setidak-tidaknya
At the Very Least
Setidak-tidaknya is an emphatic at least expression, related to setidaknya. It sets a minimum amount, requirement, or claim and occurs in general prose as well as legal language.
How It Works
In Indonesian, setidak-tidaknya is an emphatic phrase meaning 'at the very least.' While it shares its root with tidak, its reduplicated form adds weight, making it common in journalism, literature, and serious everyday writing.
General Usage vs. Sekurang-kurangnya:
- Sekurang-kurangnya commonly gives a minimum amount or threshold.
- Setidak-tidaknya can give a minimum quantity as well as a minimum acceptable action or claim. It can overlap with sekurang-kurangnya; it is not restricted to uncertainty.
Legal Context (Surat Dakwaan):
The phrase is famously iconic in Indonesian legal drafting, particularly in indictments.
- Alternative Wording: It frequently appears in the fixed collocation atau setidak-tidaknya ('or at the very least').
- Tempus and Locus Delicti: It can introduce a broader alternative description of a time or place in an indictment, such as in January, or at least sometime in early 2023. This explains the wording; it does not guarantee that a charge will be valid or a case will avoid dismissal.
Examples (4)
- Setidak-tidaknya, kita harus mencoba menyelesaikan masalah ini dengan damai.
At the very least, we must try to resolve this problem peacefully.
Word by Word: At-least-least-ly, we must try resolve problem this with peaceful.
A general use of the phrase to establish a minimum acceptable action or baseline expectation in a serious, everyday context.
- Proyek perbaikan jalan itu akan memakan waktu setidak-tidaknya enam bulan.
The road repair project will take at the very least six months.
Word by Word: Project repair road that will eat time at-least-least-ly six month.
Here the phrase sets a minimum duration of six months. It does not by itself mean that the estimate is a fallback caused by uncertain details.
- Tindak pidana tersebut terjadi pada bulan Agustus, atau setidak-tidaknya pada suatu waktu dalam tahun ini.
The criminal act occurred in August, or at the very least at some time within this year.
Word by Word: Act crime mentioned happen on month August, or at-least-least-ly on a time inside year this.
Atau setidak-tidaknya introduces a broader alternative time description in this legal-language example. The phrase alone does not guarantee the validity of an indictment.
- Pencurian terjadi di rumah korban, atau setidak-tidaknya di suatu tempat yang masih termasuk dalam wilayah hukum pengadilan negeri tersebut.
The theft occurred at the victim's house, or at the very least at a place still included within the jurisdiction of the district court.
Word by Word: Theft happen at house victim, or at-least-least-ly at a place which still included inside region law court state mentioned.
Another legal example showing how the phrase acts as an alternative approximation for the location of a crime (Locus Delicti).
Common Mistakes
Using the reduplicated form in casual conversation.
Bro, setidak-tidaknya kasih tahu aku kalau mau telat.Bro, setidaknya kasih tahu aku kalau mau telat.Setidaknya or paling tidak is a shorter everyday choice. Setidak-tidaknya adds emphasis and can also occur in ordinary conversation; it is not inherently a grammatical or social error.
Confusing it with the phrase 'tidak-tidak'.
Dia bicara yang setidak-tidaknya.Dia bicara yang tidak-tidak.Do not confuse this adverbial phrase with 'tidak-tidak', which means 'nonsense' or 'absurd'. 'Setidak-tidaknya' is a fixed expression meaning 'at the very least'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Setidak-tidaknya is a formal adverbial phrase built by combining the equative prefix 'se-', the negation 'tidak' (which is reduplicated for emphasis), and the suffix '-nya'. Understanding how these individual components function is essential to grasping how they combine to mean 'at the very least'.
- tidakNegating Verbs and Adjectives with Tidak
The core of the expression is the word 'tidak' (not), which is used here in a reduplicated form to create the sense of 'not less'.
Level 1 - se-As ... as with Se-
The prefix 'se-' is used here to form the base of the adverbial expression, similar to its use in equative constructions.
Level 3 - -nya (wacana)Packaging Known Information with -nya
The suffix '-nya' is used to nominalize or package the expression into a fixed adverbial unit.
Level 4
Related Patterns
- jikaNeutral-formal if with Jika
Often used alongside formal conditionals like 'jika' to establish minimum requirements if a condition is met.
Level 2 - makaFormal Result with Maka
Frequently appears in formal logical structures (If X, then at least Y) where 'maka' introduces the result.
Level 2 - bagaimanapun jugaNevertheless or in Any Case
Another formal adverbial phrase used to emphasize a point regardless of other circumstances.
Level 6
Words in This Pattern
Practice setidak-tidaknya in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Indonesian lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
