Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Pilihan kami adalah pulang lebih awal.

It’s better not to, because the complement is a verb phrase (pulang lebih awal). Without adalah, “Pilihan kami pulang lebih awal” sounds odd (as if “our choice” itself “goes home”). Keep adalah, or rephrase as a verbal sentence: Kami memilih (untuk) pulang lebih awal.

What’s the difference between adalah and ialah here?

Both mean “is/are” in writing. A common rule of thumb: use ialah when the complement is a noun phrase, and adalah more generally. With a verb phrase like pulang, adalah is safer and more common: Pilihan kami adalah pulang lebih awal. Some do say …ialah pulang…, but many editors prefer adalah in this context.

Is adalah untuk pulang lebih awal okay?

You’ll see it, but many style guides call adalah untuk + verb needlessly wordy. Prefer adalah pulang lebih awal or switch to a verbal clause: Kami memilih untuk pulang lebih awal.

Why use pulang instead of pergi?

pulang = go/return home (to one’s base/home).
pergi = go (to some place, not necessarily home).
Since the idea is “go home early,” pulang is the right verb.

Does kami include the listener?

No. kami is “we (not including you).” If the listener is part of the group, use kita: Pilihan kita adalah pulang lebih awal.

What exactly does lebih awal mean? How is it different from lebih cepat or lebih dulu/duluan?

lebih awal = earlier in time/schedule.
lebih cepat = faster (speed), and by extension “earlier,” but can be ambiguous.
lebih dulu / duluan = earlier/before others (common in speech).
All can work, but lebih awal is the clearest for time.

Why is it pulang lebih awal, not lebih awal pulang?

Adverbs like lebih awal usually follow the verb: verb + modifier is the default order (pulang + lebih awal). You can front it only for emphasis as a separate topic: Lebih awal, kami pulang, but not as lebih awal pulang inside the verb phrase.

How do I negate this idea (“Our choice is not to go home early”)?

Say: Pilihan kami adalah tidak pulang lebih awal. Use tidak to negate the verb phrase. Another option is to switch to a verbal clause: Kami tidak memilih untuk pulang lebih awal.

What’s a more natural everyday way to say this?

Neutral: Kami memilih pulang lebih awal.
Casual: Kami pulang duluan, Kami mau balik lebih awal, or simply Kami balik duluan.
Choose based on formality and who you’re talking to.

Is there a difference in nuance between Pilihan kami adalah… and Kami memilih…?

Yes. Pilihan kami adalah… presents the result/option as a fact or decision (more formal, noun-focused). Kami memilih… describes the action of choosing (a bit more direct and natural in conversation).

What does lebih do in lebih awal?

lebih marks a comparative: “more/‑er.” awal = “early,” so lebih awal = “earlier.” Here it functions adverbially to modify the verb pulang.

What is the form pilihan?

It’s a noun derived from the verb pilih (“choose”) with the suffix ‑an: pilihan = “choice/selection.” Related alternatives include opsi and alternatif (both common loanwords).