Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Dia bingung dengan pilihan menu karena semuanya terlihat enak. - He/She is confused by the menu choices because everything looks delicious.

Indonesian doesn’t use a copula like “is/are” before adjectives. An adjective can function as the predicate by itself. So Dia bingung literally “He/She confused” = “He/She is confused.”

Is bingung an adjective or a verb? How is it different from membingungkan?

bingung: adjective meaning “confused.” As a predicate, it’s “to be confused.”
membingungkan: verb/adjective meaning “to confuse” or “confusing.” Examples:
Dia bingung. = “She is confused.”
Menu itu membingungkan dia. = “That menu confuses her.” / “That menu is confusing.”

Why use dengan after bingung? Can I use tentang, atas, or terhadap?

bingung dengan is the natural collocation: “confused by/about.” Other options:

bingung akan: formal/literary, acceptable.
bingung tentang: uncommon and sounds off.
atas/terhadap: not used with bingung. You can also avoid a preposition: Dia bingung memilih menu (“She’s confused about choosing a menu”).

What exactly does pilihan menu mean? How is it different from menu pilihan?

pilihan menu: “menu choices/options” (the available items to choose from).
menu pilihan: “chosen/selected menu” (e.g., a curated set like “Chef’s selection”). Word order matters: head noun comes first in Indonesian noun phrases.

Where does pilihan come from? Why not just say memilih?

pilihan = “choice/selection,” a noun formed from the root pilih
- suffix -an.
memilih = “to choose,” the verb form. Your sentence uses a noun phrase (pilihan menu). A verbal alternative is:
Dia bingung (me)milih menu (colloquial often drops the prefix: pilih).

Why semuanya and not semua? What’s the difference?

semuanya is a pronoun meaning “all of them/everything.” It stands alone and refers back to previously mentioned items (the menu choices).
semua is a determiner used before a noun: semua menu (“all the menus/items”). So here semuanya = “all (of them).”

Could I say Semua terlihat enak instead of Semuanya terlihat enak?

It’s grammatical, but without a noun after semua, many speakers prefer the pronoun semuanya. If you keep semua, it’s more natural to add the noun: Semua makanannya terlihat enak (“All the dishes look delicious”).

What’s the nuance difference between terlihat, kelihatan, tampak, and nampak?

All mean “to appear/look (to the eye).”

terlihat: neutral to slightly formal.
kelihatan: neutral to colloquial.
tampak: neutral/formal.
nampak: similar to tampak, sometimes more literary/regional. In your sentence, any of them works: … karena semuanya terlihat/kelihatan/tampak enak.

Does terlihat enak mean the food actually tastes good?

Not necessarily; it means it “looks delicious.” To talk about taste after trying it:

Rasanya enak = “It tastes good.”
Terasa enak = “It feels/tastes pleasant (on the palate).”

Can I move the karena-clause to the front? Do I need a comma?

Yes. Two options:

Main clause first: Dia bingung … karena semuanya terlihat enak. (no comma needed)
Cause first: Karena semuanya terlihat enak, dia bingung … (use a comma after the cause)

Is dengan necessary here? Can I say something shorter?

You can shorten it:

Dia bingung pilih/memilih menu, … (very common; colloquial often uses pilih without the prefix)
Dia bingung soal pilihan menu, … (using soal = “about/regarding”) All are natural.

How is plurality shown here? There’s no plural ending on menu.

Indonesian doesn’t mark plural on nouns. Plurality is shown with words like semua (“all”), context, or reduplication. Here semuanya makes it clear we’re talking about multiple items.

Is enak only “tasty”? Where else is it used?

enak broadly means “pleasant/nice/comfortable,” not just taste:

Tidurnya enak. = “He slept well.”
Lagunya enak didengar. = “The song is nice to hear.”
Colloquial exclamation: Enak aja! = “No way!/How dare you!”

What’s a more formal vs more casual way to say this?

Formal-ish: Ia kebingungan menentukan pilihan menu karena semuanya tampak lezat.
Casual: Dia bingung pilih menu, soalnya semuanya kelihatan enak. Notes: kebingungan intensifies the confusion; lezat is a formal synonym of enak; soalnya is colloquial for “because.”

Any pronunciation tips for tricky parts like bingung and terlihat?

bingung: final -ng is a velar nasal [ŋ]; the u is like “oo” in “book.”
terlihat: pronounce the h; syllables: ter-li-hat. Stress is fairly even; Indonesian is not strongly stress-timed like English.