Saya akan memberi tahu Ibu sebelum pulang.

I will inform Mother before going home.

Breakdown of Saya akan memberi tahu Ibu sebelum pulang.

• saya: I
• sebelum: before
• akan: will
• pulang: to go home
• ibu: the mother
• memberi tahu: to inform

Questions & Answers about Saya akan memberi tahu Ibu sebelum pulang.

Is akan required to express the future here?

No. Indonesian doesn’t mark tense. Akan is an optional future marker that adds a sense of intention/planning and sounds a bit more formal. All of these are fine:

• Saya akan memberi tahu Ibu sebelum pulang.
• Saya memberi tahu Ibu sebelum pulang.
• Nanti saya memberi tahu Ibu sebelum pulang. (using nanti “later”)

What’s the difference between memberi tahu, memberitahu, and memberitahukan?

• memberi tahu (two words): very common and natural; literally “give know(ledge)”.
• memberitahu (one word): also standard; same meaning as above.
• memberitahukan: more formal; often used with a recipient introduced by kepada (e.g., memberitahukan hal itu kepada Ibu).

Can I say beri tahu or beritahu instead?

Yes. Beri tahu/beritahu are commonly used, especially in imperatives:

• Beri tahu/beritahu Ibu kalau kamu terlambat. = Tell Mom if you’re late.

Do I need kepada before Ibu?

Not with memberi tahu/memberitahu in everyday style. Saya akan memberi tahu Ibu… is natural. With the more formal memberitahukan, you’ll often see kepada: Saya akan memberitahukan hal itu kepada Ibu…

Why is Ibu capitalized?

Kinship terms are capitalized when used as a form of address or as a substitute for a name (e.g., your own mother or a respected woman). Lowercase ibu is the common noun “mother.” Capital Ibu can also be an honorific for an older/respected woman.

How do I say “my mother” explicitly?

Use a possessive:

• Ibu saya or Ibuku = my mother. If you’re clearly talking about your own mother, just Ibu (capitalized) often suffices.

What if I’m speaking directly to my mom?

Address her as Bu and switch to the informal aku if appropriate:

• Bu, nanti aku kasih tahu sebelum pulang.
• More neutral/formal: Bu, nanti saya memberi tahu sebelum pulang.

Do I need to repeat the subject in sebelum pulang (e.g., sebelum saya pulang)?

Not if the subject is the same as in the main clause; it’s understood. Add the pronoun if there’s any chance of ambiguity:

• …sebelum saya pulang (clear that “I” am the one going home).

Can I front the time clause?

Yes:

• Sebelum pulang, saya akan memberi tahu Ibu. When fronted, use a comma after the subordinate clause.

What exactly does pulang mean? Do I need to say ke rumah?

Pulang means “to go/come home; to return (home).” You don’t need ke rumah; pulang already implies home. You can add a destination for clarity: pulang ke kantor (return to the office), etc.

Is balik a good alternative to pulang?

Colloquially, yes: balik can mean “go back/return.” It’s more informal/regional. pulang is the neutral, standard choice for “go home.” kembali is “return (to a place/state)” and is more formal/neutral but not specifically “go home.”

How do I negate the sentence correctly?

Place tidak before akan or the verb:

• Saya tidak akan memberi tahu Ibu sebelum pulang. Avoid Saya akan tidak memberi tahu…; it sounds awkward.

Can I replace akan with bakal or nanti?

• bakal: informal equivalent of “will” (e.g., Saya bakal…).
• nanti: means “later,” not a future marker per se, but commonly used to imply a future time (e.g., Nanti saya kasih tahu…). Choose based on formality and nuance.

Is tahu ever written tau? And doesn’t tahu also mean “tofu”?

In informal writing, people often type tau, but the standard spelling is tahu. Yes, tahu also means “tofu”; context disambiguates. In careful/formal writing, use tahu for both meanings.

Is saya the best pronoun here? What about aku?

saya is polite/neutral and fits well with Ibu (a respectful term). aku is more intimate/informal. Choose based on your relationship and context.

Are there more natural/informal ways to say “tell/let (someone) know”?

Yes, depending on register:

• Neutral: memberi tahu / memberitahu
• Informal: bilang (ke/sama), kasih tahu / ngasih tau
• “Let someone know / update”: mengabari / kabari Examples:
• Nanti aku bilang sama Ibu.
• Nanti aku ngasih tau Ibu.
• Nanti aku kabari Ibu.

How do I add the content of what I’ll tell her (a “that”-clause)?

Use a clause with or without bahwa (that), or use kalau in informal speech:

• Saya akan memberi tahu Ibu (bahwa) saya pulang terlambat.
• Informal: Aku bakal bilang ke Ibu kalau aku pulang telat.

Can memberi tahu take both the person and the thing I’ll tell?

Yes. Patterns:

• Person + clause/thing: memberi tahu Ibu rencananya / …bahwa rapat dibatalkan.
• About + topic: memberi tahu Ibu tentang rencana itu (use tentang with a noun topic, not with a full clause).