Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Walaupun rumah sakit jauh, saya segera berangkat karena obat penting sudah hampir habis. - Although the hospital is far, I leave immediately because the important medicine is almost finished.

Walaupun means “even though” or “although.” It introduces a concession, showing that something happens despite a condition. Meskipun is virtually synonymous and can replace walaupun in almost all contexts. There’s no big difference in formality or meaning; both can start or appear in the middle of a sentence.

Why is there a comma after the walaupun clause? Can I drop it?

In writing, a comma separates the subordinate concessive clause (the walaupun clause) from the main clause for clarity: • Walaupun rumah sakit jauh, saya segera berangkat…
In informal speech you might omit it, but in formal Indonesian it’s recommended. If you move the walaupun clause to the end, you can also drop the comma: • Saya segera berangkat walaupun rumah sakit jauh.

Why is jauh placed after rumah sakit, not before?

Indonesian adjective order is typically: [Noun] + [Adjective]
So you say rumah sakit jauh (“a hospital that is far”). Putting jauh before the noun (like jauh rumah sakit) sounds archaic or poetic and is not used in everyday language.

What’s the nuance of segera berangkat? Could I use cepat berangkat, berangkat segera, or even pergi?

• Segera means “immediately,” indicating when you leave.
• Cepat means “fast,” indicating speed of the action.
Therefore, segera berangkat = “leave right away.” Saying cepat berangkat would awkwardly mix “fast” with “depart” and isn’t idiomatic. You can say berangkat segera (same meaning; Indonesian allows adverbs before or after the verb). Using pergi (segera pergi) is possible, but berangkat specifically implies starting a trip or journey.

What does karena mean, and are there alternatives?

Karena means “because” and introduces a reason. Common alternatives include:
• sebab – slightly more formal.
• oleh karena (itu) – often used in a more formal context or to mean “therefore” when combined with itu (oleh karena itu).
In everyday speech, karena is the most natural choice.

Why use both sudah and hampir in sudah hampir habis? Can I simplify it?

• Hampir = “almost”
• Habis = “finished” or “used up”
→ hampir habis = “almost used up.”
Adding sudah (“already”) emphasizes that the medicine has reached that “almost gone” state: sudah hampir habis = “has already almost run out.” You can simplify to hampir habis and still be clear. Saying sudah habis would mean “already completely gone,” which changes the meaning.

Could I insert yang before penting, as in obat yang penting?

Both are correct:
• obat penting = “important medicine” (adjective directly follows noun).
• obat yang penting = “medicine that is important” (uses a relative clause with yang).
Use yang when you need to form a full relative clause or add emphasis. In most cases, the shorter obat penting is preferred.

Can I reorder the clauses, for example placing the karena clause first or moving the walaupun clause to the end?

Yes. Indonesian subordinate clauses are quite flexible. For example:
• Karena obat penting sudah hampir habis, saya segera berangkat walaupun rumah sakit jauh.
• Saya segera berangkat walaupun rumah sakit jauh karena obat penting sudah hampir habis.
Just keep each conjunction (walaupun, karena) attached to its clause and use commas if you want to separate them for clarity.