Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Agar memenuhi target, fokuslah pada tugas utama dulu. - To meet the target, focus on the main task first.

Agar introduces a purpose clause and means roughly “so that/in order that.” Supaya is a near‑synonym but a bit more colloquial; biar is very informal. All three can work in speech: Agar/Supaya/Biar memenuhi target, …, but avoid biar in formal writing.

Why is there no explicit subject after agar?

The subject is understood to be the same as in the main clause (here, the addressee “you”), so Indonesian omits it. If you want it explicit, say Agar Anda/kita memenuhi target, … or add ability: Agar bisa/dapat memenuhi target, ….

What does the suffix -lah in fokuslah do?

-lah softens and/or emphasizes an imperative. Fokuslah… feels more polite and less abrupt than Fokus…. It’s optional; both are grammatical.

Is fokuslah the only natural way to give this instruction?

No. Alternatives include:

Fokus pada tugas utama dulu. (neutral command)
Tolong fokus pada tugas utama dulu. (polite request)
Harap fokus pada tugas utama dulu. (formal/notice)
Mari fokus pada tugas utama dulu. (inclusive invitation)
Berfokuslah pada tugas utama dulu. (more formal tone)
Fokuskan perhatian pada tugas utama dulu. (transitive; “direct your attention”)

Which preposition should I use after fokus: pada, ke, or terhadap?

Use pada as the standard choice: fokus pada tugas. Ke is common in casual speech (fokus ke tugas), but avoid it in formal writing. Terhadap and di are not natural with fokus.

What does dulu mean here?

Here dulu means “first/for now/first of all,” not “in the past.” More formal options are terlebih dahulu or dahulu; lebih dulu is also common.

Where can I place dulu in the sentence?

Both Fokus dulu pada tugas utama and Fokus pada tugas utama dulu are natural. Position doesn’t change the meaning; it just slightly shifts the rhythm/emphasis.

What exactly does memenuhi mean, and how is it different from mencapai/meraih?

Memenuhi (from penuh + meN‑i) means “to fulfill/meet/satisfy.” Typical collocations: memenuhi target/syarat/permintaan/janji. Mencapai/meraih mean “to reach/achieve,” e.g., mencapai target; they stress the achievement rather than compliance.

Is target a loanword, and how does it compare with tujuan or sasaran?

Yes, target is a loanword and often implies a numeric or time‑bound aim (target penjualan). Tujuan is a general goal or purpose (tujuan karier), and sasaran is a “target” as an aim/recipient/segment (sasaran pasar).

Could I say berfokus pada instead of fokus?

Yes. Berfokus pada is a bit more formal and means “to be focused on”: Berfokuslah pada tugas utama dulu. With fokuskan, it’s better to supply an object: Fokuskan perhatian/diri pada tugas utama.

Can I use untuk instead of agar here?

Yes: Untuk memenuhi target, fokuslah pada tugas utama dulu. Untuk is neutral and very common before verb phrases; agar/supaya feel slightly more “purpose‑explicit.”

Can I put the purpose clause second?

Yes: Fokuslah pada tugas utama dulu agar (bisa) memenuhi target. No comma is needed when the purpose clause comes second. Adding bisa/dapat often makes it flow more naturally.

Can I make it passive, focusing on the target?

Yes: Agar target terpenuhi, fokuslah pada tugas utama dulu. This shifts the focus to the target rather than the doer.

Do I need the comma after the agar‑clause?

When the purpose clause comes first, a comma is standard: Agar …, …. When it comes after the main clause, the comma is usually omitted.

Do I need something like “the” before target? When would I use targetnya?

Indonesian has no articles, so target can mean “a/the target” from context. Use targetnya to refer to a specific, previously known target or to emphasize definiteness: Agar targetnya terpenuhi, ….