Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Baca kontraknya pelan-pelan saja, deh; nanti kita bertanya ke agen. - Just read the contract slowly; later we will ask the agent.

-nya can mark either possession (his/her/its/their) or definiteness (“the/that”).
Here it most naturally means “the contract (we’ve been talking about).”
If you truly mean possession, context or a clearer form like kontraknya dia or kontrak dia helps.

Why use kontraknya instead of kontrak itu?

Kontraknya = anaphoric “the contract” (already known from context).
Kontrak itu = “that contract,” more pointing/deictic.
Both can be definite; choose -nya for smoother reference, itu when you want to point or contrast.

Is Baca here an imperative? How is it different from Bacalah, Tolong baca, or Silakan baca?

What does the particle deh do?

Deh softens and makes the suggestion feel easygoing or conciliatory, like “okay/just do that, yeah.”
It can signal acceptance or a laid-back tone. Without deh, the sentence sounds a bit more bare/instructional.
Rough comparisons: ya = neutral softener/checking; dong = persuasive/insisting; deh = easygoing/accepting.

What nuance does saja add in pelan-pelan saja?

Saja here means “just/only,” lowering the bar: “just slowly (no need to rush).”
Informally you’ll see aja instead of saja: pelan-pelan aja.

Why is pelan-pelan reduplicated? Can I write it without a hyphen?

Reduplication turns the adjective pelan (“slow”) into an adverbial sense “slowly” and often makes it sound natural.
Standard spelling uses a hyphen: pelan-pelan. In texting people often drop it, but the hyphen is recommended in formal writing.

Could I say perlahan(-lahan) or perlahan instead of pelan-pelan?

Yes. Perlahan-lahan is a bit more formal; perlahan alone also works: Baca kontraknya perlahan.
Pelan-pelan is very common in everyday speech.

Can I put saja somewhere else, like Baca saja kontraknya pelan-pelan?

Yes. Moving saja subtly shifts focus:
- Baca kontraknya pelan-pelan saja emphasizes “only slowly.”
- Baca saja kontraknya pelan-pelan can read as “just read the contract (and do it slowly).”
All are acceptable; prosody/context clarifies emphasis.

What exactly does nanti mean here? How is it different from akan?

Nanti = “later (on),” placing the action in the near/unspecified future.
Akan marks futurity/intent but is more formal/explicit. You could say Nanti kita akan bertanya…, but nanti already conveys futurity, so akan is optional.

Why kita and not kami?

Kita = “we” including the listener.
Kami = “we” excluding the listener.
Since the speaker includes the listener in the future action (“we’ll ask”), kita is correct.

Is bertanya ke agen correct, or should it be bertanya kepada agen?

Both are used. Bertanya kepada is more formal; bertanya ke is very common in everyday speech.
In casual speech you’ll also hear tanya sama agen.

What’s the difference between tanya, bertanya, and menanyakan?

Tanya (someone/ke/sama) = ask (colloquial, versatile): Nanti kita tanya agen.
Bertanya (kepada/ke) = ask (intransitive, slightly more formal): kita bertanya kepada agen.
Menanyakan (objek) (kepada/ke) = ask about something (transitive): kita menanyakan kontrak kepada agen.

Should it be ke agen or kepada agen? And what about ke agennya?

Ke agen = natural, informal “to the agent.”
Kepada agen = formal.
Ke agennya adds definiteness (“to the/their/that agent” previously known in context).

Is the semicolon natural in Indonesian here?

It’s acceptable, especially in edited writing, to link two related independent clauses.
In everyday writing, many people would just use a comma or period: … deh, nanti kita … or … deh. Nanti kita …

How would I make the whole sentence more formal/polite?

For polite-neutral: Silakan baca kontraknya secara perlahan; nanti kita akan bertanya kepada agen.
For formal writing: Bacalah kontraknya secara perlahan; selanjutnya kita akan bertanya kepada agen.