Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kami berusaha datang tepat waktu meskipun hujan deras. - We try to arrive on time even though it is raining heavily.

kami = “we” excluding the listener.
kita = “we” including the listener. Use kami if you’re telling someone outside your group that your group will try to come on time. If you’re speaking to a teammate and including them, use kita: Kita berusaha datang tepat waktu meskipun hujan deras.

Why is there no “to” (untuk) before datang?

In Indonesian, many “control” verbs can take another verb directly without untuk. Berusaha can be followed by either a bare verb or untuk + verb:

Natural: berusaha datang
Also fine (a bit more formal/explicit): berusaha untuk datang

Can I use mencoba instead of berusaha? What’s the nuance?

Both can mean “try,” but:

berusaha = “to make an effort/endeavor” (emphasizes effort, often a bit more formal).
mencoba = “to try/attempt” (neutral; also used for “try out/test,” e.g., mencoba kue “try the cake”). In your sentence, either works: Kami berusaha/mencoba datang tepat waktu.... With complements, you’ll see both mencoba datang and mencoba untuk datang in real usage; the version without untuk is often preferred in careful writing.

Does meskipun need tetap in the main clause?

No, but tetap (“still/nevertheless”) adds emphasis:

Without emphasis: Kami berusaha datang tepat waktu meskipun hujan deras.
With emphasis: Meskipun hujan deras, kami tetap berusaha datang tepat waktu.

Can I move the meskipun-clause to the front?

Yes. Both orders are natural:

Meskipun hujan deras, kami berusaha datang tepat waktu. (use a comma after the concessive clause)
Kami berusaha datang tepat waktu meskipun hujan deras.

Are meskipun, walaupun, walau, meski, biarpun, and sekalipun interchangeable?

Mostly yes; all mean “although/even though,” with slight register/strength differences:

walau/walaupun, meski/meskipun: very common; walau/meski are shorter, a bit more casual/literary.
biarpun (or just biar): more casual in some regions.
sekalipun: stronger, like “even if/even though (even)”.
kendati (pun): formal/literary. Your sentence works with any of the common ones.

Is meskipun hujan deras okay without a verb like “is” or “raining”?

Yes. Indonesian often allows concise concessive phrases. Meskipun hujan deras is understood as “although it’s raining heavily.” You can add aspect if you want: meskipun sedang hujan deras or use a fuller clause: meskipun hujan turun deras.

Should I say hujan deras or hujan lebat?

Both are natural for “heavy rain.”

deras emphasizes strong flow/intensity (also used with water/current: arus deras).
lebat emphasizes thickness/density (also used for foliage/hair: rambut lebat). In weather, they’re interchangeable: hujan deras/lebat.

Why is the adjective after the noun in hujan deras?

In Indonesian, adjectives usually follow the noun:

hujan deras = “heavy rain” This is the regular noun–adjective order.

Is tepat waktu acting like an adverb here? Are there alternatives?

Yes. tepat waktu functions adverbially (“on time”): datang tepat waktu. Alternatives:

tepat pada waktunya (longer, more formal-sounding)
For “punctuality” as a noun, use ketepatan waktu.

What’s the difference between datang, tiba, and hadir?

datang = come/arrive (general). With a place: datang ke.
tiba = arrive (more formal/literal). With a place: tiba di.
hadir = be present/attend (events/meetings). No preposition: hadir tepat waktu. Your sentence with datang is perfectly natural.

Where do I put tense/aspect words like sudah, akan, or masih?

They typically precede the verb phrase:

Past/completed: Kami sudah berusaha datang tepat waktu meskipun hujan deras.
Future: Kami akan berusaha datang tepat waktu...
Still: Kami masih berusaha datang tepat waktu...

Do I need ke after datang here?

Only if you mention a destination:

Without destination: datang tepat waktu
With destination: datang ke kantor tepat waktu or datang tepat waktu ke kantor (both orders are common).

Is it okay to say Meskipun hujannya deras?

It’s colloquial but natural. The -nya here topicalizes/particularizes the rain: “Even though the rain is heavy (you know, that rain we’re dealing with)…” In neutral/formal style, stick with meskipun hujan deras.

Do I need a subject inside the meskipun-clause?

No. Weather expressions in Indonesian don’t require an explicit subject there. You wouldn’t say “meskipun kami hujan deras.” If you want to reference “us,” you could say: meskipun kami kehujanan (“even though we got rained on/got wet”).

Can I drop kami and just say “Berusaha datang tepat waktu meskipun hujan deras”?

In notes/texts, ellipsis like that is possible. In normal sentences, keep the subject: Kami/Kita berusaha...

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

datang: final ng is a velar nasal [ŋ], like the “ng” in “sing.”
tepat: the e is often a schwa [ə], roughly “tuh-PAT.”
waktu: u is like “oo” in “food.”
hujan: j is like English “j.”
deras: tap the r (a quick, single flap).
Stress is light and fairly even; Indonesian doesn’t have strong word stress.

Can I say both Meskipun..., tetapi/namun ...?

You’ll hear it, but it’s considered redundant in careful writing. Prefer one structure:

Concessive only: Meskipun hujan deras, kami berusaha datang tepat waktu.
Contrast only: Hujan deras, tetapi/namun kami berusaha datang tepat waktu.

What about mengusahakan—is it related to berusaha?

Yes, same root (usaha “effort”). But mengusahakan is transitive: “to try to get/arrange/procure” something, e.g., mengusahakan visa (“to try to obtain a visa”). It’s not used before another verb like datang. Use berusaha (untuk) datang instead.