Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya sudah terbiasa bekerja di timur kota. - I am already used to working in the east of the city.

Sudah marks a completed state: you are already in the condition of being used to something. Without sudah (Saya terbiasa...), it simply states a general fact. With sudah, it contrasts the present with a time when you weren’t yet used to it. Synonyms: telah (formal), udah (colloquial).

What’s the difference between terbiasa and biasa?

Terbiasa = accustomed, used to (the result of adaptation). Example: Saya sudah terbiasa kerja malam = I’ve gotten used to night shifts.
Biasa = usual/ordinary or habit. Saya biasa kerja malam = I usually work nights (it’s my habit), not necessarily highlighting adaptation. In casual speech, sudah biasa can overlap with sudah terbiasa, but terbiasa is the safest for “accustomed.”

Should I say terbiasa [verb], terbiasa dengan [noun], or terbiasa untuk [verb]?

All three occur:

terbiasa + verb: most natural for actions. Saya terbiasa bangun pagi.
terbiasa dengan + noun/gerund-like idea: Saya terbiasa dengan kerja shift.
terbiasa untuk + verb: acceptable but can feel more bookish. Saya terbiasa untuk bangun pagi. If in doubt, use terbiasa + verb or terbiasa dengan + noun.

Why bekerja and not kerja?

Bekerja (with ber-) is the standard intransitive verb “to work.” Kerja is the root; used as a verb it’s colloquial: Saya kerja di timur kota is common in speech. In formal writing/speech, prefer bekerja.

Can I omit Saya?

Yes, if context makes the subject clear. Sudah terbiasa bekerja di timur kota would be understood as “(I) am already used to working in the east of the city.” Keeping Saya is clearer and more formal.

Where does sudah go? Can I say Saya terbiasa sudah bekerja…?

Place sudah before the predicate you’re marking as complete: Saya sudah terbiasa bekerja… is correct. Saya terbiasa sudah bekerja… is odd because sudah would then modify bekerja (I’ve already worked), not the state of being accustomed.

Does di timur kota mean inside the city’s east side or outside the city (to the east of it)?

It can be ambiguous. To be crystal clear:

Inside the city’s east side: di bagian timur kota or di wilayah timur kota.
Outside/to the east of the city: di sebelah timur kota. Example: Di sebelah timur Jakarta ada Bekasi. In everyday talk, di timur kota is often understood as “in the eastern part of the city,” but use the longer forms if precision matters.

Do I need to name the city? Which city does kota refer to?

Kota here relies on context (the city already known in the conversation). If needed, specify: di bagian timur kota ini/itu, or name it: di Jakarta Timur / di timur Jakarta.

Should timur be capitalized?

Not when it’s just a direction: timur. Capitalize it only in proper names: Jawa Timur, Timur Tengah, Jakarta Timur.

Is di the right preposition? When would I use ke or pada?

di = at/in/on (location): di timur kota.
ke = to/toward (movement): pergi ke timur kota.
pada is formal and used for times, targets, or abstract locations, not typical for physical place in this sentence.

Do I ever say di timur dari kota for “east of the city”?

Avoid dari here. Use di sebelah timur kota (to the east of the city) or di timur kota (often understood as that, but can be ambiguous). Di timur dari kota sounds non-native.

How do I negate this—what’s the difference between belum and tidak?

Saya belum terbiasa… = I’m not used to it yet (but may become used to it).
Saya tidak terbiasa… = I’m not used to it (and it sounds more permanent or categorical). You’ll hear both; choose based on whether you want the “yet” nuance.

What’s the difference between sudah and pernah in this context?

sudah = already (completed/achieved state): sudah terbiasa.
pernah = have ever (at least once): Saya pernah bekerja di timur kota = I have worked there at some point (no “accustomed” meaning). You can combine them for other contexts: sudah pernah = have already (at some time) done X.

How would I make this more formal or more casual?

Formal: Saya telah terbiasa bekerja di bagian timur kota.
Neutral: Saya sudah terbiasa bekerja di timur kota.
Casual: Aku udah terbiasa kerja di timur kota.
Jakarta slang: Gue udah biasa kerja di timur kota. (Here biasa is commonly used in speech like terbiasa.)

How do I say “I’m getting used to working in the east of the city”?

Use a progressive idea:

Saya mulai terbiasa bekerja di timur kota.
Saya sedang membiasakan diri bekerja di timur kota. Avoid sedang terbiasa; membiasakan diri is the idiomatic verb for “to get used to.”

What does the prefix ter- contribute in terbiasa?

Ter- often marks a state or result. With biasa (usual), terbiasa means “to have become in a state of being used to.” Elsewhere ter- can mark superlatives (terbesar) or unintentional/resultant states (terbuka, terjatuh), but here it’s a resultant state.

Is kota timur a correct alternative to mean “the east of the city”?

No. Kota timur would read as “eastern city” (a city located in the east), not “the eastern part of the city.” For “east of the city” or “the city’s east side,” use di bagian timur kota / di timur kota / di sebelah timur kota depending on the meaning.

One last detail: why is there a space in di timur, but not in words like ditulis?

Because there are two different di:

di as a preposition (place marker) is written separately: di timur, di rumah.
di- as a passive verb prefix attaches to the verb: ditulis, dibuat.