Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya cuma makan roti; kalaupun lapar lagi, kita makan malam di rumah. - I’m only eating bread; even if I get hungry again, we’ll have dinner at home.

cuma = only/just (informal, very common in speech).
hanya = only (more formal/written).
saja/aja = only/just; aja is colloquial; often comes after what it limits: makan roti saja/aja.
doang = only (very casual slang). Don’t confuse with baru, which means “just (recently)”.

Where is the tense? How can this mean past, present, or future?

Indonesian verbs don’t inflect for tense. Time is inferred or added with adverbs:

Past/completed: tadi, kemarin, sudah, barusan/baru (e.g., Saya tadi cuma makan roti).
In progress: sedang (e.g., Saya sedang makan).
Future/planned: akan, nanti (e.g., Nanti kita makan malam di rumah).

Why is there no subject in kalaupun lapar lagi? Should it be kalaupun saya lapar lagi?

Subjects are often dropped when obvious. Lapar is an adjective used as a predicate (“to be hungry”), so (saya) lapar lagi is fine. You can add the subject (kalaupun saya/aku lapar lagi) if you want explicitness.

What exactly does kalaupun mean, and how is it different from kalau, walaupun, and meskipun?

kalau = if/when (neutral condition).
kalaupun = even if (concessive conditional; hypothetical or regardless-of).
walaupun/meskipun = although/even though (concessive, usually about an actual fact).
sekalipun = even if/even though (stronger or formal). So kalaupun lapar lagi ≈ “even if (I/we) get hungry again.”

Is it kalaupun or kalau pun?

Both appear. The fused form kalaupun is common and recommended. You’ll also see the split pattern when pun attaches to the whole phrase: Kalau lapar lagi pun, …. Both are acceptable in practice.

What does pun contribute here?

Pun is an emphatic particle meaning “even.” With kalau, it creates the concessive “even if.” You’ll also see it in combinations like apa pun (whatever), siapa pun (whoever), bagaimanapun (however).

What does lagi mean in lapar lagi? Can it mean other things?

Here lagi = again/once more (lapar lagi = hungry again). Elsewhere it can mean:

“more/another”: minta lagi (ask for more).
“currently” in colloquial speech before a verb: lagi makan (in the middle of eating). For “still,” use masih, not lagi, in standard Indonesian.

What’s the difference between kita and kami, and why use kita here?

kita = we (including the listener).
kami = we (excluding the listener). Using kita signals “you and I (and possibly others) will eat dinner at home.” It can also sound like a friendly plan/suggestion.

Is kita makan malam di rumah more like “we will eat” or “let’s eat”?

Without markers, it can be a plan (future by context) or a soft suggestion. For an explicit suggestion: Ayo/Mari kita makan malam di rumah. For explicit future: Nanti/Akan kita makan malam di rumah.

Is makan malam a verb or a noun?

Both, depending on context:

Verb: “to have dinner” (kita makan malam di rumah).
Noun: “dinner” (makan malamnya enak = the dinner is good). It’s written as two words, lowercase.

Why di rumah and not ke rumah?

di = at/in (location): makan malam di rumah (have dinner at home).
ke = to/toward (movement): pergi ke rumah (go to the house).

Is the semicolon necessary? Could I use a period or a comma?

The semicolon neatly links two related clauses. A period is perfectly fine: Saya cuma makan roti. Kalaupun lapar lagi, kita makan malam di rumah. Avoid a lone comma between two independent clauses in formal writing.

How do I say “I just ate bread (recently)” versus “I only ate bread (nothing else)”?

Just (recently): Saya baru (saja) makan roti.
Only (nothing else): Saya cuma/hanya makan roti or Saya makan roti saja. You can combine recency and limitation: Saya baru makan roti saja.

Does roti only mean bread?

Mostly it means bread (loaf, buns). For cakes/pastries, Indonesian usually uses kue. You’ll hear compounds like roti tawar (plain loaf), roti manis (sweet bun), roti bakar (toast).