Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Dia alergi kacang, jadi tidak makan selai kacang. - He/She is allergic to nuts, so does not eat peanut butter.

No. dia is gender‑neutral and can mean he or she. In the second clause, Indonesian often drops a repeated subject if it’s clear from context, so ..., jadi tidak makan ... is natural. You can also repeat it for clarity: ..., jadi dia tidak makan ....

Why is there no “to be” verb? Would Dia adalah alergi kacang be correct?

Indonesian doesn’t need a copula in many predicate sentences. Dia alergi kacang is correct and natural. Dia adalah alergi kacang is ungrammatical. If you want a more formal phrasing, say Dia alergi terhadap kacang or Dia memiliki alergi terhadap kacang.

Why use tidak and not bukan here?

tidak negates verbs and adjectives; bukan negates nouns or noun phrases.

Correct: Dia tidak makan selai kacang. (verb)
Correct: Dia bukan dokter. (noun) Here you’re negating makan, so use tidak.

Does jadi mean “so” or “become”?

Both, depending on context. Here jadi is a conjunction meaning “so/therefore.” As a verb, jadi can mean “become” (informal), and menjadi is the more formal “become.”

Conjunction: Dia alergi kacang, jadi tidak makan selai kacang.
Verb: Dia menjadi dokter. / informal Dia jadi dokter.

Can I express the cause with karena (“because”) instead?

Yes. Two common patterns:

Dia alergi kacang, jadi (dia) tidak makan selai kacang.
Karena dia alergi kacang, (dia) tidak makan selai kacang. You can also use sebab (because) or colloquial makanya (that’s why).

Does kacang specifically mean peanuts?

kacang is a general term for beans/nuts/legumes. kacang tanah is peanut. In this sentence, selai kacang makes the peanut meaning clear. To talk about “nuts/legumes” in general, use kacang‑kacangan.

Is selai kacang the standard way to say “peanut butter”?

Yes, selai kacang is standard in Indonesia. You may also hear mentega kacang in Malay/regional usage, but in Indonesia mentega usually means dairy butter, so selai kacang is safer.

What tense is tidak makan? Does it mean “is not eating,” “doesn’t eat,” or “didn’t eat”?

Indonesian doesn’t mark tense on the verb. tidak makan can mean is not eating/doesn’t eat/did not eat, depending on context. Add time words for clarity:

sedang tidak makan (is not eating now)
tadi tidak makan (earlier didn’t eat)
tidak pernah makan (never eats)
tidak lagi makan (no longer eats)

What’s the nuance difference between tidak makan, tidak bisa makan, tidak mau makan, and tidak boleh makan?

tidak makan: simply doesn’t eat (statement of fact/habit).
tidak bisa makan: can’t eat (ability/physical limitation).
tidak mau makan: doesn’t want to eat (willingness).
tidak boleh makan: must not/shouldn’t eat (permission or medical restriction).

Could I use memakan instead of makan?

Yes, but memakan is more formal and can sound bookish in everyday speech. makan is the default. Note memakan also has a figurative sense “to consume/claim,” e.g., Banjir itu memakan korban (The flood claimed victims).

Is the comma before jadi necessary?

It’s common (and helpful) to put a comma before jadi when it links two clauses: ..., jadi .... You’ll also see it without a comma in casual writing. Both are acceptable.

Should it be alergi terhadap/pada/sama kacang? Are these different?

All occur, with register differences:

Formal/neutral: alergi terhadap kacang, alergi pada kacang
Colloquial: alergi sama kacang The bare form alergi kacang is very common and natural.

Can I use ia or beliau instead of dia?

dia: everyday he/she, subject or object.
ia: formal/literary, subject position only. You can say Ia alergi kacang, but not use ia as an object.
beliau: respectful he/she for elders or respected figures. Use sparingly: Beliau alergi kacang, jadi tidak makan selai kacang.

Why is it selai kacang and not kacang selai? What’s the noun order?

In Indonesian noun compounds, the head noun typically comes first, followed by the descriptor: selai kacang (peanut spread), susu cokelat (chocolate milk), rumah sakit (hospital). So selai kacang is the natural order.

How do I make it clear it’s all nuts, or specify plurals?

Indonesian doesn’t mark plural by default. To be explicit:

General “nuts/legumes”: kacang‑kacangan
All kinds of nuts: segala jenis kacang
Peanuts specifically: kacang tanah Reduplication (kacang‑kacangan) or quantifiers give the plural sense.

How do I quantify peanut butter or individual peanuts?

Peanut butter: sebotol selai kacang (a jar), sesendok selai kacang (a spoonful)
Individual peanuts: sebiji/butir kacang, or by weight: sekilo kacang tanah

Is alergik ever used?

Standard Indonesian uses alergi. You might hear alergik from English influence, but it’s nonstandard. Prefer alergi, e.g., Dia alergi kacang or Dia alergi terhadap kacang.