Voice of Indonesia presents “Let’s Speak Bahasa Indonesia,” a lesson in the Indonesian language on the radio, introducing some Indonesian vocabularies and tips on how to use it in a conversation. This segment is a joint initiative of Voice of Indonesia and the Language Development and Cultivation Agency at the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture. Today’s topic is ‘What are you doing?’ or Kamu Sedang Apa?
Next is a conversation about Kamu Sedang Apa?or ‘What are you doing?’. Joko’s family is celebrating Lebaran. Tony and Dinda watch wedding pictures of Joko and Dinda. Then, Joko comes and greets them.
Joko |
Kalian sedang apa ? |
Dinda |
Kami sedang melihat foto pernikahan kami. |
Tony |
Ya, kamu masih sangat muda dalam foto ini. |
Joko |
Sekarang aku masih muda juga, kan? |
Music : …………………...........
After the conversation, now I’ll introduce some vocabularies and idioms related to the topic today. I’ll say each word slowly, and twice and you can follow after me.
Kamu sedang apa? |
(2X) which menas |
Wat are you doing? |
Kalian sedang apa? |
(2X) which means |
Wat are you doing? |
Foto |
(2X) which means |
photograph |
Kami sedang melihat foto pernikahan kami |
(2X) which means |
We are watching our wedding photographs. |
Kamu masih sangat muda dalam foto ini |
(2X) which means |
You look very young in this photograph. |
Sekarang aku masih muda juga kan? |
(2X) which means |
Now, I’m still young, right! |
Ibu sedang apa? |
(2X) which means |
What are you doing, mom? |
Kamu sedang apa waktu aku menelpon? |
(2X) which means |
What were you doing when I called you? |
Gempa/gempa bumi |
(2X) which means |
Earthquake |
Membaca buku Olah raga |
(2X) which means |
Reading sport book |
Mandi |
(2X) which menas |
To take bath |
In the dialogue, there was an expression, Kalian sedang apa? which means ‘What are you doing?’” The question is usually used when you want to know the activities of other persons.
Here are some other examples :
Kamu sedang apa? which means What are you doing?
Dia sedang apa? What is she/he doing?
Ibu sedang apa? What are you doing, mom?
If you want to ask about someone’s activities in the past, you should add the sentence with adverb of past time. For examples :
Kamu sedang apa waktu aku menelepon? (What were you doing when I called you?)
Kalian sedang apa ketika terjadi gempa? (What were you doing when the earthquake occurred?)
Kalian sedang apa? or Sedang apa kalian? (What are you doing?)
The answers of the questions are :
Aku sedang mandi waktu kamu menelpon (I was taking bath when you called me.)
Kami sedang belajar ketika terjadi gempa (We were studying when the quake occurred.)
Some other examples : ]
Kamu sedang apa? (What are you doing?)
Saya sedang membaca buku (I am reading a book.)
Kemarin aku menelpon kamu tidak diangkat (I called you yesterday but you were not there.)
Ya maaf. Kemarin aku sedang olahraga (Sorry, I was exercising / doing sports yesterday.)