Narrating Events in Indonesian

Overview

Telling stories and describing sequences of events requires a set of ordering words that guide the listener through the timeline. Indonesian uses sequencing words like pertama (first), kemudian/lalu (then), selanjutnya (next), and akhirnya (finally) to create smooth, logical narratives.

Since Indonesian verbs do not change tense, these sequencing words play an even more important role than in English. They are the primary tool for establishing chronological order and narrative flow.

How It Works

Sequencing Words

Indonesian	English	Position
pertama	first	sentence start
kedua	second	sentence start
kemudian	then/next	sentence start or mid-sentence
lalu	then	sentence start or mid-sentence
selanjutnya	next/subsequently	sentence start
setelah itu	after that	sentence start
akhirnya	finally/in the end	sentence start
pada akhirnya	in the end	sentence start

Narrative Time Markers

Indonesian	English
pada suatu hari	one day
suatu ketika	once upon a time
waktu itu	at that time
saat itu	at that moment
tiba-tiba	suddenly
ternyata	it turned out

Story Structure

Phase	Connector	Example
Setting	Pada suatu hari...	One day...
First event	Pertama...	First...
Sequence	Kemudian.../Lalu...	Then...
Complication	Tiba-tiba...	Suddenly...
Resolution	Akhirnya...	Finally...

Examples in Context

Indonesian	English	Note
Pertama, saya pergi ke pasar.	First, I went to the market.	Opening
Kemudian, saya memasak.	Then, I cooked.	Sequence
Selanjutnya, saya bersih-bersih.	Next, I cleaned up.	Sequence
Akhirnya, saya istirahat.	Finally, I rested.	Closing
Pada suatu hari, dia pergi ke hutan.	One day, he went to the forest.	Story opening
Tiba-tiba hujan turun.	Suddenly rain fell.	Unexpected event
Ternyata dia sudah pulang.	It turned out he had gone home.	Revelation
Setelah itu, kami pulang.	After that, we went home.	Sequence
Lalu apa yang terjadi?	Then what happened?	Narrative question
Pada akhirnya, semuanya baik-baik saja.	In the end, everything was fine.	Resolution

Common Mistakes

Using lalu and kemudian incorrectly

• Wrong: Thinking lalu and kemudian have different meanings
• Right: They are largely interchangeable — both mean "then"
• Why: The main difference is style: lalu is slightly more casual, kemudian slightly more formal.

Forgetting to vary sequencing words

• Wrong: Lalu saya pergi. Lalu saya makan. Lalu saya tidur.
• Right: Pertama saya pergi. Kemudian saya makan. Akhirnya saya tidur.
• Why: Varying connectors makes your narrative sound more natural and engaging.

Overusing tiba-tiba

• Wrong: Using tiba-tiba for every new event
• Right: Reserve tiba-tiba for genuinely unexpected events
• Why: Tiba-tiba (suddenly) implies surprise. Overuse diminishes its impact.

Usage Notes

Narrative connectors are used in both spoken and written Indonesian. In casual storytelling, terus (and then, colloquial) is extremely common as a casual replacement for lalu/kemudian. In formal writing, selanjutnya and kemudian are preferred. The word ternyata (it turned out) is very popular in Indonesian narratives and gossip — it adds an element of surprise or revelation.

Practice Tips

1. Tell your daily routine as a story: Pertama saya bangun. Kemudian saya mandi. Lalu saya sarapan. Selanjutnya saya pergi kerja. Akhirnya saya pulang.
2. Retell a simple story (a movie plot, a news event) using the full range of sequencing words and narrative markers.

Related Concepts

• Temporal Connectors — time connectors used within narrative clauses