Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Alasan dia pulang cepat adalah karena presentasi selesai lebih awal. - His/Her reason for going home quickly is that the presentation finished earlier.

Alasan dia pulang cepat adalah presentasi selesai lebih awal.
Dia pulang cepat karena presentasi selesai lebih awal. Use “adalah karena” if you like the rhythm; drop one of them for a tighter style, especially in formal writing.

Can I drop either “adalah” or “karena” here?

Drop “karena”: Alasan dia pulang cepat adalah presentasi selesai lebih awal. (Good, concise.)
Drop “adalah”: Alasan dia pulang cepat karena presentasi selesai lebih awal. (Common in speech; some style guides mark it less formal.)

Does “pulang cepat” mean “go home quickly” or “go home early”?

In everyday Indonesian, pulang cepat usually means “go home early (earlier than usual/scheduled).” To mean “in a hurry/at high speed,” use: pulang cepat-cepat, bergegas pulang, or pulang dengan cepat.

What’s the difference between “pulang cepat” and “pulang lebih cepat/lebih awal”?

pulang cepat: commonly “go home early.”
pulang lebih cepat: “go home earlier/faster” (ambiguous without context).
pulang lebih awal: unambiguously “go home earlier (than planned/usual).”

Is “cepat pulang” the same as “pulang cepat”?

No. pulang cepat is a statement (“he went home early/quickly”). cepat pulang! is usually an imperative (“hurry home!”). As a statement, Dia cepat pulang sounds odd; use Dia pulang cepat or a clearer alternative.

Why use “lebih awal” instead of “lebih cepat”?

lebih awal = earlier in time relative to a schedule/expectation.
lebih cepat = faster speed or shorter duration. With selesai, both can work, but:
- presentasi selesai lebih awal (ended earlier than scheduled/timepoint).
- presentasi selesai lebih cepat (finished in less time/faster pace).

Should I add “sudah” before “selesai” (presentasi sudah selesai)?

It’s optional. sudah highlights completion: presentasi sudah selesai = “the presentation has already finished.” Without sudah, context usually suffices to imply completion.

Do I need “-nya” in “presentasinya selesai lebih awal”?

Not required. presentasinya adds definiteness/known reference (“the presentation in question” or “his/her presentation”). Without -nya, it’s still natural and generic: presentasi selesai lebih awal.

Can I replace “karena” with “sebab,” “soalnya,” or “gara-gara”?

sebab: Formal/literary alternative. Dia pulang cepat sebab presentasi selesai lebih awal.
soalnya: Informal, often after a pause/comma. Dia pulang cepat, soalnya presentasi selesai lebih awal.
gara-gara: Colloquial and usually negative/complaint tone; sounds odd here unless you imply an unwanted outcome.

Is any comma needed in the original sentence?

No. But if you front the reason, add a comma: Karena presentasi selesai lebih awal, dia pulang cepat.

What’s the role of “adalah” here? Is it always necessary?

adalah is a copula (“is/are”) linking the subject to a predicate (often a noun/adjective). It’s common in formal style. You can often omit it in everyday Indonesian, but keeping it here helps clarity when the predicate is a karena-clause.

What’s the nuance of “dia” vs “ia” vs “beliau”?

dia: neutral, everyday “he/she.”
ia: more formal, mostly as subject (Ia pulang cepat). Not used as object.
beliau: respectful/honorific for elders or important figures.

Is “pulang” the same as “kembali” or “balik”?

pulang: go home/return to one’s place of origin.
kembali: return (to a place), neutral/formal; not specifically “home.”
balik: informal “go back/return.”
Only pulang guarantees the “home” idea: pulang cepat = go home early.

Could I rephrase to sound more natural in conversation?

Yes. Two very natural options:

Dia pulang cepat karena presentasi selesai lebih awal.
Karena presentasi selesai lebih awal, dia pulang cepat.