Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Meski saya sibuk, saya belajar bahasa Indonesia. - Even though I am busy, I study Indonesian.

Meski is a subordinating conjunction that translates to "even though" or "although". It introduces a clause that contrasts with or qualifies the main statement.

Why is there a comma after saya sibuk in this sentence?

The comma separates the subordinate clause (meski saya sibuk) from the main clause (saya belajar bahasa Indonesia). This punctuation helps clarify that the condition of being busy contrasts with the action of studying Indonesian.

Why is the subject saya repeated in both clauses?

In Indonesian, it’s common to include the subject in each clause. Repeating saya in both the subordinate and main clauses avoids ambiguity about who is performing the actions and maintains clear, parallel sentence structure.

How is the verb belajar understood in terms of tense in Indonesian?

Indonesian verbs, including belajar, do not change their form to reflect tense. The base form is used, and context or additional time indicators determine whether an action is habitual, ongoing, or in the past. In this sentence, it conveys the idea that the speaker studies Indonesian (either as a regular or current activity).

Could meski be replaced by another word, such as walaupun, and what difference would that make?

Yes, meski can often be interchanged with walaupun—both mean "even though" or "although". The difference is minimal; meski is slightly shorter and sometimes considered more informal, while walaupun might be preferred in more formal writing.