Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Dia selalu jujur tentang alasannya. - She/He is always honest about the reason.

Put selalu before the predicate: Dia selalu jujur ...; Dia selalu berkata jujur ...
Dia jujur selalu is unnatural except for marked/poetic emphasis.
Colloquial alternative for “all the time”: ... jujur terus.

Is jujur an adjective or an adverb here?

It’s an adjective functioning as the predicate: Dia jujur (“He/She is honest”).
To modify a verb, use a manner phrase: Dia menjelaskan dengan/ secara jujur (“He/She explained honestly”).

What does the suffix -nya in alasannya do?

It marks third-person possession or definiteness.
- Possessive: alasannya = “his/her reason(s).”
- Definite: alasannya = “the reason” (already known).
Without it, alasan is indefinite (“a reason/reasons”).

Could -nya refer to someone other than the subject?

Yes. -nya refers to a third person in context, not automatically the subject.
To clarify:
- alasannya sendiri = his/her own reason.
- alasan dia / alasan [Name] = [his/her]/[Name]’s reason.
- alasan bosnya = his/her boss’s reason.

Can I use alasan dia instead of alasannya?

Yes: Dia selalu jujur tentang alasan dia is correct.
Nuance:
- alasannya is compact but can be ambiguous.
- alasan dia states the possessor explicitly; helpful when contrasting with others’ reasons.

Is tentang the right preposition with jujur? What about kepada/pada/dengan/terhadap?

Topic of honesty: use tentang/ mengenai/ soal.
- Dia jujur tentang alasannya.
Person you’re honest to: use kepada/pada; colloquial: sama.
- Dia jujur kepada saya / Dia jujur sama saya.
Manner with a verb: dengan/ secara jujur.
- Dia menjelaskan dengan jujur.
terhadap appears in set phrases like jujur terhadap diri sendiri.
Avoid atas here; it doesn’t mean “about.”

Are there natural alternatives to tentang alasannya?

Formal: jujur mengenai alasannya.
Neutral: jujur tentang alasan(-)nya.
Casual: jujur soal alasannya.
Use a why-clause if you like:
- jujur tentang mengapa/kenapa dia melakukannya
- jujur tentang alasan mengapa ... (redundant but common)

How do I talk about multiple reasons?

Plural is often unmarked; context does the job.
To mark plural:
- Reduplication: alasan-alasan.
- Quantifier: banyak alasan / berbagai alasan.
- Possessive plural: alasan-alasannya (“his/her various reasons”).

How do I say “not always honest” versus “always dishonest”?

Not always honest: Dia tidak selalu jujur tentang alasannya. (sometimes honest, sometimes not)
Always dishonest: Dia selalu tidak jujur (more natural: Dia selalu berbohong). (never honest)

Can I move words around for emphasis, like Selalu dia jujur...?

Best default: Dia selalu jujur ...
Fronted Selalu is marked/poetic: Selalu dia jujur tentang alasannya (rare in speech).
Final ... jujur selalu is generally avoided.

Do I need a word for “is” here? Should I use adalah?

No copula with adjectives: Dia jujur = “He/She is honest.”
Don’t say Dia adalah jujur.
With a noun complement, use adalah: Dia adalah orang yang jujur (“He/She is an honest person”).

How do I mention both the person I’m honest to and the topic?

Both orders work:
- Dia selalu jujur kepada saya tentang alasannya.
- Dia selalu jujur tentang alasannya kepada saya.
Recipient-first (kepada/pada/sama) is slightly more common.

How do I express past or future time with this sentence?

No tense inflection; add time markers:
- Past habit: Dulu dia selalu jujur tentang alasannya.
- Recent past: Tadi dia jujur tentang alasannya.
- Future: Dia akan selalu jujur tentang alasannya.

Can selalu modify a noun phrase like “an always honest person”?

Not directly before a noun. Use:
- Dia selalu jujur.
- Dia selalu menjadi orang yang jujur.
- Dia orang yang selalu jujur.

Can jujur be used like English “Honestly, ...” at the start of a sentence?

Yes:
- Jujur, saya tidak tahu. (“Honestly, I don’t know.”)
- Terus terang, ... is a close, sometimes blunter, synonym.

Any quick pronunciation tips for parts of this sentence?