Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Dia bertanya kapan presentasi dimulai, padahal jadwal sudah dikirim. - He/She asked when the presentation starts, whereas the schedule has already been sent.

Padahal signals a contrast that carries a hint of reproach or surprise, roughly “even though/whereas (but actually it shouldn’t be that way).” It implies the second clause should have prevented the first.

Example with the same tone: Dia tetap datang terlambat, padahal alarmnya sudah disetel.
More neutral alternatives: Walaupun/Meskipun jadwal sudah dikirim, dia bertanya… (no built-in reproach; often you add tetap/namun for the full effect).
Don’t pair padahal with tetapi/tapi in the other clause; padahal already encodes the contrast.

Why use dimulai instead of mulai?

dimulai is the passive form: “be started.” Presentasi dimulai highlights the event as the subject and leaves the starter implicit.
mulai can be intransitive in colloquial style: Presentasi mulai jam tiga (also fine).
Active counterpart: Panitia memulai presentasi (“The committee starts the presentation”). So your sentence uses the passive to keep the focus on the presentation, not the actor.

Can I say menanyakan instead of bertanya?

Often, yes, but note the pattern:

bertanya is intransitive and commonly followed by an embedded question: Dia bertanya kapan presentasi dimulai.
menanyakan is transitive and takes a direct object: Dia menanyakan jadwal presentasi. You will also hear Dia menanyakan kapan presentasi dimulai, which many speakers accept, but the most textbook-clear use is to have a noun as the object after menanyakan.

Do I need bahwa before the embedded question (kapan …)?

No. bahwa introduces reported statements, not interrogative clauses.

Correct: Dia bertanya kapan presentasi dimulai.
For a statement: Dia mengatakan bahwa presentasi dimulai jam tiga. Avoid: Dia bertanya bahwa kapan…

Is the word order in kapan presentasi dimulai fixed? Could I say kapan dimulai presentasi?

The given order is the most natural: kapan presentasi dimulai. You may hear kapan dimulai presentasi, and it’s not wrong, but it’s less common in careful style. Other natural options:

kapan presentasinya dimulai (definite/known presentation).
jam berapa presentasi dimulai (specifically asks for clock time).
Nominalized (more formal): Dia bertanya tentang dimulainya presentasi.

Should I add akan (future) in kapan presentasi (akan) dimulai?

Optional. kapan presentasi dimulai is fine and commonly used. kapan presentasi akan dimulai emphasizes futurity or planning. Both are correct; choose based on context and tone.

Can I use apakah with kapan?

Not together. apakah introduces a yes–no question clause. Use one or the other:

With kapan (wh-question): Dia bertanya kapan presentasi dimulai.
With apakah (yes–no): Dia bertanya apakah presentasi sudah dimulai.

Does dia mean “he” or “she”?

Both. dia is gender-neutral. Notes on register:

ia is a slightly more formal subject pronoun (usually not object).
beliau is honorific “he/she” for respected people.
Plural “they” is mereka.

What does sudah add in jadwal sudah dikirim? Is telah different?

sudah marks completion/“already.” telah is a more formal synonym (common in official writing). Colloquial form: udah.

Formal: Jadwal telah dikirim.
Neutral: Jadwal sudah dikirim.
Colloquial: Jadwalnya udah dikirim.

Who sent the schedule? Why is there no “by” phrase?

Indonesian passives often omit the agent when it’s obvious or unimportant.

Add an explicit agent with oleh: Jadwal sudah dikirim oleh panitia.
Very natural “short passive” with a pronoun agent: Jadwal sudah kami kirim (literally “The schedule we-have sent”).

Is the comma before padahal necessary?

Recommended, yes. It separates the main clause from the contrasting padahal-clause:

Dia bertanya kapan presentasi dimulai, padahal jadwal sudah dikirim.

Is this sentence formal, or could it be more casual?

Your sentence is neutral–formal. Colloquial version:

Dia nanya kapan presentasi mulai, padahal jadwalnya udah dikirim. More formal:
Ia menanyakan kapan presentasi akan dimulai, padahal jadwal telah dikirim.

Why not jadwalnya? What does the -nya add?

-nya can mark definiteness (“the/that”) or possession (“his/her/its”). Without -nya, context still often implies “the schedule.” Use jadwalnya if you mean a specific, already-known schedule or “their schedule.” Both are possible; choose based on context.

Can I front the padahal-clause?

Yes, just flip the order:

Padahal jadwal sudah dikirim, dia bertanya kapan presentasi dimulai. This puts slightly more emphasis on the “even though” context.

Is bertanya tentang kapan… correct?

Avoid that pattern. Use:

Dia bertanya kapan presentasi dimulai. (embedded question) If you want tentang, nominalize the event:
Dia bertanya tentang dimulainya presentasi.

How would the direct-speech version look?

Indirect: Dia bertanya kapan presentasi dimulai. Direct: Dia bertanya: Kapan presentasi dimulai? The rest of the sentence can stay the same: …, padahal jadwal sudah dikirim.