Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Teman laki-laki saya kebingungan membaca jadwal baru itu. - My male friend was confused reading that new schedule.

It means “my male friend.” It does not automatically imply a romantic relationship. For “my boyfriend,” say pacar saya (neutral) or cowok aku/saya (colloquial). More formal/literary options for “lover” include kekasih.

Examples:

Teman laki-laki saya = my male friend
Pacar saya = my boyfriend/girlfriend (gender-neutral)
Cowok aku (colloquial) = my boyfriend
Suami saya = my husband

Why is itu at the end in jadwal baru itu instead of before the noun like “that new schedule”?

In Indonesian, demonstratives follow the noun phrase. So “that/this” comes after:

jadwal baru itu = that new schedule
jadwal baru ini = this new schedule

Putting itu before the noun (e.g., itu jadwal baru) usually makes a clause like “That is a new schedule,” not a noun phrase.

What’s the nuance difference between bingung and kebingungan?

bingung = confused (neutral state)
kebingungan = in a state of confusion/at a loss, often stronger, flustered, or overwhelmed. It can also function as a noun (“confusion”).

The ke- -an pattern often marks a state or an unintentional/involuntary experience (e.g., kedinginan = feeling cold, kecapekan = overtired).

Examples:

Saya bingung. = I’m confused.
Saya kebingungan mencari ruangannya. = I was really at a loss trying to find the room.

Can I say bingung membaca instead of kebingungan membaca?

Yes. Both are natural, with nuance differences:

bingung membaca = confused reading (more neutral)
kebingungan membaca = really struggling/at a loss while reading (stronger)

You can also make the time/context explicit:

bingung saat membaca jadwal baru itu
kebingungan ketika membaca jadwal baru itu
Or cause: bingung karena jadwal baru itu

Why use membaca and not just baca?

In standard Indonesian, active transitive verbs typically take the meN- prefix (membaca). In everyday colloquial speech, the prefix is often dropped (baca). Both are widely understood:

Standard: Dia sedang membaca jadwal.
Colloquial: Dia lagi baca jadwal.

What’s the difference between membaca and membacakan?

membaca = to read (something)
membacakan = to read (something) to/for someone (benefactive, with -kan)

Examples:

Saya membaca jadwal itu. = I read the schedule.
Saya membacakan jadwal itu kepada dia/kepadanya. = I read the schedule to him/her.

Why is the possessive written as teman … saya instead of saya teman laki-laki?

Indonesian typically places the possessor after the possessed noun:

teman saya = my friend
teman laki-laki saya = my male friend

Saying saya teman laki-laki is ungrammatical for possession. Other correct options:

teman saya yang laki-laki (my friend who is male)
teman punya saya (colloquial: a friend of mine)

Do we need the hyphen in laki-laki? What about lelaki?

Yes, laki-laki is a reduplication and is conventionally written with a hyphen. Lelaki is a single-word synonym meaning “man/male” (often a bit more formal or literary). Both are correct, but they’re used slightly differently:

teman laki-laki = male friend
seorang lelaki = a man

Could I say teman pria, teman cowok, or teman lelaki instead of teman laki-laki?

teman pria = male friend (more formal/register-neutral)
teman cowok = male friend (colloquial/slangy)
teman lelaki is understandable but less idiomatic than teman laki-laki. The most neutral/common is teman laki-laki; choose others for tone/register.

Is itu necessary? What changes if I drop it or use ini?

jadwal baru itu = that specific new schedule (definite, known/mentioned)
jadwal baru = a new schedule (indefinite)
jadwal baru ini = this new schedule (near the speaker/current context)
Formal written: jadwal baru tersebut = that aforementioned new schedule
jadwal barunya can also mark definiteness (“the new schedule”/“his/her new schedule,” depending on context)

Could baru here mean “just/only just”? How do I tell?

Here, baru is an adjective after a noun, so it means “new”: jadwal baru = new schedule. When baru comes before a verb, it usually means “just/only just”:

Dia baru membaca jadwal itu. = He just read that schedule.
Jadwal baru itu = That new schedule.

How do I mark past vs present? English might say “was confused.”

Indonesian doesn’t inflect for tense. Use time/aspect markers or context:

Past: Teman laki-laki saya tadi kebingungan membaca… (earlier)
Completed: Teman laki-laki saya sudah kebingungan membaca… (had already)
Progressive: Teman laki-laki saya sedang kebingungan membaca… (is in the middle of)

Is it natural to add sedang here?

Yes, to emphasize an ongoing state:
Teman laki-laki saya sedang kebingungan membaca jadwal baru itu.
It highlights that the confusion is happening at that time.

Can I say Teman laki-laki saya dia kebingungan…?

Normally, no; it’s redundant. Indonesian doesn’t require a pronoun after a full noun subject. You might hear dia added in casual speech for emphasis or after topicalization, but standard style avoids it:

Standard: Teman laki-laki saya kebingungan…
Topicalized (spoken): Teman laki-laki saya, dia kebingungan…

How do I make “those new schedules” plural?

Use reduplication or a quantifier:

jadwal-jadwal baru itu = those new schedules
Or rely on context: jadwal baru itu can be understood as plural in context
With quantifiers: semua jadwal baru itu, banyak jadwal baru itu

How can I rephrase it to “That new schedule confused my male friend”?

Use a causative or “make” structure:

Jadwal baru itu membuat teman laki-laki saya kebingungan.
Jadwal baru itu membingungkan teman laki-laki saya. (using membingungkan = to confuse, transitive)

What’s the difference between kebingungan membaca jadwal baru itu and kebingungan dengan jadwal baru itu?

kebingungan membaca… = the confusion occurs while/when reading it (during the action)
kebingungan dengan… = confused about it in general (not tied to the act of reading)

Can I use aku instead of saya?

Yes. saya is neutral/formal; aku is informal/intimate. Possessive forms:

temanku = my friend (informal, with -ku)
teman saya = my friend (neutral/formal) Choose based on relationship and setting.