Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kapan pun saya khawatir, saya menghubungi kakak perempuan saya. - Whenever I am worried, I contact my older sister.

bold kapan pun bold = whenever; at any time that something happens. Good for general, habitual statements.
bold kalau bold = if/when in casual style. Works here too: bold Kalau saya khawatir, saya menghubungi… bold
bold jika bold = if (more formal than bold kalau bold).
bold ketika bold = when (at the time when), typically for a specific time (often in narratives).
bold setiap kali bold = every time; emphasizes regularity: bold Setiap kali saya khawatir, … bold
bold kapan saja bold = at any time/anytime (availability/possibility), not usually used to introduce a clause the way bold kapan pun bold does. Better for sentences like bold Kamu bisa menghubungi saya kapan saja. bold
Not the same: bold kapan-kapan bold = sometime (unspecified future).

Should bold kapan bold and bold pun bold be written together or separately?

Write them separately: bold kapan pun bold. That’s the standard spelling. You will see the fused form bold kapanpun bold informally online, but it’s nonstandard. As a guide:

Separate: bold apa pun, siapa pun, kapan pun, di mana pun bold
Fused (fixed forms): bold walaupun, meskipun, bagaimanapun, ataupun, adapun bold

Is the comma after the first clause necessary?

Yes, when the adverbial clause comes first, use a comma: bold Kapan pun saya khawatir, saya menghubungi… bold If you reverse the order, the comma is usually dropped: bold Saya menghubungi kakak perempuan saya kapan pun saya khawatir. bold

Could I use bold ketika bold instead of bold kapan pun bold here?

You can, but it changes the nuance. bold Ketika saya khawatir, … bold tends to sound like you’re talking about a specific time period in a narrative. For a general habit, bold kapan pun bold or bold setiap kali bold is more natural.

What is bold khawatir bold grammatically? Do I need bold merasa bold?

bold Khawatir bold is an adjective that can function as a predicate, so bold Saya khawatir bold = I am worried. You can add bold merasa bold to say bold Saya merasa khawatir bold (I feel worried), but it’s not required. Don’t say bold saya mengkhawatir bold (ungrammatical). Related forms:

bold mengkhawatirkan bold = to worry (someone)/worrying. Example: bold Situasi itu mengkhawatirkan saya. bold
bold dikhawatirkan bold = is feared/there is concern that…

How do you pronounce the bold kh bold in bold khawatir bold?

Indonesian bold kh bold is often pronounced like a stronger h; many speakers just say it like an English h. So bold khawatir bold sounds close to “hawa-teer.”

What’s the difference between bold menghubungi, hubungi, bold and bold menghubungkan bold?

bold menghubungi bold = to contact (someone). That’s what you want here.
bold hubungi bold = contact! (imperative/command form).
bold menghubungkan bold = to connect/link (things), not to contact a person. Example: bold Menghubungkan komputer ke jaringan bold.

Does bold menghubungi bold take a preposition?

No. It takes a direct object: bold Saya menghubungi kakak perempuan saya/dia. bold Don’t add bold kepada bold. If you switch to “talk to,” use a preposition: bold berbicara dengan/kepada bold.

What are natural alternatives to bold menghubungi bold?

Phone: bold menelepon/menelpon bold, or colloquial bold telepon/nelpon bold. Example: bold … saya menelepon kakak perempuan saya. bold
Message: bold mengirim pesan, mengirim WA (colloquial), nge-chat bold.
Casual “contact”: bold mengontak/kontak, ngubungin/hubungin bold (colloquial).

Can I say “talk to” instead of “contact”?

Yes. For example:

bold Kapan pun saya khawatir, saya berbicara dengan kakak perempuan saya. bold
More colloquial: bold … saya curhat ke kakak saya. bold (curhat = vent/share feelings)

Is bold saya bold interchangeable with bold aku bold here?

Both mean I/me. bold Saya bold is neutral–polite/formal; bold aku bold is casual/intimate. Don’t mix them within the same sentence for the same speaker. So either:

bold Kapan pun saya khawatir, saya … bold
or bold Kapan pun aku khawatir, aku … bold

Can I omit the second bold saya bold?

Better not in this sentence. bold Kapan pun saya khawatir, menghubungi kakak perempuan saya bold sounds like a subject is missing and can be misread as an instruction. You can drop the first person in the first clause instead, e.g., bold Kalau khawatir, saya menghubungi… bold where the subject is understood from the second clause.

What exactly does bold kakak perempuan saya bold mean? Are there simpler options?

bold kakak bold = older sibling
bold perempuan bold = female
bold kakak perempuan saya bold = my older sister In many contexts, bold kakak saya bold (my older sibling) is enough if the gender is already known. If you want a shorter possessive:
bold kakakku bold = my older sibling
bold kakak perempuanku bold = my older sister Note: Don’t say bold kakak perempuan aku bold; attach bold -ku bold to the noun: bold kakak perempuanku bold.

What if the sister is younger?

Use bold adik perempuan saya bold (my younger sister). Similarly, bold kakak laki-laki bold = older brother; bold adik laki-laki bold = younger brother.

Is bold wanita bold acceptable instead of bold perempuan bold?

With kinship terms, bold perempuan bold is the natural choice. bold kakak wanita saya bold sounds off. Use bold kakak perempuan bold.

What does bold pun bold do here, and where else is it used?

bold pun bold is a particle that makes the question word indefinite: bold kapan pun bold = whenever; bold apa pun bold = whatever; bold siapa pun bold = whoever; bold di mana pun bold = wherever. It can also mean even in certain set phrases, e.g., bold walaupun/meskipun bold (even though).

How do I express a habitual or past habit more clearly if needed?

Indonesian relies on context, but you can add adverbs:

Habitual: bold Biasanya/selalu, kapan pun saya khawatir, saya menghubungi… bold
Past habit: bold Dulu, kapan pun saya khawatir, saya menghubungi… bold You can also add bold akan bold to stress intention: bold Kapan pun saya khawatir, saya akan menghubungi… bold (I will make sure to…).