Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Setelah listrik menyala, sinyal internet kembali. - After the electricity turns on, the internet signal returns.

It’s a subordinator meaning “after,” introducing a time clause. Here, Setelah listrik menyala (“After the power came on/is on”) is the dependent clause, followed by the main clause sinyal internet kembali (“the internet signal returned”).

Reordered version (no comma needed): Sinyal internet kembali setelah listrik menyala.

Why is there a comma after the first clause?

In Indonesian, when a dependent clause (introduced by Setelah, Ketika, etc.) comes first, it’s typically followed by a comma. If you put the main clause first, no comma is needed:

Setelah listrik menyala, sinyal internet kembali.
Sinyal internet kembali setelah listrik menyala.

Do I need a past tense marker like sudah or telah?

No. Indonesian doesn’t mark tense the way English does; time is inferred from context and connectives like setelah. You can add sudah/telah for emphasis or clarity:

Setelah listrik menyala, sinyal internet sudah kembali. (emphasizes completion)

What exactly does listrik menyala mean?

Literally “the electricity is on / the power is lit,” i.e., the power came on. Menyala is an intransitive verb meaning “to be on / to light up.” Common opposites:

listrik padam / mati lampu = “power is out” (common idioms)

Could I say menyalakan listrik instead?

Only if a person is actively turning the power on (e.g., flipping a breaker or starting a generator). In general descriptions of grid power returning, Indonesians say listrik menyala or listrik kembali menyala rather than menyalakan listrik. For devices, you’d use menyalakan: menyalakan lampu/TV.

Is kembali a verb or an adverb here?

Here it functions as an intransitive verb meaning “returned.” So sinyal internet kembali = “the internet signal returned.” It can also act adverbially (“again/back”) with another verb: kembali menyala = “light up again.”

What’s the difference between kembali, lagi, and balik?

kembali: neutral/standard “return; again/back.” Works well with inanimate subjects (signals, services).
lagi: “again,” very common colloquially. Sinyal internet muncul lagi.
balik: “come/go back,” more for motion and often for people/animate subjects; with inanimate subjects like signals, it can sound informal or regionally marked. Prefer kembali/lagi.

Note: Many speakers say kembali lagi in casual speech, though it’s redundant.

Should I also add kembali to the first clause to mean “came back on”?

You can, for emphasis or clarity:

Setelah listrik kembali menyala, sinyal internet kembali. Placing kembali before menyala highlights that the power came on again.

Why is it sinyal internet, not internet sinyal?

Indonesian noun phrases are head-first: head noun + modifier. sinyal (head) + internet (modifier) = “internet signal.” You can add -nya for definiteness: sinyal internetnya = “the internet signal.”

Could I say sinyal internet kembali normal?

Yes. That specifies it returned to normal condition:

Setelah listrik menyala, sinyal internet kembali normal. Alternatives: pulih (“recovered”), stabil lagi (“stable again”).

Can I replace Setelah with other time words like Ketika, Saat, or Begitu?

Ketika/Saat = “when,” neutral timing: Ketika/Saat listrik menyala, …
Begitu = “as soon as,” implies immediacy: Begitu listrik menyala, …
Sesudah is a near-synonym of Setelah; both mean “after.” In casual speech you might also hear Habis = “after.”

Is the sentence still correct if I reverse the clause order?

Yes:

Sinyal internet kembali setelah listrik menyala. No comma is needed in this order.

How would I negate or say “not yet” for the signal?

Not yet: Setelah listrik menyala, sinyal internet belum kembali.
Not (at all): Setelah listrik menyala, sinyal internet tidak kembali. Belum = “not yet,” tidak = plain negation.

Any colloquial (everyday) versions?

Yes, common casual variants drop prefixes and use everyday words:

Abis listrik nyala, sinyal internet (udah) balik/ada lagi. More standard: Abis = Habis (“after”), udah = sudah. Prefer kembali/lagi over balik with inanimate subjects if you want to sound neutral.

How do I pronounce tricky parts like ny and the e in kembali?

ny = the palatal nasal [ɲ], like “ny” in “canyon”: menyala [mə-ɲa-la], sinyal [si-ɲal].
The first e in kembali is a schwa [kəm-ba-li]. Indonesian stress is typically on the penultimate syllable: kəm-BA-li.

Why is it spelled sinyal and not “signal,” and is internet capitalized?

Indonesian spelling adapts to Indonesian phonology: sinyal (not “signal”). The word internet is usually lowercase in Indonesian: internet.