nanti

Nanti is a common word in Indonesian and Malay meaning "later" or "soon." It functions as an adverb of time and is used to postpone or defer an action, or to reference a future moment without specifying an exact time. The word is a core part of everyday speech in these languages and appears in many common phrases and conversations.

In usage, nanti often appears with verbs or imperatives to indicate that something will happen at a later time. Examples include phrases such as "Nanti kita makan" (We’ll eat later) or "Tunggu sebentar, nanti saya kembali" (Wait a moment, I’ll be back later). It can also soften requests or directives, as in statements like "Nanti dulu" (Hold on a moment) or "Nanti ya?" (Later, okay?).

Nanti is typically not a standalone noun or verb; its primary role is as a time-adverb. It can be intensified or repeated for emphasis with reduplication, such as "nanti-nanti," to convey a longer delay or more tentative timing. In regional usage, the word is widely understood across Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore, reflecting common temporal concepts in Austronesian languages.

Etymology in standard references is not tied to a single origin, but nanti is well established in the Malayic language family as a general time-related marker. Its frequent use in casual speech, media, and informal writing underscores its function as a flexible, non-specific cue for future action within everyday communication.