Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Tanpa syal pun, dia tetap hangat karena jaket tebal. - Even without a scarf, he/she stays warm because of a thick jacket.

Pun is an emphatic particle meaning roughly “even.” So Tanpa syal pun means “Even without a scarf.” Without pun, Tanpa syal just means “without a scarf,” with less emphasis. The pun signals a concessive flavor: despite lacking something, the main statement still holds.

Where exactly should I place pun?

Pun follows the word or phrase it emphasizes.

Tanpa syal pun, ... = Emphasizes the whole prepositional phrase “without a scarf.”
Dia pun datang. = “He/She came too/even he/she came.” Write pun as a separate word, except in certain fixed forms like walaupun, meskipun, sekalipun, adapun.

Can I use bahkan instead of (or with) pun?

Bahkan tanpa syal, ... and Tanpa syal pun, ... are both natural.
Using both for extra emphasis is possible: Bahkan tanpa syal pun, ... (stylistically strong, not wrong).
Nuance: bahkan is a general “even,” while pun is a compact, postposed intensifier attached to the focused element.

Why is there a comma after Tanpa syal pun?

Because the sentence starts with a fronted adverbial phrase. Indonesian often uses a comma after such an opener for clarity: Tanpa syal pun, dia ... You could also write the sentence in the default order without the commaed fronting: Dia tetap hangat ...

Could I say meskipun tanpa syal or walaupun tanpa syal instead?

Yes:

Meskipun tanpa syal, dia tetap hangat ...
Walaupun tanpa syal, dia tetap hangat ... These are explicit concessive subordinators (“although/even though”). Tanpa syal pun is a terser way to create a similar “even without X” concession.

What’s the difference between tetap and masih here?

Tetap = “remain/keep (being),” stressing persistence in spite of potential change: Dia tetap hangat suggests “he/she stays warm (despite conditions).”
Masih = “still,” marking an ongoing state from before: Dia masih hangat = “he/she is still warm,” with less of a concessive flavor. In this sentence, tetap fits the “despite not wearing a scarf” idea.

Is karena okay with a noun phrase like karena jaket tebal, or should it be a full clause?

Both are used:

Colloquial/natural: Dia tetap hangat karena jaket tebal. (“because of a thick jacket”)
More explicit clause: Dia tetap hangat karena jaketnya tebal. (“because the jacket is thick”)
Positive “thanks to” nuance: Dia tetap hangat berkat jaket tebal. Avoid gara-gara here unless you want a negative/blame nuance.

Can I move the karena-phrase to the front?

Yes:

Karena jaket tebal, dia tetap hangat. Fronting the cause is common. You don’t need maka after it; Karena ..., maka ... is more formal/old-fashioned and often redundant.

Why is there no article like “a/the” before jaket or syal?

Indonesian has no articles. Definiteness/specificity is shown by context or markers:

itu: jaket itu = “that/the jacket”
-nya: jaketnya = “the/that/ his/her jacket” (context-dependent)
Quantifiers/classifiers: sebuah jaket (“a jacket”), sehelai syal (“a scarf” – for cloth-like items)

Should it be jaket tebal, jaket yang tebal, or jaketnya tebal?

jaket tebal: basic noun + adjective (“a thick jacket”).
jaket yang tebal: more specific/emphatic (“the jacket that is thick”).
jaketnya tebal: “the jacket is thick” (predicate), or “his/her/the jacket is thick,” depending on context. All are correct; choose based on emphasis and structure.

Why do adjectives come after nouns (e.g., jaket tebal)?

That’s the normal order in Indonesian: noun + modifier. So jaket tebal (“thick jacket”), buku baru (“new book”). If you front the adjective, you usually change the structure, e.g., tebalnya jaket itu (“how thick that jacket is” / “the thickness of that jacket”) or make it a predicate: Jaket itu tebal.

Could I say Dia tetap merasa hangat instead of Dia tetap hangat?

Yes, but there’s a nuance:

Dia tetap hangat: describes the person’s state (is warm).
Dia tetap merasa hangat: focuses on the sensation (feels warm). Both are fine; choose depending on whether you’re describing condition or perception.

Is dia gendered? And what about ia or beliau?

Dia: gender-neutral “he/she,” common in speech and writing.
Ia: more formal/literary, typically used as a subject; not used after prepositions.
Beliau: respectful “he/she” for elders or esteemed people. Your sentence’s dia is the most usual, neutral choice.

What’s the difference between syal and selendang?

Syal: a scarf, especially a winter/cold-weather neck scarf.
Selendang: a traditional long cloth/shawl, often worn over the shoulder; not necessarily for warmth. Here syal is the right word for a winter scarf.

Is there a classifier I should use with syal or jaket?

If you need to count:

sehelai syal (one scarf; cloth-like classifier)
sebuah jaket (one jacket) In many contexts you can omit them and rely on context.

How does Tanpa syal pun compare to Sekalipun tanpa syal?

Both convey concession:

Tanpa syal pun, ... is compact and common.
Sekalipun tanpa syal, ... is also correct and slightly more formal/explicit. You can also use walaupun/meskipun as noted earlier.

Is karena ever written as karna?

In casual speech it’s pronounced like karna, and you’ll see karna/krn in chats. Standard writing prefers karena.

Pronunciation tips for tricky parts like syal and tebal?

syal: “shyal” (like English “sh” + “yahl”).
tebal: the first e is a schwa (like the a in “sofa”): “tə-BAL.”
karena: often spoken “karna.”
pun: “poon” with a pure Indonesian u (like “oo” in “food,” not “book”).

Could the sentence be made more explicitly positive or neutral about the cause?

Yes:

Neutral cause: Dia tetap hangat karena memakai jaket tebal.
Positive “thanks to”: Dia tetap hangat berkat jaket tebal. Avoid the negative/blamey gara-gara here.