Dia pulang lebih awal karena urusan keluarga.

he/she

Breakdown of Dia pulang lebih awal karena urusan keluarga.

• karena: because
• lebih awal: earlier
• pulang: to go home

Questions & Answers about Dia pulang lebih awal karena urusan keluarga.

Does dia mean he or she? Is there a gender distinction?

Indonesian dia is gender‑neutral: it can mean either he or she. Variants you’ll see:

• ia: more formal/literary (often in writing).
• beliau: respectful form for elders or important people. Note: dia is third person; don’t use it to address someone directly.

What’s the nuance of pulang compared with kembali, balik, and pergi?

• pulang: go/come home (to one’s base/origin). You can add a destination (pulang ke Surabaya/rumah/kos). Pulang ke rumah is often redundant but acceptable.
• kembali: return/come back to a previous place or state (not necessarily home).
• balik: informal for “go/come back.”
• pergi: go/leave (neutral). If someone left an event early but didn’t go home, say pergi lebih awal or keluar lebih awal, not pulang. Caution: berpulang can mean “to pass away” (euphemism), so don’t use it for everyday “go home.”

Is the word order pulang lebih awal fixed? Can I say lebih awal pulang?

Use pulang lebih awal. Placing lebih awal before the verb (lebih awal pulang) is awkward. If you add a destination, it comes before lebih awal: Dia pulang ke kos lebih awal.