Breakdown of Sebenarnya saya percaya dia mampu menyelesaikan tugas itu.
itu
that
saya
I
dia
he/she
menyelesaikan
to finish
tugas
the task
sebenarnya
actually
percaya
to believe
mampu
be able to
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Questions & Answers about Sebenarnya saya percaya dia mampu menyelesaikan tugas itu.
Can I move the word Sebenarnya, or does it have to be at the start?
You can move it. All of these are natural, with subtle emphasis changes:
- Sebenarnya, saya percaya dia mampu menyelesaikan tugas itu. (frames the whole statement)
- Saya sebenarnya percaya dia mampu menyelesaikan tugas itu. (emphasizes the speaker’s stance)
- Saya percaya dia sebenarnya mampu menyelesaikan tugas itu. (emphasizes the person’s ability)
Do I need a comma after Sebenarnya?
It’s optional. Many writers put a comma when Sebenarnya starts the sentence: Sebenarnya, saya… Without the comma is also common in less formal writing.
What’s the difference between sebenarnya, sebetulnya, and sesungguhnya?
They all mean “actually/in fact,” but:
- sebenarnya: most common and neutral.
- sebetulnya: near-synonym; often heard in Jakarta speech.
- sesungguhnya: more formal/literary, “truly/indeed.”
Is saya the only way to say “I”? What about aku or gue?
- saya: neutral/polite; safe in most contexts.
- aku: informal/intimate; with friends/family.
- gue/gua: very informal Jakarta slang.
Meaning doesn’t change; it’s about register: Saya/Aku/Gue percaya…
What’s the difference between dia, ia, and beliau?
- dia: common, gender-neutral “he/she,” spoken and written.
- ia: mostly written/formal as a subject; not used after prepositions.
- beliau: respectful “he/she” for someone you honor (a senior, VIP).
How do I specify gender if dia is gender-neutral?
Use context, a name/title, or add a clarifier when needed:
- dia (laki-laki/pria) = he; dia (perempuan/wanita) = she
- Or use the person’s name/title: Pak Andi, Bu Sari, etc.
Do I need bahwa after percaya? As in Saya percaya (bahwa) dia…?
Bahwa (“that”) is optional: Saya percaya dia… and Saya percaya bahwa dia… are both correct. Bahwa adds formality and can increase clarity in long sentences.
What if I want to say “I trust him/her,” not “I believe that…”?
Use percaya with a person:
- Formal/neutral: Saya percaya pada/kepada dia.
- Colloquial: Saya percaya sama dia.
In your sentence, percaya is followed by a clause (what you believe), not a person.
How do mampu, bisa, dapat, and sanggup differ?
- mampu: capable/competent (often more formal or evaluative).
- bisa: general “can,” very common and neutral.
- dapat: like bisa, a bit more formal in writing.
- sanggup: able and willing (carries a sense of readiness/endurance).
Your sentence could be: …dia bisa/dapat menyelesaikan… (more casual/formal) or …dia sanggup menyelesaikan… (emphasizing willingness/fortitude).
Is mampu untuk okay, or should it be just mampu + verb?
Both occur, but most style guides prefer mampu directly before the verb: mampu menyelesaikan. Mampu untuk menyelesaikan is widely used in media but is often seen as redundant.
What is the structure of menyelesaikan?
It’s meN- + root + -kan:
- Root: selesai (finished)
- Suffix: -kan → selesaikan (“to make [something] finished” = complete)
- meN- assimilation with an s-initial root: s drops, meN- → meny- → menyelesaikan
So it means “to complete/finish (something).”
When do I use selesai vs menyelesaikan?
- selesai (stative/adjective): the thing is finished. Example: Tugas itu sudah selesai.
- menyelesaikan (transitive verb): someone finishes something. Example: Dia menyelesaikan tugas itu.
How would the passive sound?
- Formal passive: Tugas itu diselesaikan oleh dia/olehnya.
- Without the agent: Tugas itu diselesaikan (kemarin).
- Stative alternative: Tugas itu sudah selesai.
Colloquial passive may use sama: Tugas itu diselesain sama dia (informal).
What’s the nuance of tugas itu versus tugasnya or tugas tersebut?
- tugas itu: that/the (previously known) task; neutral.
- tugasnya: “his/her task” or “the task” (context decides); can mark possession.
- tugas tersebut: “the aforementioned task”; formal/written.
- tugas ini: this task (near/immediate context).
Does Indonesian mark tense here? How do I say past, present, or future?
Indonesian doesn’t inflect for tense. Add particles/adverbs:
- Past: sudah / tadi / kemarin → Saya percaya dia sudah mampu menyelesaikan…
- Progressive: sedang → Saya percaya dia sedang menyelesaikan…
- Future: akan → Saya percaya dia akan menyelesaikan…
Is there a more casual way to say the whole sentence?
Yes, for Jakarta-style colloquial:
- Sebenernya gue percaya dia bisa nyelesain tugas itu.
- Or with “do” instead of “complete”: Sebenernya gue percaya dia bisa ngerjain tugas itu.
Here sebenernya (colloquial), gue, bisa, and reduced verbs (nyelesain/ngerjain) make it informal.
Can I drop saya?
You can if context makes the subject obvious, especially in conversation or chat:
- Sebenarnya (saya) percaya dia mampu…
Fully dropping it to Sebenarnya percaya dia mampu… is elliptical and sounds informal; in careful writing, keep saya.
Is percaya the same as yakin?
They overlap but differ slightly:
- percaya: believe/trust (can be about a person or a proposition).
- yakin: be convinced/certain.
Your sentence with yakin: Sebenarnya saya yakin dia mampu menyelesaikan tugas itu. This sounds a bit stronger (more certainty).