Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Pertama-tama, saya membalas pesan secepat mungkin. - First of all, I reply to messages as fast as possible.

pertama-tama: “first of all”; a discourse marker to open a sequence. Slightly more formal/emphatic.
pertama: “first/firstly”; can start a list or modify nouns (e.g., hari pertama = the first day).
yang pertama: “the first one”; refers to an item in a set.
pertama kali: “the first time.”

Do I need the comma after pertama-tama?

It’s standard to put a comma after a sentence-initial adverbial like pertama-tama.
In casual writing you’ll also see it without a comma, but with the comma reads more naturally.

Can I drop saya?

Indonesian often drops subjects when context is clear, but a full sentence like this usually keeps saya.
For instructions or to-do steps, you’d more naturally switch to the imperative: Pertama-tama, balas pesan secepat mungkin.

What’s the register difference between saya, aku, and gue/gua?

saya: polite/neutral, safe in most situations (work, strangers, writing).
aku: informal/intimate with friends or in personal writing/lyrics.
gue/gua (gw): very colloquial Jakarta Indonesian; use within that social circle.

Why is it membalas and not just balas?

The base verb is balas (“reply/return/respond”). The active transitive prefix meN- turns it into membalas (“to reply [to something]”).
Assimilation rule: meN-
- b → mem-, hence membalas.
Use the bare form balas for imperatives: Balas pesan…

Do I need a preposition like “to” after membalas?

No. membalas takes a direct object: membalas pesan (“reply to a message”).
Don’t say membalas ke pesan. If you replace the noun with a pronoun, use membalasnya (“reply to it”).

What’s the difference between membalas and menjawab?

membalas is the natural choice for replying to written messages: membalas pesan/email/chat/surat.
menjawab is “to answer,” often for questions or calls: menjawab pertanyaan/telepon. Some people say menjawab pesan, but membalas pesan sounds more idiomatic.
More formal synonyms: merespons, menanggapi (“to respond to”).

Is pesan the right word for a text/DM/email?

pesan is generic “message.”
You can be specific: pesan teks/SMS, chat/WA (WhatsApp), DM, email (also surel in formal contexts).

What does secepat mungkin literally mean, and what’s the pattern?

It’s the pattern se- + adjective + mungkin = “as [adjective] as possible.”
Here: secepat (as fast) + mungkin (as possible).
Other examples: sebanyak mungkin (as much as possible), sesingkat mungkin (as brief as possible), setenang mungkin (as calm as possible).

How is secepat mungkin different from sesegera mungkin, secepatnya, and segera?

secepat mungkin and sesegera mungkin both mean “as soon/fast as possible.” sesegera leans toward time (“ASAP”), secepat toward speed; in practice they overlap.
secepatnya ≈ “as soon as possible/at the earliest”; common in notices: Harap dibayar secepatnya.
segera = “immediately/soon”: Segera balas pesan itu.
You may also see secepat-cepatnya for emphasis (more formal/literary).

Can I move secepat mungkin elsewhere in the sentence?

Most natural: Saya membalas pesan secepat mungkin.
Also fine: Saya secepat mungkin membalas pesan (emphasis on speed).
Avoid: Saya membalas secepat mungkin pesan (word order feels off).
Fronting for emphasis is possible but marked: Secepat mungkin, saya membalas pesan.

How do I show past, present, or future here?

Verbs don’t change form. Use time/aspect markers:
- Past/completed: sudah/telah; time words like tadi/kemarin. Example: Tadi saya sudah membalas pesan…
- Progressive: sedang. Example: Saya sedang membalas pesan…
- Future: akan/nanti. Example: Saya akan membalas pesan…

Do I need pesan-pesan to mean “messages” (plural)?

Plural is optional and usually inferred from context. pesan can mean “message/messages.”
Use reduplication pesan-pesan if you want to emphasize plurality, or quantifiers: banyak pesan, semua pesan, beberapa pesan.

How do I say “reply to your message / his message”?

saya membalas pesanmu (your message, informal).
saya membalas pesan Anda (your message, polite; capitalize Anda).
saya membalas pesannya (his/her message). You can also use membalasnya = “reply to it.”

How do I turn this into an instruction?

Neutral: Pertama-tama, balas pesan secepat mungkin.
Polite: Pertama-tama, mohon balas pesan secepat mungkin. / Balaslah pesan secepat mungkin.
Very casual (Jakarta): Pertama, bales pesan secepat mungkin.

What about colloquial forms like bales or balasin?

Colloquial Indonesian often uses bales (for balas) and the suffix -in: balesin pesan (“reply to the message [for someone]”).
Keep membalas in standard/formal contexts; use bales/balesin only in casual speech/chat.

Does balas ever mean “revenge”?

balas is “to return/repay/respond.” With dendam it means “to take revenge”: membalas dendam.
In membalas pesan, context clearly means “to reply.”

Any pronunciation tips for tricky bits?

c in cepat is “ch” (like “church”): cepat ≈ “cheh-paht.”
The e in se- and ce- is a schwa (unstressed “uh”): secepat ≈ sə-chə-pat.
ng in mungkin is the velar nasal ≈ “moong-keen.”