lagi

Lagi is a common word in Indonesian and Malay that functions as a time adverb and a sentence particle. In Indonesian, it marks the progressive aspect, indicating that an action is in progress. It is roughly equivalent to "currently" or "in the middle of." It is frequently used with verbs in casual speech: "Saya lagi makan" (I am eating now); "Dia lagi bekerja" (He is working). It can also appear in questions: "Lagi apa?" (What are you doing?). In informal contexts, lagi is often preferred over more formal equivalents such as sedang.

Lagi can form reduplications to express emphasis or repetition. Phrases like "lagi-lagi" convey "again and again" or "more and more," depending on context: "itu terjadi lagi-lagi" (that happens again and again).

In Malay, lagi can function as an intensifier meaning "more" or "even," in expressions such as "lagi cantik" (even more beautiful), though Indonesian usage tends to prefer "lebih" for the comparative sense.

Lagi is a staple of everyday language and is common in spoken Indonesian and Malay. It is less common in formal writing, where more standard words may be used to express progressive aspect. Etymology traces to the Malayic languages.