Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya berharap bonus proyek dibayar tepat waktu. - I hope the project bonus is paid on time.

It’s the passive voice of bayar (to pay). The prefix di- marks that the subject (bonus proyek) is the thing being acted upon: “the project bonus is paid.” Indonesian often uses passive when the agent (payer) is unknown, unimportant, or intentionally left out.

Can I make this sentence active instead of passive?

Yes. Active: Saya berharap mereka/ perusahaan membayar bonus proyek tepat waktu.

Passive (original) focuses on the bonus.
Active focuses on who pays (e.g., “they/the company”).

How can I include who pays in the passive?

Use an agent phrase:

With oleh: … dibayar tepat waktu oleh perusahaan.
Often without oleh (very common in news/formal style): … dibayar perusahaan tepat waktu.
Both are natural; the second is more concise.

What’s the difference between dibayar and dibayarkan?

dibayar = paid (neutral, very common).
dibayarkan often implies “paid out/disbursed” or involves a beneficiary; it’s also common in formal/admin language.
In your sentence, both are acceptable. Without mentioning a recipient, dibayar is the default; dibayarkan sounds a bit more formal/bureaucratic.

Do I need to add akan to show future time (e.g., akan dibayar)?

Not required. Indonesian doesn’t mark tense; context and time expressions do the work. Akan can be added to emphasize futurity: … bonus proyek akan dibayar tepat waktu. Your sentence already implies the future because of the hope and “on time.”

Is it better to say Saya berharap bahwa …?

Bahwa (“that”) is optional. Saya berharap bonus proyek dibayar tepat waktu is natural and common. Saya berharap bahwa bonus proyek dibayar tepat waktu is grammatical but a bit more formal/bookish.

Can I use agar or semoga/mudah-mudahan instead of berharap?

Semoga / mudah-mudahan: neutral ways to express hope. Example: Semoga bonus proyek dibayar tepat waktu.
Saya harap: slightly more direct/concise than Saya berharap.
agar means “so that/in order that” and is fine after verbs of asking/urging; with berharap, … berharap agar … is common in formal writing but many speakers just omit it.

Should I add itu or -nya after bonus proyek?

Use them to mark definiteness/specificity if you want to refer to a particular, known bonus:

bonus proyek itu = that/the project bonus (specific)
bonus proyeknya = the project bonus (often “its project bonus”/definite)
Without them, bonus proyek can still be understood as specific from context.

Why is it bonus proyek and not proyek bonus?

In Indonesian noun–noun compounds, the head comes first, then the modifier. Bonus proyek = “the bonus (of) the project.” Proyek bonus would mean “a bonus project” (a project that is a bonus), which is different.

Could I say bonus untuk proyek instead of bonus proyek?

Yes, but there’s a nuance:

bonus proyek = the project’s bonus (more inherent/associated).
bonus untuk proyek = a bonus intended for a project (purpose).
Both are grammatical; choose based on meaning.

Is tepat waktu a fixed expression? Can I say dengan tepat waktu?

Tepat waktu is a set phrase meaning “on time” and works adverbially without dengan.

Natural: … dibayar tepat waktu.
Avoid: … dibayar dengan tepat waktu.
Variants: tepat pada waktunya (more formal/emphatic), tepat jadwal in scheduling contexts.

Is the spacing in dibayar correct? When is di written separately?

Yes. di- is a bound prefix for passives and must be attached: dibayar.
Write di separately only when it’s a preposition meaning “at/in/on,” e.g., di kantor (at the office).

Can I use aku instead of saya?

Yes. Aku is informal/intimate; saya is neutral–polite/formal.

Informal: Aku berharap …
Formal/polite: Saya berharap …

What’s the difference between Saya berharap, Saya harap, and Saya mengharapkan?

Saya berharap … = I hope … (very common, slightly softer).
Saya harap … = I hope … (more direct/concise; can feel firmer).
Saya mengharapkan + noun is “I expect/hope for” something as a noun: Saya mengharapkan pembayaran tepat waktu. It’s less natural to follow mengharapkan with a full clause.

Can I insert yang after bonus proyek?

Only if you want a relative clause, which changes the meaning to “the project bonus that …”: Saya berharap bonus proyek yang dibayar tepat waktu … This sounds incomplete unless you finish the thought. For your original meaning, don’t add yang.

Is terbayar possible here?

Not for this meaning. Terbayar tends to mean “paid off/settled” (a resultant state), e.g., hutangnya sudah terbayar. For “is paid (by someone),” use dibayar/dibayarkan.

Any quick pronunciation tips?

berharap: the r is tapped/trilled; the e in ber- is a schwa (uh).
proyek: two syllables, pro-yek.
dibayar: di-bay-ar (the ay like “eye”).
waktu: wak-tu (open syllables, clear vowels).