Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kursus mengemudi itu murah, dan umumnya ada diskon pagi. - That driving course is cheap, and generally there is a morning discount.

Itu is a post-nominal demonstrative that marks definiteness or points to a previously mentioned or known referent. In this sentence it most naturally reads as that/the driving course (a specific one already in context). Indonesian often uses itu after a noun phrase to make it definite.

Is the sentence talking about one specific driving course or driving courses in general?

With itu, it most naturally refers to a specific course (or a specific provider’s course). To generalize, you could say:

Kursus mengemudi biasanya murah, dan biasanya ada diskon pagi.
Secara umum, kursus mengemudi murah, dan biasanya ada diskon pagi.

Why is there no word for “is” before murah?

Indonesian doesn’t need a copula before predicate adjectives. Kursus … murah is fully grammatical. Adalah is generally used before a noun phrase, not before adjectives like murah.

Could I say Kursus mengemudi itu adalah murah?

That’s unnatural. Avoid adalah before adjectives. Say Kursus mengemudi itu murah.

Why is there no yang between kursus and mengemudi?

Mengemudi functions like a verbal complement to kursus: kursus mengemudi = a course for driving. Yang introduces relative clauses and is not needed here.

What’s the difference between mengemudi, menyetir, mengendarai, and berkendara?

Mengemudi: to drive (formal/neutral; especially cars). Common in course names.
Menyetir: to drive (colloquial, everyday).
Mengendarai: to ride/drive a vehicle (requires an object: mengendarai mobil/motor).
Berkendara: to travel by vehicle (intransitive; not used for course names). All are understood; kursus mengemudi/menyetir are the most natural.

Can I say kursus menyetir instead of kursus mengemudi?

Yes. Kursus menyetir is perfectly natural in conversation and ads. Kursus mengemudi sounds a bit more formal.

What does umumnya mean compared with biasanya, pada umumnya, or sering?

Umumnya / pada umumnya: generally, as a broad statement (the latter is slightly more formal).
Biasanya: usually, as a typical routine or habit.
Sering: often, focuses on frequency. Any of these could fit, with slight nuance differences:
… dan biasanya ada diskon pagi.
… dan pada umumnya ada diskon pagi.
… dan sering ada diskon pagi.

Where can I place umumnya in the clause?

It’s flexible:

Sentence-initial: Umumnya, ada diskon pagi.
After the conjunction: … dan umumnya ada diskon pagi.
Sentence-final is possible but less natural in this case.

Why use ada here?

Ada is the existential verb meaning “there is/are.” Umumnya ada diskon pagi = “generally, there are morning discounts.” Don’t use mempunyai/memiliki here; those mean “to have” with an explicit subject, e.g., Toko itu memiliki diskon pagi.

What does diskon pagi mean exactly? Is that a compound?

Yes, it’s a noun–noun compound: diskon (discount) + pagi (morning) = “morning discount.” Indonesian often puts the head noun first and the modifier noun second.

Do I need a preposition, like di pagi hari?

Not required. Diskon pagi is concise and idiomatic. More explicit options:

Diskon di pagi hari
Diskon khusus pagi All are acceptable; register and emphasis differ slightly.

Is diskon singular or plural here?

Indonesian doesn’t mark number on nouns by default. Ada diskon pagi can mean “there is a morning discount” or “there are morning discounts,” depending on context. To stress plurality: ada beberapa diskon pagi.

How do I ask “Are there morning discounts?” formally and informally?

Formal/neutral: Apakah ada diskon pagi?
Casual: Ada diskon pagi nggak? / Ada diskon pagi, nggak?

Is the comma before dan necessary?

Optional. It’s fine with or without the comma: …, dan … vs … dan …. The comma can help readability but isn’t required.

Can I use ini or tersebut instead of itu? What changes?

Ini: proximal, “this,” something near or just introduced: Kursus mengemudi ini murah.
Tersebut: formal, “the aforementioned”: Kursus mengemudi tersebut murah.
Itu: distal/definite, often “that/the,” neutral in many contexts.