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Questions & Answers about Kalau bukan hujan, ya angin kencang yang membuat angkot terlambat.
What does the particle ya do here?
It adds a contrastive, slightly resigned “well/then” feel between the two possibilities. It’s optional; without it the sentence still works but sounds flatter. It’s not the word for “yes” in this context.
Why bukan and not tidak?
Because bukan negates a noun phrase (hujan = rain as a thing/cause). tidak negates verbs/adjectives. Compare:
- Kalau bukan hujan, … = If it’s not rain (the cause), …
- Kalau tidak hujan, … = If it isn’t raining, … (talks about the event/weather, not the cause label)
What is yang doing in ya angin kencang yang membuat angkot terlambat?
yang introduces a relative clause modifying angin kencang: (angin kencang) yang membuat angkot terlambat = “the strong wind that makes the angkot late.” It also creates a focus effect similar to an English cleft: “it’s the strong wind that …”. Without yang you’d have a plain clause: angin kencang membuat angkot terlambat (no cleft/focus).
What exactly is an angkot?
A shared public minibus (from angkutan kota, “city transport”), common in many Indonesian cities, especially West Java. It runs fixed routes; you flag it down and pay per ride. Indonesian doesn’t use articles (a/an/the), so just angkot.
Can I omit ya?
Yes: Kalau bukan hujan, angin kencang yang membuat angkot terlambat. That’s neutral. ya adds a conversational, slightly exasperated tone. You might also hear a pause: Kalau bukan hujan, ya, angin kencang …
Could I use melainkan (“but rather”)?
Yes, in the pattern bukan … melainkan … (contrast without the conditional): Bukan hujan, melainkan angin kencang yang membuat angkot terlambat. If you keep the conditional idea, make the causes parallel with karena: Kalau bukan karena hujan, (ya) karena angin kencang.
Is kalau informal? What about jika/apabila?
- kalau: neutral and very common in speech and writing.
- jika/apabila: more formal. You could write: Jika bukan hujan, angin kencang yang membuat angkot terlambat.
Difference between terlambat, telat, and keterlambatan?
- terlambat: standard adjective/verb “late.”
- telat: colloquial for terlambat.
- keterlambatan: noun “a delay.” Example: keterlambatan angkot = the angkot’s delay.
Why angin kencang, not angin kuat?
Collocation. kencang is the usual word for speed/force in wind and movement; kuat means “strong” more generally (muscles, taste), and angin kuat sounds less natural. Colloquially you may hear kenceng.
Where is the tense? Does this mean present, past, or habitual?
Indonesian doesn’t mark tense. Here it reads as habitual/generic (“it’s always either rain or wind …”). Add time words if needed: selalu (always), sering (often), tadi (earlier), kemarin (yesterday), etc.
What does -lah do in Angin kencanglah yang membuat angkot terlambat?
-lah adds emphasis/focus to the word it attaches to, making the cleft stronger: roughly “It is the strong wind that …”. Fine to use, slightly more formal/written.
Can I replace membuat with something else?
Yes:
- Neutral/formal: menyebabkan (causes) — angin kencang yang menyebabkan angkot terlambat.
- Informal: bikin — angin kencang yang bikin angkot telat.
Is hujan being treated as a noun or a verb here?
As a noun (“rain” as a cause), which is why bukan is used. When you mean the event “to rain,” use hujan as a verb-like predicate and negate with tidak: Kalau tidak hujan, …
Any intonation tips?
Natural speech has a slight pause after hujan and a small stress on ya (often drawn out): Kalàu bukan huján, yà… angin kencáng yang membuat angkòt terlambát. The yang-clause is delivered as one chunk.
Is yah the same as ya?
No. yah expresses disappointment or “aww/oh no.” In this sentence you want ya (contrastive particle), not yah.