sejauh

Sejauh is a word found in Indonesian and Malay that functions to express extent, distance, or scope. It is formed from the adjective jauh (far) with the prefix se-, which often marks totality, scope, or a comparative degree. In usage, sejauh can introduce questions about degree or can modify phrases that indicate progress up to a point in time or space.

The most common constructions are sejauh mana, sejauh ini, and sejauh yang. Sejauh mana asks about the degree or limits of something, as in Sejauh mana kamu memahami materi itu? (“To what extent do you understand the material?”). Sejauh ini means “so far” or “up to this point in time,” as in Sejauh ini belum ada perubahan. Sejauh yang saya tahu introduces a clause meaning “to the extent that I know,” as in Sejauh yang saya tahu, rencana belum berubah. These forms are versatile and appear in formal, informal, and written language.

In grammar, sejauh behaves as an adverbial phrase or as part of a larger clause introducing a measure of extent. It can modify verbs, clauses, or nouns through the related constructions sejauh mana, sejauh ini, or sejauh yang. The phrase is used to frame statements with limits, conditionals, or hedging, often to convey nuance about certainty, scope, or reach.

Translations and usage vary slightly between Indonesian and Malay but share core meanings: “to what extent,” “as far as,” or “so far.” The expression is common in everyday speech, journalism, and academic writing, aiding precision in describing boundaries and scope.