Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Gaji awal cukup, tapi dia berharap gajinya naik setelah proyek selesai. - The starting salary is enough, but she/he hopes the salary will rise after the project is finished.

Indonesian doesn’t need a copula in adjectival or nominal predicates. Gaji awal cukup literally “starting salary sufficient” is a complete sentence. You’d use adalah mainly to link two nouns (e.g., X adalah Y), not before adjectives like cukup.

What does cukup mean here, and where can it go?

Here cukup means “sufficient/enough.” As a predicate it’s fine: Gaji awal cukup. As a modifier it means “quite/fairly”: cukup tinggi, cukup baik. Don’t put it directly before a noun to mean “enough [noun]”; use [noun] yang cukup (e.g., gaji yang cukup).

What’s the difference between tapi, tetapi, and namun? Do I need the comma?

tapi = “but,” informal and very common in speech.
tetapi = more formal than tapi, preferred in writing.
namun = “however,” often at the start of a clause/sentence. A comma before tapi/tetapi that links two full clauses is common and recommended in writing: …, tapi ….

What’s the nuance between dia, ia, and beliau?

dia: general 3rd‑person singular, subject or object; neutral and common.
ia: mostly written/formal, typically subject only (not after prepositions).
beliau: honorific “he/she” for respected people (teachers, elders, officials).

What does the -nya in gajinya do? Could I say gaji dia instead?

-nya can mark possession (“his/her”) or definiteness (“the”). gajinya most naturally reads as “his/her salary,” but in context it can also mean “the salary (in question).” gaji dia is also correct and can clarify the possessor; gajinya is more compact and very common.

Why naik and not menaikkan/meningkat?

naik is intransitive: Gajinya naik = “His/her salary goes up.”
menaikkan is transitive: Perusahaan menaikkan gaji = “The company raises salaries.”
meningkat is another intransitive “increase,” a bit more formal: Gaji meningkat.
Passive forms: gaji dinaikkan/ditingkatkan.

Do I need akan to show the future (e.g., gajinya akan naik)?

No. Indonesian doesn’t require a future marker; time is inferred from context. akan is optional for clarity/emphasis: dia berharap gajinya (akan) naik.

Can I add bahwa after berharap?

Yes: dia berharap (bahwa) gajinya naik…. bahwa (“that”) is optional and makes the clause more formal or explicit. In everyday speech it’s usually omitted.

What’s the difference between berharap, mengharapkan, harap, and using semoga/mudah‑mudahan?

berharap = “to hope,” typically followed by a clause: berharap gajinya naik.
mengharapkan takes a noun object and often leans toward “expect/wish for”: mengharapkan kenaikan gaji.
harap appears in formal requests/notices: Harap tunggu (“Please wait”).
semoga/mudah‑mudahan place the hope on the sentence: Semoga gajinya naik.

Is setelah the same as sesudah? What about ketika?

setelah and sesudah both mean “after” and are interchangeable in most contexts (many feel setelah is a bit more formal). ketika means “when” (simultaneous time), not “after.”

Why proyek selesai and not something like menyelesaikan proyek?

selesai is a stative adjective (“finished/over”). proyek selesai = “the project is finished.” If you want an agent doing the finishing, use menyelesaikan proyek (“finish the project”), or passive proyek diselesaikan.

Should it be proyeknya to mean “the project he’s on”?

You can say setelah proyeknya selesai to emphasize that specific/possessed project. Without -nya (setelah proyek selesai) is still natural and usually understood as “the project (in context).”

Does gaji awal mean “first paycheck”? How is it different from gaji pertama and gaji pokok?

gaji awal = “starting salary” (what you start on in a role).
gaji pertama = “first paycheck/salary payment.”
gaji pokok = “base salary” (excluding allowances/bonuses).

Is gaji the right word, or should it be upah or honor?

gaji: salary (typically monthly, for employees/white‑collar roles).
upah: wage (hourly/daily, often for manual/blue‑collar work).
honor/honorarium: a fee for a specific service/task (speakers, freelancers).

Can I drop dia and just say … berharap gajinya naik …?

Indonesian can omit subjects when obvious, but starting with Berharap gajinya naik… sounds elliptical and can be unclear. It’s better to keep dia (or a name) here for clarity.

Can I front the time clause? For example, Setelah proyek selesai, dia berharap gajinya naik.

Yes. Time clauses can go first or after the main clause. If placed first, add a comma: Setelah proyek selesai, ….

How could I rephrase this in a more formal or explicit way (e.g., mentioning a raise)?

More formal: Gaji awal memadai, tetapi ia berharap gajinya meningkat setelah proyek selesai.
Explicit “raise”: Ia berharap mendapat kenaikan gaji setelah proyek selesai.
Passive “be raised”: Ia berharap gajinya akan dinaikkan setelah proyek selesai.

Is lumayan interchangeable with cukup here?

Not exactly. lumayan leans toward “pretty good/decent” (mildly positive), while cukup is “enough/sufficient” or “quite.” Gaji awal lumayan suggests it’s fairly good; Gaji awal cukup emphasizes adequacy.