Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kelas pelatihan dasar itu berbayar, tetapi harganya murah. - That basic training class is paid, but the price is cheap.

kelas pelatihan dasar itu = that basic training class Putting itu before the noun turns it into a pronoun meaning “that (thing)”: Itu kelas saya = That is my class. But as a determiner inside the noun phrase, it goes at the end: kelas itu.

What exactly does berbayar mean? Does it mean “already paid”?

berbayar (ber- + bayar) means “paid/paid-for; requires payment; not free.” It describes something that isn’t free to access.

It does NOT mean “already paid.” For “already paid,” use sudah dibayar.
Near-synonym: tidak gratis (“not free”).
In tech/marketing, berbayar contrasts with gratis/percuma or gratisan (free/freebie).

What does -nya in harganya do? Why not harga itu?

-nya can mark third-person possession (“its”) or definiteness (“the”). Here harganya = “its price/the price (of that class).”

harganya links back to the class just mentioned.
harga itu = “that price” (pointing at a specific price tag), less natural here.
You could also say harga kelas itu murah (“the price of that class is cheap”).

Could I say biayanya instead of harganya?

Yes. harga = price (of a product), biaya = fee/cost/expense (often for services, courses). For classes, biayanya murah is very natural; harganya murah is also understood.

How is kelas pelatihan dasar structured? Which word modifies which?

It’s N + N + Adj (head + modifiers):

kelas (head) + pelatihan (training → modifies “class”) + dasar (basic → describes the type of training) So it’s literally “class (of) basic training,” i.e., “basic training class.” You can also shorten to pelatihan dasar if “class” is clear from context.

Can I just say Pelatihan dasar itu berbayar …? Is kelas necessary?

Yes. pelatihan dasar itu is fine and a bit more concise. Using kelas emphasizes a particular class session/group; without it you refer to the training program/event.

Why is there no “to be” verb? How do predicates work with berbayar and murah?

Indonesian doesn’t use a copula (“to be”) in these cases. Stative verbs and adjectives function directly as predicates:

… itu berbayar = “that … is paid (requires payment)”
Harganya murah = “Its price is cheap” Use adalah mainly for equating nouns: Ini adalah kelas.

What’s the difference between tetapi, tapi, and namun?

tetapi = “but” (neutral to formal).
tapi = informal/spoken counterpart of tetapi.
namun = “however”; adverbial, usually at the start of a clause/sentence, often after a comma: …, namun harganya murah.

Is the comma before tetapi required?

Recommended. In standard Indonesian, place a comma before coordinating conjunctions like tetapi when they connect independent clauses: …, tetapi … It’s common and clearer.

Can I use berbiaya instead of berbayar?

Possible but less idiomatic here. berbiaya = “to have a cost/with costs,” often used in set phrases like berbiaya tinggi (“high-cost”). To say “not free,” berbayar is the go-to word for services, classes, apps, etc.

Could I say tidak gratis instead of berbayar?

Yes: Pelatihan … tidak gratis means the same (“not free”). Tone-wise:

berbayar feels neutral/official.
tidak gratis is the straightforward negative (“not free”).

Does murah sound rude? Are there politer alternatives?

murah is neutral for price. If you want a gentler tone:

terjangkau = affordable
tidak mahal = not expensive Avoid murahan (pejorative: cheap-looking/low-quality).

What’s the difference between pelatihan and latihan?

pelatihan (pe- -an) = a training program/course (organized instruction).
latihan = practice/exercise (the act of practicing). So a class that teaches skills is kelas pelatihan; a session focused on drills is kelas latihan.

dasar vs pemula: how do I say “beginner class”?

dasar = basic/foundational (level of material).
pemula = beginner (the learner). Both work, with nuance:
kelas/pelatihan dasar = basic-level training.
kelas/pelatihan untuk pemula or kelas pemula = class for beginners.

How do I make it plural: “Those basic training classes are paid, but the prices are cheap”?

Kelas-kelas pelatihan dasar itu berbayar, tetapi harga-harganya murah. More natural:
Kelas-kelas … itu berbayar, tetapi biayanya murah-murah. (reduplication of murah implies “all of them are cheap”)

Why isn’t yang used? When would yang appear with itu?

yang introduces a relative clause or pinpoints a specific item among options. Here itu alone marks definiteness. You’d use yang in contexts like selection:

kelas pelatihan dasar yang itu = that specific one (as opposed to others) — typically when pointing/contrasting.

Is Harganya murah the only way to say it? Other phrasing options?

Common alternatives:

Harganya terjangkau.
Biayanya murah / tidak mahal.
Bayarnya murah. (colloquial)
Ada diskon, jadi biayanya lebih murah.

How would I say “That basic training class charges a fee” more literally?

Kelas pelatihan dasar itu mengenakan biaya.
Kelas … itu ada biayanya. (colloquial/neutral)

Any tweaks for very formal writing?

Use namun or akan tetapi.
Prefer terjangkau over murah. Example: Pelatihan dasar tersebut berbayar, namun biayanya terjangkau.

Spelling: is harganya written as one word?

Yes. The clitic -nya attaches without a hyphen or space: harganya, kelasnya, biayanya. Avoid harga nya or harga-nya in modern standard Indonesian.