Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Setelah presentasi singkat, kepercayaan diri dia terlihat naik. - After a brief presentation, his/her confidence looks higher.

Literally, kepercayaan diri dia is “self-confidence + he/she,” i.e., “his/her self-confidence.” It’s natural, especially in speech and neutral writing. Note:

kepercayaan = “belief/faith” (from the root percaya with the nominalizing affixes ke- -an)
diri = “self”
Together, kepercayaan diri = “self-confidence.”

Should I use kepercayaan dirinya instead of kepercayaan diri dia? Are both correct?

Both are correct.

kepercayaan dirinya: a bit smoother and more common in formal writing; the clitic -nya marks “his/her.”
kepercayaan diri dia: perfectly fine, slightly more colloquial. Don’t combine them: kepercayaan dirinya dia is nonstandard in careful Indonesian.

Can I drop terlihat and say kepercayaan diri dia naik?

Yes.

kepercayaan diri dia naik states it as a fact (“his/her confidence went up”).
kepercayaan diri dia terlihat naik hedges it (“seemed/appeared to go up”), signaling an observation rather than a measured fact.

What’s the difference between terlihat, kelihatan, and tampak here?

All mean “seems/looks/appears,” with register nuances:

terlihat: neutral–formal; common in writing.
kelihatan: informal/colloquial.
tampak: neutral–formal, slightly more literary. Any of them works in this sentence; choose based on tone.

Is naik the best verb here? When would I use meningkat or bertambah?

All can collocate with confidence:

naik: “go up,” vivid and everyday; dynamic feel.
meningkat: “increase,” more formal/neutral; great in writing.
bertambah: “add/increase,” slightly less technical than meningkat. Examples: terlihat naik, terlihat meningkat, terlihat bertambah — all acceptable.

How do I say “He/She looked more confident” using the adjective percaya diri?

Use the adjectival form:

Setelah presentasi singkat, dia terlihat lebih percaya diri. Other options:
Dia semakin percaya diri setelah presentasi singkat.
Dia tampak lebih percaya diri seusai presentasi singkat.

Why does singkat come after presentasi?

In Indonesian, adjectives typically follow nouns. So presentasi singkat = “short presentation.” This is the default order.

Do I need yang in presentasi (yang) singkat?

No. presentasi singkat is the normal noun + adjective. You add yang for emphasis/contrast or to highlight that particular quality:

presentasi yang singkat (more emphatic/contrastive)
presentasinya yang singkat itu… (that short presentation)

Is the comma after Setelah presentasi singkat required?

It’s optional but common. Many writers place a comma after an initial adverbial phrase for readability. Without the comma is also acceptable.

What’s the difference between setelah, sesudah, and habis?

All mean “after,” but register varies:

setelah: neutral, widely used.
sesudah: slightly more formal/traditional; interchangeable with setelah.
habis: colloquial; in careful writing prefer setelah/sesudah.

How do I say “after his/her short presentation” explicitly?

Use a possessive on the noun:

Setelah presentasi singkatnya, … (most natural in writing)
Setelah presentasi singkat dia, … (colloquial)
With a name/title: Setelah presentasi singkat Budi/Beliau, …

Can I replace dia with ia or beliau?

ia is subject-only in standard usage and not used as a possessor after a noun, so avoid kepercayaan diri ia. Use kepercayaan dirinya instead.
beliau is a respectful third-person pronoun; kepercayaan diri beliau is appropriate for someone you honor/respect.

Can I reorder the sentence?

Yes. Indonesian word order is flexible. For example:

Kepercayaan diri dia terlihat naik setelah presentasi singkat.
Setelah presentasi singkat, kepercayaan dirinya tampak meningkat. The meaning stays the same; placement affects emphasis.

Should kepercayaan diri be hyphenated?

No. It’s written as two words without a hyphen. With the clitic, write kepercayaan dirinya (attach -nya to the last word). Avoid older forms like kepercayaan diri-nya in modern standard writing.

How do I say “The short presentation boosted his/her confidence”?

Use a causative or “make” construction:

Presentasi singkat itu meningkatkan kepercayaan dirinya.
Presentasi singkat itu membuat dia lebih percaya diri.