sebelumnya

Sebelumnya is an Indonesian adverb meaning “beforehand” or “previously.” It is used to refer to something that occurred earlier in time or to information that has already been mentioned in the discourse. As a discourse marker, it helps connect current statements to what has been stated or happened before.

Etymology and grammar: Sebelumnya is formed from the base word sebelum, meaning “before,” with the addition of the suffixnya, which signals reference to the prior part of the discourse or a previously mentioned item. It typically functions as a temporal adverb, but it can also introduce a clause that points to a prior event or statement. Its use is common in formal and semi-formal Indonesian writing, as well as in spoken language.

Usage: In sentences, sebelumnya often appears at the beginning to set a temporal frame, or within a sentence to refer to an earlier point. It is commonly found in news reports, essays, and presentations, as well as in everyday conversation when recalling past actions. Its meaning depends on context, but the core idea is the relation to something that happened before the current moment or before the current topic.

Examples:

- Sebelumnya, kami telah membahas topik ini. (Previously, we discussed this topic.)

- Sebelumnya dia tinggal di Bandung. (Earlier, he lived in Bandung.)

- Seperti yang disebutkan sebelumnya, data menunjukkan peningkatan. (As mentioned previously, the data show an increase.)

See also: sebelum, sebelumnya as a general temporal reference, discourse markers in Indonesian.