Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Dia menghubungi saya lewat pesan singkat, namun saya belum membalas. - He/She contacted me via a text message, however I have not replied.

Dia is gender‑neutral (he/she/they). Ia is a more literary/written subject pronoun and sounds bookish in conversation. Beliau is a respectful third‑person pronoun for elders or high‑status people. All three can be subjects here, but Dia is the default in speech.

Why use Saya? Could I say Aku or Gue instead?

Saya is neutral‑polite and broadly safe. Aku is informal/intimate; Gue is very colloquial (Jakarta). So you can say: Dia menghubungi aku … (casual) or Dia menghubungi gue … (very casual). Don’t use Anda for “I”; Anda means “you” (formal).

What exactly does Menghubungi mean? How is it different from Hubungi or Mengontak?

Menghubungi means “to contact (someone)” and takes a direct object (here: saya). Hubungi is the imperative form (“contact …!”). Mengontak/kontak is a common informal loan; Menghubungi is more standard/neutral.

Do I need Sudah before Menghubungi to show past tense?

No. Indonesian doesn’t mark tense on verbs; context handles it. Sudah/telah can be added to stress completion: Dia sudah menghubungi saya … Both with and without sudah are fine here.

What’s the difference between Lewat, Melalui, and Via?

All mean “through/via.” Lewat is common and slightly casual, melalui is more formal, via is a loan used in both speech and writing. Any of them works here.

Does Pesan singkat specifically mean SMS? Could I say WhatsApp or text?

Pesan singkat literally “short message,” often associated with SMS but now also used generically. Alternatives: pesan teks, SMS, chat, WhatsApp/WA. Example: … lewat WA.

Is Namun the best connector here? How about Tetapi or Tapi?

Namun is “however” and feels formal/written. Tetapi is neutral; tapi is informal. All three can join the contrast: …, namun/ tetapi/ tapi saya belum membalas. A comma before them is fine.

Why Belum and not Tidak? What nuance does Belum add?

Belum means “not yet” and implies the action is expected/possible later. Tidak is a plain negation (“not”). Saya belum membalas = I haven’t replied yet. Saya tidak membalas = I do not/did not reply (and might not intend to).

Membalas vs Menjawab: which is more natural for messages?

Membalas is the usual verb for replying to messages, emails, letters. Menjawab is “to answer,” typically questions or phone calls. Menjawab pesan exists but membalas (pesan) is more idiomatic for texting.

There’s no object after Membalas. Is that okay?

Yes. The object (the message) is understood. You can add it: namun saya belum membalasnya / belum membalas pesan itu / belum membalas pesannya.

Can I say Saya belum membalas dia?

Avoid this in careful Indonesian; membalas + person can suggest “retaliate/repay someone.” Prefer membalas pesannya or membalas chat‑nya. In casual speech some people do say bales dia, but it’s better to refer to the message.

Are there alternative word orders that sound natural?

Yes:

Dia menghubungi saya lewat pesan singkat, tapi belum saya balas.
Dia menghubungi saya lewat pesan singkat, tapi belum kubalas. (literary/concise)
Dia menghubungi saya lewat pesan singkat, tetapi saya belum sempat membalas. (adds “had no chance yet”)

How can I make the second clause more polite?

Add an apology or softener:

Maaf, saya belum sempat membalas.
Maaf, nanti segera saya balas.
Maaf, baru sempat balas nanti.

Is the comma before Namun necessary?

It’s standard to separate the clauses with a comma. You can also start a new sentence: Dia menghubungi saya lewat pesan singkat. Namun, saya belum membalas.

Any common colloquial forms I should recognize?

Yes: ngubungin (menghubungi), bales (membalas), ngechat, nge‑WA. These are fine in casual chat, not in formal writing.

Could I say “sent me a text” instead of “contacted me”? How?

Use mengirimi: Dia mengirimi saya pesan singkat, namun saya belum membalas. Mengirimi focuses on sending a message; menghubungi focuses on making contact.