Waiting at the airport gate

  1. Sari Jadwalnya jam tujuh. Sekarang jam berapa? The schedule says seven. What time is it now?
  2. Mike Hampir jam tujuh. Sebentar lagi kita naik pesawat. Almost seven. In a moment we will board the plane.
  3. Sari Bagus, kita tidak terlambat. Gerbangnya di sebelah sana. Good, we are not late. The gate is over there.
  4. Mike Ayo ke gerbang. Pesawat hampir siap untuk berangkat. Let us go to the gate. The plane is almost ready to depart.
  5. Sari Besok, setelah tiba, saya akan menelepon keluarga. Sekarang, ayo naik! Tomorrow, after we arrive, I will call the family. Now, let us board!
  6. Mike Setuju. "akan" untuk besok, tapi kita hampir naik sekarang! Agreed. "akan" for tomorrow, but we are about to board now!
汉字PinyinPOSMeaning
hampir adv. almost, about to
segera adv. soon, right away
berangkat v. to depart, set off
tiba v. to arrive
terlambat adj. late
buru-buru adv. in a hurry, hurriedly
menunggu v. to wait
jadwal n. schedule, timetable
gerbang n. gate
sebentar lagi adv. in a moment, shortly

"hampir + kata kerja" (sebentar lagi) vs "akan" "hampir + verb" (about to) vs "akan"

Di bab 30 kamu belajar "akan" untuk masa depan umum: "Besok saya akan pergi ke kota" (tomorrow I will go to the city). "akan" tidak mengatakan kapan tepatnya — bisa nanti, besok, tahun depan. Untuk sesuatu yang HAMPIR terjadi, tepat sekarang, pakai "hampir + kata kerja": "Kereta hampir berangkat" (the train is about to leave), "Saya hampir lupa" (I almost forgot), "Kami hampir tiba" (we are about to arrive). Kamu juga bisa memakai "sebentar lagi" (in a moment) di depan kalimat: "Sebentar lagi kereta berangkat". Perbedaannya: "akan berangkat" = akan pergi (kapan-kapan), "hampir berangkat" / "sebentar lagi berangkat" = sudah mau jalan SEKARANG. Kesalahan umum: penutur Inggris memakai "will/going to" untuk semuanya, jadi mereka berkata "Kereta akan berangkat" saat pintu sudah menutup — yang tepat: "Kereta hampir berangkat!" ✓ atau "Kereta sebentar lagi berangkat!" ✓.

In chapter 30 you learned "akan" for the general future: "Besok saya akan pergi ke kota" (tomorrow I will go to the city). "akan" does not say exactly when — it could be later, tomorrow, next year. For something that is ABOUT to happen, right now, use "hampir + verb": "Kereta hampir berangkat" (the train is about to leave), "Saya hampir lupa" (I almost forgot), "Kami hampir tiba" (we are about to arrive). You can also put "sebentar lagi" (in a moment) in front of the sentence: "Sebentar lagi kereta berangkat". The difference: "akan berangkat" = will leave (sometime), "hampir berangkat" / "sebentar lagi berangkat" = about to leave NOW. Common mistake: English speakers use "will / going to" for everything, so they say "Kereta akan berangkat" while the doors are already closing — the right form is "Kereta hampir berangkat!" ✓ or "Kereta sebentar lagi berangkat!" ✓.

  • Cepat, kereta hampir berangkat! Hurry, the train is about to leave!
  • Sebentar lagi kita tiba di pusat kota. In a moment we will arrive downtown.
  • Besok saya akan pergi ke Jakarta. Tomorrow I will go to Jakarta. (general future — akan)
  • Ayo buru-buru, kita hampir terlambat! Come on, hurry, we are almost late!

Want to actually learn this — with audio, spaced repetition and progress tracking?

Study in the app →

Report an issue

Spotted an error or have a suggestion? Every report helps us improve this content.