Using the Past Future Perfect Tense in Indonesian Grammar

Using the Past Future Perfect Tense in Indonesian Grammar

Introduction

The past future perfect tense, also known as “futur past perfect” in Indonesian, is a verb tense that describes an action that will have been completed in the future before another action takes place. In this article, we will explore the usage and formation of this tense in Indonesian grammar.

Formation

In Indonesian, the past future perfect tense is formed by using the auxiliary verb “akan” (will) followed by the past perfect tense of the main verb. The past perfect tense is formed by adding the prefix “telah” (have) before the verb root.

Usage

The past future perfect tense is used to express an action that will have been completed before a certain point in the future. It is often used to talk about hypothetical situations, assumptions, or predictions about the past. Let’s look at some examples:

Example Sentences

1. Saya akan telah membaca buku itu sebelum kamu datang. (I will have read that book before you arrive.)

2. Mereka akan telah makan malam sebelum film dimulai. (They will have had dinner before the movie starts.)

3. Dia akan telah menyelesaikan pekerjaannya sebelum dia pensiun. (He will have finished his work before he retires.)

4. Kami akan telah belajar bahasa Jepang sebelum pergi ke Jepang. (We will have studied Japanese before going to Japan.)

Additional Notes

1. The past future perfect tense is often used in conditional sentences or to express regrets about the past.

2. It is important to note that the past future perfect tense is rarely used in everyday conversations and is more commonly found in formal or written Indonesian.

3. The future marker “akan” can be omitted in certain cases, especially in informal speech.

Conclusion

The past future perfect tense is a useful grammatical structure in Indonesian that allows us to talk about completed actions in the future before another event takes place. By understanding its formation and usage, we can enhance our communication skills and express more complex ideas in Indonesian. While this tense may not be commonly used in everyday conversations, it is important to be familiar with it for formal or written contexts.