Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kami menunda acara karena kendala mikrofon. - We postpone the event because of a microphone problem.

Kami means we excluding the listener; kita includes the listener. In an announcement to an audience, kami is appropriate because the organizers (we) are informing others (you) of the decision. Using kita would imply the audience was part of making or sharing the action, which is usually not intended here.

Is menunda a transitive verb? Do I need a preposition before acara?

Yes, menunda (to postpone/delay) is a transitive verb and takes a direct object. So menunda acara is correct; no preposition is needed. Morphology: meN- + tunda → menunda.

Could I say this in the passive voice, like “The event was postponed”?

Yes. Natural passive options:

Acara ditunda karena kendala mikrofon. (event-focused, formal/neutral)
Acara tertunda karena kendala mikrofon. (emphasizes the state of being delayed)
You can also topicalize: Acara kami tunda karena kendala mikrofon. (fronts the object for emphasis)

Does menunda mean “postpone” or “delay,” and how is it different from similar verbs?

menunda: postpone/delay in general (could be short or long).
menangguhkan: suspend/put on hold (often formal, suggests pending resumption).
membatalkan: cancel (no rescheduling).
memundurkan/mengundurkan (jadwal/acara): move to a later time/date (reschedule later).
Colloquial: nunda is the casual form of menunda.

What exactly does acara mean? Could it be a meeting, show, or ceremony?

Acara is broad: event, program, function. Depending on context, you might use a more specific word:

rapat/pertemuan: meeting
pertunjukan: performance/show
upacara: ceremony
kegiatan: activity
program (TV/radio): program/show If you mean a specific event, you can say acara itu/tersebut.

Is karena the best way to say “because,” and how does it compare to sebab, gara-gara, or akibat?

karena: neutral and common; works with clauses or noun phrases.
sebab: similar meaning; slightly more formal or written.
gara-gara: informal/colloquial, often for negative, blame-tinged causes.
akibat: “as a result of/due to” (more formal, effect-focused).
Very formal writing may use dikarenakan (stilted in speech).

Do I need a preposition like pada after kendala? Is kendala mikrofon okay?

Kendala mikrofon is natural and concise (literally “microphone problems”). You can also say:

kendala pada mikrofon (emphasizes the locus of the problem)
masalah dengan mikrofon (colloquial feel)
kendala teknis pada mikrofon (more formal/precise) All are acceptable; the original is fine.

What’s the difference between kendala, masalah, gangguan, and kerusakan?

kendala: obstacle/constraint hindering progress (very common in formal contexts).
masalah: problem (broad, everyday).
gangguan: disturbance/interference (e.g., audio interference).
kerusakan: damage/malfunction (hardware is broken). Choose based on what you want to highlight (constraint vs malfunction vs interference).

Is mikrofon the normal spelling? Can I say mic/mik?

Standard Indonesian uses mikrofon. In everyday speech/writing, people often say mic/mik (and mik-nya for “the mic/its mic”). For formal contexts, stick with mikrofon or perangkat mikrofon/sound system if broader.

How do I show past, present, or future with menunda since Indonesian has no tenses?

Use aspect/time markers:

Past/completed: Kami sudah/telah menunda acara…
Ongoing: Kami sedang menunda… (rare; usually context handles this)
Future/intended: Kami akan menunda… or time adverbs (e.g., besok).
Recent: Kami baru saja menunda… Your original sentence relies on context to infer time.

How do I make it clear I mean “the event,” not just “an event”?

Add a demonstrative:

acara itu / acara tersebut = the event (specific) Indefinite “an event” can be sebuah acara, but often you just say acara and let context decide.

Can I start the sentence with the reason, like “Because of the microphone issue, …”?

Yes: Karena kendala mikrofon, kami menunda acara. Put a comma after the reason clause. Both orders are correct:

Kami menunda acara karena kendala mikrofon.
Karena kendala mikrofon, kami menunda acara.

How would I explicitly say “because of a microphone issue” (indefinite)?

Add an existence marker:

karena ada kendala mikrofon
karena adanya kendala mikrofon (more formal) You can also specify: karena kendala pada mikrofon utama (the main microphone).

What does menunda-nunda mean?

Reduplication adds the sense of repeated/habitual or unnecessary delay: menunda-nunda ≈ to keep putting off/procrastinate. Example: Dia menunda-nunda tugasnya.

How do I nominalize this idea (a postponement)?

Use the noun penundaan:

Penundaan acara terjadi karena kendala mikrofon.
Kami mengumumkan penundaan acara.

How would a more formal/apologetic announcement look?

For public notices:

Acara ditunda karena kendala teknis pada mikrofon. Mohon maaf atas ketidaknyamanannya. You can add time info: Acara ditunda hingga pukul 15.00.

Any quick pronunciation tips for these words?

kami: KA-mi (a as in “father”).
menunda: me-NUN-da (stress typically near the end; e is a schwa).
acara: a-CHA-ra.
karena: ka-RE-na (the e is a schwa).
kendala: kən-DA-la (first e is a schwa).
mikrofon: mi-KRO-fon (o like “or,” final o is not a diphthong).