Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Pilihan tempat duduk terbatas, jadi kami datang lebih awal. - Seat choices are limited, so we arrive earlier.

pilihan is a noun from the verb pilih (choose) with the suffix -an, meaning choice/selection.
Indonesian usually doesn’t mark plural; pilihan can mean choice or choices depending on context.
To emphasize plurality, you can say berbagai pilihan or banyak pilihan (you could use pilihan-pilihan, but it’s rarely necessary).

Why is it tempat duduk and not kursi?

tempat duduk literally means sitting place, i.e., a seat or seat position (which could be a spot on a bench, a stadium seat, etc.).
kursi is a chair, the physical object.
For events or transport, both pilihan tempat duduk and pilihan kursi are used; tempat duduk is broader and not limited to individual chairs.

Is the sentence saying seats are limited or seat options are limited?

With pilihan, it emphasizes that the variety of seats you can choose from is limited (seat options are limited).
If you mean the number of seats themselves is limited, say Tempat duduk terbatas or Tempat duduknya terbatas.

What does the prefix ter- do in terbatas?

Root batas = limit; terbatas = limited (stative/resulting state) formed with ter-.
Similar stative adjectives: tertutup (closed), terluka (injured), terkenal (famous).

Why is there no word for is/are before terbatas?

Indonesian doesn’t use a linking verb before adjectives; adjectives can function as predicates.
Pilihan tempat duduk terbatas literally reads as seat options limited.
Using adalah before adjectives is usually avoided; Pilihan ... adalah terbatas sounds unnatural.

Does jadi mean so or become here?

Here jadi is a conjunction meaning so/therefore.
As a verb, jadi means become (e.g., Dia jadi dokter).
Its position linking two clauses (and the comma) makes the conjunction meaning clear.

Is the comma before jadi required?

It’s customary to use a comma when jadi links two independent clauses; it aids readability.
In casual writing you might see it omitted; both are acceptable.

Why kami and not kita?

There’s no past tense marker in kami datang—how do we know the time?

Indonesian doesn’t inflect for tense; context decides.
To mark past: tadi, kemarin, sudah (e.g., Tadi kami datang lebih awal, Kami sudah datang lebih awal).
To mark future: akan, nanti, besok (e.g., Kami akan datang lebih awal).

Can I use tiba or sampai instead of datang?

Why lebih awal? Could I just say awal or use lebih cepat?

awal = early; lebih awal = earlier (than expected/than others). Kami datang lebih awal is the most natural phrasing.
Kami datang awal is understandable but less common/natural in Indonesian.
lebih cepat talks about speed (faster), not earliness relative to a schedule, so it’s not the best fit for arrivals.

How do lebih awal, lebih dulu/lebih dahulu, and lebih dini differ?

lebih awal: earlier in clock time than expected/scheduled.
lebih dulu/lebih dahulu: earlier in order/sequence or beforehand; lebih dulu is more casual.
lebih dini: earlier, often for time-of-day or stages (e.g., bangun lebih dini, pernikahan dini). For arriving early, lebih awal or lebih dulu are more idiomatic.

Can I drop the subject and say ... jadi datang lebih awal?

Yes, Indonesian often drops known subjects.
Without context it becomes ambiguous, so in neutral writing it’s clearer to keep kami.

What other ways can I express the cause-result relationship besides jadi?

Use a cause clause with karena: Karena pilihan tempat duduk terbatas, kami datang lebih awal.
Two sentences: Pilihan tempat duduk terbatas. Jadi, kami datang lebih awal.
Register alternatives: makanya (informal), karena itu/oleh karena itu (more formal), sehingga (result, typically after the cause).

Do I need to pluralize with reduplication, like pilihan-pilihan?

No. pilihan already covers the idea of choices in context.
pilihan-pilihan is grammatical but sounds heavy; if you want to stress variety, use berbagai pilihan or banyak pilihan (though that would clash with terbatas in this sentence).