Past Simple Tense
Did you do anything special last night?
Indonesian: "Apakah kamu melakukan sesuatu yang spesial tadi malam?"
Explanation: "Melakukan sesuatu yang spesial" means "do anything special."
Yes, we went out.
Indonesian: "Ya, kami keluar."
Explanation: "Kami keluar" means "we went out."
Where did you go?
Indonesian: "Ke mana kalian pergi?"
Explanation: "Ke mana" means "where to."
We went over to our friends' place.
Indonesian: "Kami pergi ke rumah teman kami."
Explanation: "Rumah teman kami" means "our friends' place."
What did you get up to there?
Indonesian: "Apa yang kalian lakukan di sana?"
Explanation: "Lakukan di sana" means "do there."
We just sat around talking.
Indonesian: "Kami hanya duduk-duduk sambil ngobrol."
Explanation: "Duduk-duduk sambil ngobrol" means "sat around talking."
What time did you get home?
Indonesian: "Jam berapa kalian pulang?"
Explanation: "Jam berapa" means "what time," and "pulang" means "get home."
We got home quite late.
Indonesian: "Kami pulang cukup larut."
Explanation: "Cukup larut" means "quite late."
Past Continuous Tense
What were you doing at 11 p.m. last night?
Indonesian: "Apa yang sedang kamu lakukan jam 11 malam tadi?"
Explanation: "Sedang lakukan" indicates continuous past action, "tadi malam" means "last night."
I was getting ready to go to bed.
Indonesian: "Saya sedang bersiap untuk tidur."
Explanation: "Sedang bersiap" means "was getting ready."
Were you doing anything yesterday?
Indonesian: "Apakah kamu melakukan sesuatu kemarin?"
Explanation: "Kemarin" means "yesterday."
Yes, I was. We were busy all day.
Indonesian: "Ya, saya ada. Kami sibuk sepanjang hari."
Explanation: "Kami sibuk" means "we were busy," "sepanjang hari" means "all day."
What were you doing?
Indonesian: "Apa yang sedang kamu lakukan?"
Explanation: "Sedang lakukan" indicates continuous past action.
We were having a look around.
Indonesian: "Kami sedang melihat-lihat."
Explanation: "Melihat-lihat" means "having a look around."
What were you doing before you came to Indonesia?
Indonesian: "Apa yang kamu lakukan sebelum kamu datang ke Indonesia?"
Explanation: "Sebelum" means "before," "datang ke Indonesia" means "came to Indonesia."
I was working until just before I left.
Indonesian: "Saya sedang bekerja sampai sebelum saya pergi."
Explanation: "Sedang bekerja" means "was working," "sampai sebelum" means "until just before."
What kind of work were you doing?
Indonesian: "Pekerjaan apa yang kamu lakukan?"
Explanation: "Pekerjaan apa" means "what kind of work."
I was working as a teacher for a school.
Indonesian: "Saya bekerja sebagai guru di sebuah sekolah."
Explanation: "Sebagai guru" means "as a teacher," "di sebuah sekolah" means "for a school."
Past Perfect Tense
Did you know any Bahasa before you came to Indonesia?
Indonesian: "Apakah kamu sudah tahu Bahasa sebelum kamu datang ke Indonesia?"
Explanation: "Sudah tahu" means "knew," indicating knowledge before a past event.
Yes, I did.
Indonesian: "Ya, saya sudah tahu."
Explanation: "Sudah tahu" means "knew."
How come you already knew some Bahasa?
Indonesian: "Mengapa kamu sudah tahu sedikit Bahasa?"
Explanation: "Mengapa" means "how come," "sedikit Bahasa" means "some Bahasa."
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Because I had already been studying Bahasa for a few months before I came.
Indonesian: "Karena saya sudah belajar Bahasa selama beberapa bulan sebelum saya datang."
Explanation: "Sudah belajar" means "had been studying," "sebelum saya datang" means "before I came."
What had you just finished reading before you started reading this?
Indonesian: "Apa yang baru saja kamu selesaikan membaca sebelum kamu mulai membaca ini?"
Explanation: "Baru saja selesai membaca" means "just finished reading," "sebelum kamu mulai membaca" means "before you started reading."
I had been reading the previous section about the present tenses.
Indonesian: "Saya baru saja membaca bagian sebelumnya tentang tenses present."
Explanation: "Baru saja membaca" means "had been reading," "bagian sebelumnya" means "previous section."