Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Dia khawatir, padahal dokter sudah mengatakan semuanya aman. - He/She is worried, whereas the doctor has said everything is safe.

Padahal means “whereas/when in fact,” marking a contrast where the second clause states a known or expected fact that makes the first clause surprising or inappropriate. It often carries a slight “you really shouldn’t…” or “ironically” nuance.

Compare:
- tapi/tetapi/namun = “but/however” (general contrast).
- walaupun/meskipun/meski = “even though,” concessive, neutral in tone.
- sedangkan/sementara = “whereas/while,” contrasts two different subjects or situations without the “shouldn’t” feel. In this sentence, padahal suggests “She’s worried, whereas the doctor has already said everything is safe (so she shouldn’t be).”

Can padahal start a sentence?

Yes. You can front the padahal-clause for emphasis:

Padahal dokter sudah mengatakan semuanya aman, dia khawatir. This is common in speech and acceptable in writing. Just make sure both clauses are present; padahal needs something to contrast with.

Is the comma before padahal necessary?

Recommended, yes. A comma helps separate the two clauses: Dia khawatir, padahal … Without a comma it’s not “wrong,” but standard writing prefers the comma.

Do I need bahwa after mengatakan?

It’s optional. All are correct:

dokter sudah mengatakan semuanya aman
dokter sudah mengatakan bahwa semuanya aman Using bahwa makes the clause boundary explicit and feels a bit more formal. Without bahwa is very common in everyday Indonesian.

What does sudah add here? Could I use telah or udah?

Sudah marks completion (“already/has”). Alternatives:

telah = same meaning, more formal/written.
udah = colloquial form of sudah. So you could say: dokter telah mengatakan … (formal) or dokter udah bilang … (casual).

Does sudah modify “has said” or “is safe”? How do I show each meaning?

Scope depends on placement:

Dokter sudah mengatakan (bahwa) semuanya aman = the doctor has already said it (completion on “say”).
Dokter mengatakan (bahwa) semuanya sudah aman = the doctor says everything is already safe (completion on “be safe”). Both are grammatical but mean different things.

Is khawatir a verb or an adjective? Do I need something like “to be”?

Khawatir is a stative adjective that can function as the predicate (“to be worried”). Indonesian adjectives don’t need a copula:

Dia khawatir = “He/She is worried.” You can modify it:
Dia sangat khawatir/khawatir sekali/khawatir banget (very worried; last is casual). You can add what they’re worried about:
khawatir akan keselamatan anaknya, khawatir tentang hasil tes, khawatir terhadap risiko.

Why is there no “to be” before aman in semuanya aman?

Indonesian doesn’t use a copula with adjectives. Aman itself serves as the predicate:

Semuanya aman = “Everything is safe.” Use adalah/ialah only to equate nouns (e.g., X adalah dokter), not before adjectives.

What’s the difference between semua and semuanya?

semua = “all” (determiner) and must modify a noun: semua orang, semua barang.
semuanya = “all of it/them; everything” (pronoun). It stands alone: Semuanya aman. Note: write semuanya as one word, not semua nya.

Is dokter “the doctor” or “a doctor”? How do I make it explicit?

Indonesian has no articles. dokter can mean “the doctor” or “a doctor,” decided by context. To be explicit:

“a doctor” = seorang dokter
“the doctor (that one)” = dokter itu or dokternya (context-known/possessive-like)

Could I use bilang or berkata instead of mengatakan?

Yes, with pattern differences:

bilang (colloquial): Dokter sudah bilang (bahwa) semuanya aman.
berkata (neutral/formal), often with bahwa or an indirect object: Dokter berkata bahwa semuanya aman; Dokter berkata kepada kami bahwa…
mengatakan requires a direct object (what is said): … mengatakan (bahwa) semuanya aman.

How about menyatakan or menyebutkan?

menyatakan = “to state/declare” (more formal, assertive): Dokter telah menyatakan semuanya aman.
menyebutkan = “to mention/list” (not to assert truth): Dokter menyebutkan beberapa risiko. So in your sentence, mengatakan or menyatakan fit; menyebutkan would change the nuance.

Is there a more natural way to say “the doctor said,” like “according to the doctor”?

Yes, kata dokter is very common and natural:

Dia khawatir, padahal kata dokter semuanya aman. This is everyday Indonesian for reported speech.

Should I use masih or tetap to express “still” worried?

Both can work, with nuance:

masih = still (continuing state): Dia masih khawatir, padahal …
tetap = remains/keeps (in spite of something): Dia tetap khawatir, padahal … Here, either is fine; masih is the default for “still.”

Any pronunciation tips for tricky parts?

kh in khawatir is often pronounced like a hard h (some say it like the ch in Scottish “loch”).
Stress is typically on the second-to-last syllable:
- kha-WA-tir, pa-DA-hal, doK-ter, me-nga-TA-kan, se-MU-a-nya, A-man. Natural speech is syllable-timed; keep vowels clear.

Is the spelling khawatir fixed? I’ve seen kuatir.

Standard spelling is khawatir. You might see kuatir/kawatir informally or historically, but stick to khawatir in modern standard Indonesian.