Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Dia mematikan alarm, lalu kembali ke kamar tidur. - He/She turns off the alarm, then goes back to the bedroom.

Past: tadi, barusan, kemarin (e.g., Tadi dia mematikan alarm...)
Future: akan, nanti The connector lalu means “then/and then,” indicating sequence, but not tense by itself.

Why mematikan and not matikan?

mematikan is the normal transitive verb “to turn off/kill” in statements.
matikan is the imperative: Matikan alarm! = Turn off the alarm! The pattern is common: menyalakan/nyalakan (turn on), membuka/bukalah (open), etc.

Does mematikan sound violent, like “to kill”?

It can mean “to kill” for living things, but with devices it naturally means “to switch off.” Context decides:

mematikan lampu/telepon/mesin/alarm = turn off
mematikan musuh = kill the enemy (literal)

Are there other ways to say “turn off” for an alarm?

Yes, depending on context/register:

mematikan alarm (most common)
menonaktifkan alarm (formal/technical: deactivate)
memadamkan is more for lights/fire
For snoozing: menunda alarm or pakai snooze (colloquial)

What’s the difference between lalu, kemudian, terus, and habis itu?

All can mean “then,” with register nuances:

lalu: neutral, common in writing and speech
kemudian: a bit more formal
terus: very colloquial/conversational (often pronounced trus)
habis itu: conversational “after that”

Is the comma before lalu required?

It’s optional. A comma is common when the subject is omitted in the second clause:

Dia mematikan alarm, lalu kembali ke kamar tidur. Without comma is also acceptable.

Why can the subject be dropped in the second clause?

Indonesian often drops a repeated subject when it’s clear from context:

Dia makan, lalu tidur.
Kami belajar, kemudian pulang. It avoids redundancy.

What’s the nuance difference between kembali, balik, and lagi?

kembali = return/go back (neutral to slightly formal)
balik = go back/come back (colloquial)
lagi = again Common colloquial: balik lagi ke kamar. To say “go back to sleep,” use tidur lagi, not kembali tidur in casual speech.

Why ke and not di before kamar tidur?

ke marks movement “to(ward)” a place; di marks location “at/in.”

kembali ke kamar tidur = go back to the bedroom
di kamar tidur = in the bedroom

Is kamar tidur just “bedroom”? Can I use kamar alone?

Yes, kamar tidur = bedroom. In everyday talk, kamar often implies the bedroom if the context is home. Other compounds:

kamar mandi = bathroom
kamar tamu = guest room

Should I say alarmnya or kamarnya to show possession?

Adding -nya can mark “his/her” or just “the” (definite):

Dia mematikan alarmnya = he/she turned off his/her/the alarm (context decides)
kamar tidurnya = his/her bedroom Without -nya it’s more generic; context usually makes it clear.

Are there natural variations of this sentence?

Yes:

Setelah mematikan alarm, dia kembali ke kamar tidur.
Dia mematikan alarm lalu dia kembali ke kamar tidur. (repeats subject)
More colloquial: Dia matiin alarm, terus balik ke kamar.
If the meaning is “went back to sleep”: Dia mematikan alarm, lalu tidur lagi.

Can I move the position of kembali?

Best is before the destination: kembali ke kamar tidur. ke kamar tidur kembali is grammatical but sounds formal/literary. In casual speech, you’ll hear balik ke kamar or balik lagi ke kamar.

How do you pronounce the words?

Approximate guide:

dia = DEE-ah (two syllables)
mematikan = muh-mah-TEE-kahn (rolled/trilled r in Indonesian generally)
lalu = LA-loo
kembali = kuhm-BAH-lee
kamar tidur = KAH-mar TEE-door
alarm = ah-LARM (Indonesian r is tapped/trilled)

Is the style here formal or casual?

Neutral. For more casual, shorten and use colloquialisms:

Dia matiin alarm, trus balik ke kamar. Casual speech often uses -in instead of -kan (e.g., matiin, nyalain) and terus/trus instead of lalu/kemudian.