Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Jika batuknya tidak berhenti, Anda sebaiknya istirahat; jangan mengangkat telepon dulu. - If the cough doesn’t stop, you should rest; don’t answer the phone yet.

-nya can be:
- a third-person possessive (his/her/its), or
- a definiteness marker, roughly “the”.
In this sentence, batuknya most naturally means “the cough (we’re talking about),” which in context is usually the patient’s cough. Doctors even address a patient with -nya: Batuknya sudah lama?
If you want to be unambiguous, use:
- formal: batuk Anda
- informal: batuk kamu

Why is it tidak and not bukan in tidak berhenti?

Use tidak to negate verbs and adjectives: tidak berhenti, tidak sakit.
Use bukan to negate nouns or equational statements: Itu bukan dokter, Ini bukan batuk alergi.

Could I say belum berhenti instead of tidak berhenti?

belum berhenti = “hasn’t stopped yet” (implies it’s expected to stop later).
tidak berhenti = “doesn’t stop/keeps going” (no implication it will stop).
With dulu later in the sentence, belum often sounds natural: Jika batuknya belum berhenti, ... But both are possible depending on nuance.

Is Anda sebaiknya istirahat the same as Sebaiknya Anda istirahat? Which sounds more natural?

Both are correct. Sebaiknya Anda istirahat is a very common flow; Anda sebaiknya istirahat is also fine.
You can also say Lebih baik Anda istirahat (“It’s better if you rest”), which functions like a suggestion as well.

Do I need beristirahat instead of istirahat?

Both are acceptable as verbs:
- beristirahat is a bit more formal.
- istirahat is very common in everyday speech.
All of these work: Anda sebaiknya istirahat, Anda sebaiknya beristirahat.

Why is Anda capitalized? Is it always used in conversation?

Anda is the polite/formal “you” and is traditionally capitalized as a sign of respect in writing.
In everyday conversation many people use kamu (neutral/informal) or address someone as Bapak/Ibu (Mr./Mrs./Sir/Ma’am) for politeness.

Why is there a semicolon? Could I use a comma or a period instead?

The semicolon links two closely related independent clauses.
Indonesian allows a comma here: ..., Anda sebaiknya istirahat, jangan ...
A period is also fine if you prefer two sentences: ... istirahat. Jangan ...

Why use jangan instead of tidak before the verb?

jangan is for prohibitions/negative commands: Jangan angkat telepon (“Don’t pick up the phone”).
tidak negates statements, not commands: Dia tidak mengangkat telepon (“He doesn’t pick up the phone”).

Should it be jangan angkat telepon dulu instead of jangan mengangkat telepon dulu?

The most idiomatic negative imperative is base verb after jangan: Jangan angkat telepon dulu.
The original jangan mengangkat ... is widely heard and understood, but many style guides prefer either:
- base verb: Jangan angkat telepon dulu, or
- passive: Teleponnya jangan diangkat dulu (emphasizes the phone).

What does dulu add here, and where can it go?

dulu here means “for now/for the time being/first” (not “a long time ago”).
It softens the command and makes it temporary: “don’t pick up the phone for now.”
Placement:
- Jangan angkat telepon dulu (very common)
- Jangan dulu angkat telepon (also fine)

Why does mengangkat telepon mean “to answer the phone”? Can I say something else?

(meng)angkat telepon is the most common way to say “answer a call.”
Alternatives:
- menjawab telepon = answer a call (also fine)
- menerima telepon = take/receive a call (a bit more formal)
To “make a call”: menelepon (often informally spelled/said menelpon).

Does telepon refer to the device or the call? And is telpon okay?

In angkat telepon, it means “answer the (incoming) call.”
Standard spelling is telepon (per KBBI). You’ll often see telpon informally.
For “cellphone,” people often say HP (pronounced “ha-pe”).

Can I use kalau or apabila instead of jika?

Can I rephrase it as Jika Anda tidak berhenti batuk?

Yes. Jika Anda tidak berhenti batuk, ... is natural and directly addresses the person rather than the symptom. Both structures are fine.

Could I use tak instead of tidak?

tak is a shorter, more literary/concise form of tidak and is common in writing and some speech: Batuknya tak berhenti.
It’s stylistic; tidak is neutral everywhere.

How can I soften the suggestions/commands further?

Add -lah to the verb: Istirahatlah (gentle imperative).
Add saja: Sebaiknya Anda istirahat saja (“just rest”).
Add tolong to polite requests (even negative): Tolong jangan angkat telepon dulu.
Combine with dulu as in the sentence to signal “for now.”

Can I omit the subject pronoun?

Yes, if context is clear: Sebaiknya istirahat; jangan angkat telepon dulu. Indonesian often drops pronouns when they’re understood.

Why is it mengangkat (with meng-)?

The base verb is angkat. The active prefix meN- becomes meng- before vowels (and certain consonants), so meN- + angkat → mengangkat.