Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kita bisa pulang cepat asalkan tugas selesai. - We can go home early as long as the task is finished.

Kita means “we” including the listener. Kami means “we” excluding the listener. In the sentence, kita implies the speaker and the person addressed will both go home.

Should it be bisa or boleh?

Bisa = can, be able to, it’s possible.
Boleh = may, have permission. Because the condition sounds like permission, boleh is also natural: Kita boleh pulang cepat asalkan tugas selesai. In formal contexts, dapat works too.

Does pulang cepat mean “go home early” or “go home quickly”?

In everyday speech, pulang cepat usually means “go home early (earlier than usual).” If you mean the speed of going home, say:

pulang dengan cepat
cepat-cepat pulang
segera pulang

Can I also say kita bisa cepat pulang?

Yes. Kita bisa cepat pulang and kita bisa pulang cepat are both common. Both usually mean “we can go home early,” though placing cepat before the verb can also sound like “go home soon.”

Is asalkan the same as kalau or jika?

Not exactly.

Asalkan means “provided that / as long as,” highlighting a minimum requirement for something to happen.
Kalau/Jika = “if,” more neutral.
Colloquially, asal is used like asalkan. Formal alternatives include apabila.

Can I put the conditional clause first?

Yes: Asalkan tugas selesai, kita bisa pulang cepat. When the asalkan clause comes first, use a comma. When it comes after, a comma isn’t required.

Why is there no word for “is” in tugas selesai?

Indonesian doesn’t use a copula “to be” in such sentences. Selesai is a stative verb/adjective meaning “finished,” so tugas selesai literally reads “the task(s) finished.”

Do I need sudah in tugas selesai?

Not required, but sudah emphasizes completion: tugas sudah selesai = “the tasks are already finished.” It’s very common in conditions: asalkan tugas sudah selesai.

Should I say tugas, tugasnya, or semua tugas?

tugas = tasks/homework in general or contextually understood.
tugasnya = the specific tasks (previously known/shared).
semua tugas = all tasks (explicitly all of them).
Choose based on how specific you need to be.

What exactly does tugas cover—homework or work tasks?

Both. Tugas can be school homework, assignments, or work duties. For school homework, people also say PR (pe-er, short for pekerjaan rumah). For workplace tasks, tugas or pekerjaan are both common.

How do I say “unless the tasks are finished”?

Use kecuali or a negative conditional:

Kita tidak bisa pulang cepat kecuali tugas selesai.
Kita tidak bisa pulang cepat kalau tugas belum selesai.

What’s the best way to say “go home early” versus “go home quickly (fast)”?

Early: pulang lebih awal, pulang lebih cepat, or simply pulang cepat (common).
Fast speed: pulang dengan cepat, cepat-cepat pulang, segera pulang, lekas pulang.

Is asalkan formal or informal?

Neutral. Informal: asal. More formal: apabila/jika/kalau (with nuanced differences). A formal version of the sentence: Kami dapat pulang lebih awal asalkan tugas telah selesai.

Can I say asalkan semua tugas selesai to stress “all tasks”?

Yes. Asalkan semua tugas selesai, … makes the condition explicit: every task must be done.

What’s the difference between selesai, menyelesaikan, and diselesaikan?

selesai = finished (stative; no agent mentioned).
menyelesaikan = to finish/complete something (active, needs an object): Kami menyelesaikan tugas.
diselesaikan = be finished (passive): Tugas diselesaikan (oleh kami).

Is punctuation needed between the clauses?

No comma is needed when the asalkan clause comes after the main clause. Use a comma if it comes first: Asalkan tugas selesai, kita bisa pulang cepat.