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Questions & Answers about Lebih baik kita pulang sekarang.
What does lebih baik literally mean, and what nuance does it add here?
Literally, lebih baik = “more good/better.” In this sentence it functions idiomatically as “it would be better,” conveying advice or a mild recommendation rather than a command. It’s close to English “We’d better …” or “It’s better if we …”
How is lebih baik different from sebaiknya or baiknya?
- sebaiknya: Very common and often a bit more neutral/formal for giving advice. Interchangeable here: Sebaiknya kita pulang sekarang.
- lebih baik: Slightly more comparative in feel (“better [than other options]”), but also widely used to give advice.
- baiknya: Similar to sebaiknya, somewhat formal or written. Example: Baiknya kita pulang sekarang. All three work here; nuance differences are small in everyday speech.
Could I say kita lebih baik pulang sekarang instead? Is the word order flexible?
Yes. Both are natural:
- Lebih baik kita pulang sekarang.
- Kita lebih baik pulang sekarang. Starting with lebih baik slightly foregrounds the recommendation. You can also say Sebaiknya kita pulang sekarang.
Why is it kita and not kami?
Indonesian has two “we” pronouns:
- kita = inclusive “we” (includes the listener). That fits a joint suggestion.
- kami = exclusive “we” (excludes the listener). Using kami here would suggest “we (not you) should go home,” which changes the intent.
Can I drop kita and just say Lebih baik pulang sekarang?
You can. It becomes a general recommendation (“Better to go home now”) and often implies “we” from context. Without kita, it can sound a touch more impersonal or advisory; with kita, it’s clearly inclusive.
What exactly does pulang mean? Is it “go home” or “go back”?
pulang = “to return (to one’s home/base).”
- If you specify a destination, use ke: pulang ke rumah (go home), pulang ke Jakarta (go back to Jakarta).
- For “return (to a place) but not necessarily home,” you might hear kembali (more formal) or colloquial balik.
Is there any tense here? How do we know it’s “now”?
Indonesian doesn’t mark tense on verbs. Time is shown with adverbs like sekarang (now), tadi (earlier), nanti (later), sebentar lagi (soon). Here, sekarang sets the time.
Can sekarang go in other positions?
Yes:
- Lebih baik kita pulang sekarang. (most common)
- Sekarang lebih baik kita pulang. (fronts “now” for emphasis)
- Kita pulang sekarang lebih baik. (less natural) Keep sekarang near the verb phrase for clarity.
How can I make this softer/more polite as a suggestion?
- Add a softener/tag: Lebih baik kita pulang sekarang, ya?
- Use a proposal phrase: Bagaimana kalau kita pulang sekarang? / Gimana kalau kita pulang sekarang?
- Use mari/ayo/yuk (let’s): Yuk pulang sekarang. (very friendly)
How can I make it sound more casual/colloquial?
Use colloquial synonyms/particles:
- Mending kita pulang sekarang. or Mendingan kita pulang sekarang.
- Add aja/saja: Kita pulang sekarang aja.
- Add dulu for “for now/first”: Kita pulang dulu, ya.
Can I turn it into a suggestion question?
Yes, just use questioning intonation or a tag:
- Lebih baik kita pulang sekarang?
- Kita pulang sekarang, ya?
- Or with a proposal: Gimana kalau kita pulang sekarang?
Is lebih only for “better,” or for all comparatives?
lebih + adjective forms the comparative “more …”:
- lebih baik (better), lebih cepat (faster), lebih murah (cheaper). To compare explicitly, add dari/daripada:
- Lebih baik kita pulang sekarang daripada terjebak macet.
What’s the difference between pulang, balik, and kembali?
- pulang: return home/back to base. Neutral, very common.
- balik: colloquial “go back/return” (not necessarily home). Balik dulu, ya.
- kembali: formal “return/come back.” More used in writing or formal speech.
Does this sound bossy? How do I avoid that?
Lebih baik … is advisory, not a command, but context matters. To soften:
- Sebaiknya kita pulang sekarang, ya.
- Bagaimana kalau kita pulang sekarang?
- Yuk/mari pulang sekarang.
What nuances do words like saja/aja, dulu, segera, or sekarang juga add?
- saja/aja: “just” → makes it casual/minimizing: Kita pulang sekarang aja.
- dulu: “for now/first” → polite softener: Kita pulang dulu.
- segera: “immediately/soon” (more formal/urgent): Sebaiknya kita pulang segera.
- sekarang juga: “right now, this instant” (strong urgency).
Is there a superlative form related to lebih baik?
Yes:
- Superlative with paling: paling baik = “the best.”
- Or the lexical superlative terbaik = “best.” Example: Ini pilihan terbaik. Here we use lebih baik because it’s a comparative/advisory, not a superlative.
Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?
- lebih: the final h is lightly aspirated; the e is a schwa-like sound in many accents.
- kita: clear t.
- pulang: final ng is a velar nasal [ŋ], not an English “ng-g.”
- sekarang: often pronounced with a schwa in the first e (sə-karang).