Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Baju kerja dia sepertinya terlalu besar.

Baju kerja dia terlalu besar. = “His/Her work clothes are too big.” Using adalah before an adjective is generally wrong here. You’d only use adalah before a noun phrase (e.g., Dia adalah dokter.).

Why does the pronoun dia come after baju kerja instead of before it?

Possession in Indonesian is typically expressed as “possessed + possessor.” So:

baju kerja dia = “his/her work clothes” This pattern is the same with other pronouns: rumah saya (my house), mobil mereka (their car). Putting the pronoun before the noun would change the meaning (e.g., Dia punya baju kerja means “He/She has work clothes,” not “his/her work clothes”).

Can I replace dia with -nya and say Baju kerjanya sepertinya terlalu besar?

Yes. Baju kerjanya also means “his/her work clothes.” The clitic -nya can mark third-person possession. Nuance:

baju kerja dia and baju kerjanya are both natural.
-nya often makes the noun feel more specific or “known” in context, and in speech it can also sound a bit more fluid.

Does the -nya in sepertinya refer to “his/her”? Who does it refer to?

In this fixed expression, sepertinya means “it seems/it looks like,” and the -nya isn’t a normal possessor. Think of sepertinya as an adverb meaning “apparently/it seems,” not “like his/her.” It’s formed from seperti + -nya, but here -nya doesn’t point to a specific person.

Where can I put sepertinya in the sentence?

It’s flexible. Common options:

Sepertinya baju kerja dia terlalu besar. (Very common, neutral)
Baju kerja dia sepertinya terlalu besar. (Your sentence; also natural)
Baju kerja dia terlalu besar, sepertinya. (Afterthought/softer, conversational) All three are acceptable; choose based on rhythm and emphasis.

What exactly does baju kerja mean—“work clothes,” “work shirt,” or “uniform”?

baju kerja: general “work clothes” or “work shirt/top,” depending on context.
If you mean a specific collared shirt, use kemeja kerja (“work shirt”).
If you mean an official uniform, use seragam (e.g., seragam kerja).
For broader “work attire,” pakaian kerja is common.

Do adjectives go after the noun in Indonesian?

Yes, attributive adjectives follow the noun:

baju besar = big shirt In your sentence, terlalu besar is the predicate adjective (not directly modifying a noun), so it comes after the subject: Baju kerja dia (subject) … terlalu besar (predicate).

Is terlalu always negative like English “too (big)”?

Yes, terlalu marks excess and often implies a problem:

terlalu besar = too big For neutral/high degree without the negative nuance, use:
sangat besar = very big
besar sekali or colloquial besar banget = very/so big

Could I say kebesaran instead of terlalu besar?

Yes. kebesaran (ke- -an) is a common, compact way to say “too big,” especially for clothes:

Baju kerjanya kebesaran. It often implies “too big for the wearer.” Colloquially, you’ll also hear kegedean (informal). All of these are natural; kebesaran is concise and idiomatic.

Is the sentence talking about one garment or multiple clothes? Indonesian doesn’t mark plural—how do I make it clear?

By default it’s ambiguous. Context usually clarifies. To be specific:

One item: sehelai baju kerja / satu baju kerja / satu kemeja kerja
A set: pakaian kerja (work attire)
A specific known item: add itu (that) or -nya (the/its/his/her), e.g., Baju kerja itu…, Baju kerjanya…

What’s the register difference among sepertinya, kayaknya, tampaknya, and kelihatannya?

All can convey “it seems/appears,” but:

sepertinya: neutral, widely used.
kayaknya: informal/colloquial.
tampaknya: more formal/literary.
kelihatannya: “it looks like” (literally “visibly”), neutral–informal. You can swap them according to tone: Kelihatannya baju kerja dia terlalu besar.

What’s the difference between dia, ia, and beliau here?

dia: common 3rd-person pronoun in speech and writing; can follow nouns for possession (baju dia).
ia: more formal/literary; typically used as a subject before verbs; not natural after nouns for possession (avoid baju ia).
beliau: respectful “he/she” for elders or esteemed figures; possession: baju kerja beliau (polite).

Can I make the sentence more direct or softer?

More direct (drop the hedge): Baju kerja dia terlalu besar.
Softer/hedged: add mungkin or use an afterthought:
- Sepertinya baju kerja dia agak kebesaran.
- Baju kerja dia terlalu besar, sepertinya.
Stronger emphasis: Baju kerja dia besar sekali/banget. (Note: that’s “very big,” not “too big.”)

Is baju the best word for “shirt” in a work context?

Often you’ll want kemeja for a collared work shirt:

Kemeja kerja dia sepertinya terlalu besar. Use baju for a general top or clothing; pakaian for “clothes/attire”; jas for a suit jacket/blazer.

Are there other natural ways to say this?

Yes, some idiomatic variants:

Sepertinya baju kerjanya kebesaran.
Kelihatannya kemeja kerja dia kebesaran.
Colloquial: Kayaknya baju kerjanya kegedean. All mean roughly “(It) seems (his/her) work shirt/clothes are too big.”