ketika

Ketika is a temporal conjunction used in Indonesian and Malay to mean "when" or "at the time that." It introduces a subordinate clause that describes the time frame for the action in the main clause. The word appears in both formal writing and everyday speech, and is often preferred in more literary or official contexts over more colloquial terms.

In use, ketika can indicate past, present, or future time relative to the main clause. It can refer to a single moment or a period, depending on the surrounding verbs and context. For example: "Ketika matahari terbit, kami berjalan ke pantai." or "Saya membaca ketika dia menelepon." The latter shows a concurrent action, with the main clause occurring while the other event happens, a common pattern in Indonesian sentence construction.

Ketika is commonly contrasted with other Indonesian temporal words such as saat and waktu. Saat is generally more common in everyday speech, while ketika carries a slightly more formal or literary tone. Waktu functions as a broader noun meaning "time" and can appear in temporal clauses with different nuances. Together, these terms allow speakers to vary tone and emphasis in describing temporal relationships.

In Malay usage, ketika functions similarly, connecting events by time and appearing in both written and spoken contexts. The word is part of standard grammar and is widely understood across Malay-speaking communities.

See also: Indonesian grammar, temporal conjunction, saat, waktu, Malay language.