Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kurir itu terlambat karena hujan, dan kami tidak mengeluh. - That courier was late because of the rain, and we did not complain.

Itu marks the noun as specific/definite: “that/the courier (we both know about).” Without it, you’d usually say seorang kurir (“a courier”). Kurir alone sounds incomplete in most contexts.

Could I say kurirnya instead of kurir itu?

Yes, but the nuance shifts:

Kurir itu = “that/the courier” (pointing to a specific one).
Kurirnya = “the courier (in question)” or “his/her/their courier,” depending on context. It often implies a courier associated with someone or already established in the conversation.

Why terlambat and not lambat?

Terlambat = late (not on time).
Lambat = slow (moving/working slowly). So here we need “late,” not “slow.”

Is telat acceptable for “late”?

Yes, telat is a very common informal variant of terlambat. Use terlambat in neutral/formal contexts; telat in casual speech.

Where is the verb “to be” in Kurir itu terlambat?

Indonesian doesn’t use a copula here. Adjectives can function as predicates. You do not say adalah with adjectives; Kurir itu adalah terlambat is ungrammatical.

Does karena hujan mean “because it rained” or “because it’s raining”?

It can cover both, depending on context. Indonesian doesn’t mark tense by default. If you want to be explicit:

Ongoing: karena sedang hujan (“because it is raining”)
Heavy rain: karena hujan deras
Past: add a time word, e.g., tadi (“earlier”), kemarin (“yesterday”).

Can I put the cause first, like “Because of the rain, the courier was late”?

Yes: Karena hujan, kurir itu terlambat, dan kami tidak mengeluh. Put a comma after the initial karena-clause.

What’s the difference between karena, gara-gara, sebab, and akibat?

Karena: neutral “because,” the default.
Gara-gara: informal, often implies a negative or annoying cause (“because of/thanks to…” with a blamey tone).
Sebab: formal/literary “cause/because.”
Akibat: “as a result of/due to” (more result-oriented, formal). Example: Akibat hujan, kurir itu terlambat.

Why kami and not kita?

Kami = we (excluding the listener).
Kita = we (including the listener). Here, the speaker excludes the listener from the group that didn’t complain. If the listener is included, use kita.

Can I omit the second subject and say “… dan tidak mengeluh”?

It’s better to keep kami to avoid ambiguity: … dan kami tidak mengeluh. Dropping the subject after dan can sound incomplete or confusing.

Why tidak and not bukan?

Use tidak to negate verbs and adjectives (here, mengeluh is a verb). Use bukan to negate nouns/pronouns or noun phrases. Informal alternatives to tidak: nggak/gak/ga; literary: tak.

What’s the nuance difference between mengeluh, komplain, and protes?

Mengeluh: to complain/express grievance in general (neutral, standard).
Komplain: loanword “complain,” very common in speech; less formal.
Protes: to protest/object (stronger, more confrontational). All could fit, but mengeluh is the safest neutral choice.

When would I use mengeluhkan instead of mengeluh?

Mengeluh is intransitive. Mengeluhkan takes a direct object (“to complain about X”):

Kami tidak mengeluh. (We didn’t complain.)
Kami tidak mengeluhkan keterlambatan itu/keterlambatannya. (We didn’t complain about the delay.) Related noun: keluhan (a complaint).

Is there any tense marker to show “was late” (past)?

Indonesian relies on time adverbs/context:

tadi (earlier), barusan (just now), kemarin (yesterday).
sudah can mark completion: Kurir itu sudah terlambat (contextually odd unless contrasting expectations). Most natural: add a time word: Tadi, kurir itu terlambat…

Is the comma before dan required?

Not required. Standard style typically avoids a comma before dan when joining two clauses, though some writers insert it for readability. Both “..., dan ...” and “... dan ...” occur.

Could I use serta instead of dan?

You could, but serta is more formal and is more common for listing items/participants. With full clauses, dan is more natural: … karena hujan, dan kami tidak mengeluh.

What are natural synonyms for kurir?

Kurir: common for delivery personnel.
Pengantar / petugas pengantar: deliverer/delivery staff (more general/formal).
Tukang antar: colloquial “delivery guy.” Choose based on register and context.

Any morphology tips for mengeluh and terlambat?

Mengeluh = meN- prefix + root keluh; initial k drops with meng- (a regular assimilation pattern).
Terlambat: ter-
- lambat; here ter- forms a set adjective meaning “late” (not “too slow”).

How do I say “we didn’t mind” rather than “we didn’t complain”?

Use tidak keberatan:

… dan kami tidak keberatan. = “… and we didn’t mind.” Softer than tidak mengeluh, which focuses on the act of complaining.

Pronunciation tips?

kurir: KOO-reer (rolled/flapped r; u like “oo” in “book” but a bit tenser).
terlambat: tehr-LAHM-baht (even stress, clear r, a like “father”).
hujan: HOO-jan (j as in “judge”).