Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya menulis catatan rinci terkait kebijakan baru. - I write detailed notes related to the new policy.

terkait literally means “related/connected (to).” In this sentence it functions like an adjective/preposition meaning “related to.”
It often appears as: terkait X, terkait dengan X, or yang terkait X. All are acceptable; terkait (without dengan) is concise and formal.
tentang and mengenai mean “about/regarding.” They’re neutral; terkait feels a bit more formal/bureaucratic.
Very close alternatives: berkaitan dengan, sehubungan dengan (both formal).

Why is rinci placed after catatan?

In Indonesian, descriptive adjectives typically follow the noun.
So: catatan rinci = “detailed note(s),” kebijakan baru = “new policy.”
You can add yang for a relative-clause flavor, but it’s not needed here: catatan yang rinci is grammatical but less natural than catatan rinci.

What’s the difference between rinci, terperinci, and detail?

rinci: adjective “detailed.” Common and natural (e.g., catatan rinci).
terperinci: also “detailed,” a bit more formal or bookish (e.g., penjelasan terperinci).
detail/detil: loanword; used as noun or adjective. Everyday speech accepts detail, but many style guides prefer native rinci for the adjective and rincian for the noun “details.”
Noun forms: rincian = “details,” perincian = “itemization.”

Should I say menulis catatan or just mencatat?

menulis catatan = “to write notes,” highlighting the act of writing notes.
mencatat = “to take record/notes; to jot down.” This is the most idiomatic for “take notes.”
Both are fine; for natural brevity, many speakers would prefer Saya mencatat … in contexts like meetings.

How do I show tense? Does menulis mean past, present, or future?

Indonesian doesn’t mark tense on the verb. Add time/aspect words:

Past/completed: sudah, telah, time words like tadi, kemarin (e.g., Saya sudah menulis …).
Ongoing: sedang (e.g., Saya sedang menulis …).
Future/intended: akan, mau, nanti (e.g., Saya akan menulis …).
Recent past: baru (saja) (e.g., Saya baru menulis … = “I just wrote/just finished writing”).

When should I use Saya versus Aku?

Saya is polite/neutral and fits formal or unknown-audience contexts.
Aku is informal/intimate, used with friends/family.
In very casual Jakarta speech you may also hear gue/guа; avoid it in formal settings.

Can I add an article like “a”? How would I say “a detailed note”?

Indonesian has no articles. catatan rinci can mean “a detailed note” or “detailed notes,” depending on context.
To make singular explicit: sebuah catatan rinci or satu catatan rinci (the latter emphasizes the number “one”).

Is menuliskan correct here? What’s the difference between menulis and menuliskan?

menulis is the default “to write.”
menuliskan often adds a benefactive/result nuance (“write down/for”), and is common when there’s a location/recipient object: menuliskan alamat pada papan (“write the address on the board”), menuliskan resep untuk pasien.
For simple objects like catatan, menulis catatan is usually more natural than menuliskan catatan.

Does terkait kebijakan baru modify the verb or the noun?

It modifies the noun phrase catatan rinci. So it’s “detailed notes related to the new policy.”
If you wanted to relate it to the act of writing, you could say: Saya menulis secara rinci terkait kebijakan baru, but that slightly shifts the nuance.

How do I make this passive?

Standard passive: Catatan rinci terkait kebijakan baru ditulis (oleh saya). The agent with oleh is often omitted.
Colloquial/“passive type 2”: Catatan rinci terkait kebijakan baru saya tulis. Very natural in writing and speech.

Can I use terhadap instead of terkait/tentang?

Generally no in this structure. terhadap means “toward/with respect to” and is used with attitudes/effects: sikap terhadap kebijakan, keberatan terhadap kebijakan.
For “notes about/related to,” use tentang, mengenai, terkait (dengan), or berkaitan dengan.

Why not baru kebijakan? And what about baru meaning “just”?

Adjectives follow nouns: kebijakan baru (“new policy”), not baru kebijakan.
baru can also be an adverb meaning “just/recently” when placed before a verb: Saya baru menulis … = “I just wrote/have just written …”

Is there any nuance between kebijakan and aturan/peraturan?

kebijakan = “policy” (strategic/administrative decisions or stance).
aturan/peraturan = “rule/regulation” (specific prescriptions).
You might write catatan about a kebijakan, but you “comply with” an aturan/peraturan.

How do I make “notes” explicitly plural?

Reduplication: catatan-catatan (grammatical but often unnecessary).
More natural: add quantifiers: banyak catatan, beberapa catatan, sekumpulan catatan.
Often context alone is enough; Indonesian doesn’t require plural marking.

Is terkait formal? What are register-appropriate alternatives?

terkait and berkaitan dengan are formal/official-sounding (common in memos/reports).
Neutral: tentang, mengenai.
Colloquial: soal. Example: catatan rinci soal kebijakan baru (informal).

Could I say kebijakan yang baru instead of kebijakan baru?

Yes, but kebijakan yang baru adds a nuance of contrast/specification (“the policy that is the new one”), often when distinguishing it from an older one. Plain kebijakan baru is the default.

Is catatan rinci the best phrase if I mean “detailed memo/minutes”?

catatan rinci is general “detailed notes.” For specific genres:
- Memo: memo or nota.
- Meeting minutes: notulen or risalah rapat.
- “Details (of the policy)” as a noun: rincian kebijakan.

Any quick pronunciation tips for these words?