Saya berusaha tidak cemburu dan fokus pada langkah saya sendiri.

I try not to be jealous and focus on my own steps.

Breakdown of Saya berusaha tidak cemburu dan fokus pada langkah saya sendiri.

• saya: I
• tidak: not
• dan: and
• sendiri: own
• saya: my
• pada: on
• fokus: to focus
• langkah: the step
• berusaha: to try
• cemburu: jealous

Questions & Answers about Saya berusaha tidak cemburu dan fokus pada langkah saya sendiri.

What nuance does berusaha have here? Is it just “try,” like mencoba?

Berusaha literally means “to make an effort / to strive.”

Nuance:

• berusaha = making a conscious, often ongoing effort; “I strive / I try hard”
• mencoba = to try something (more neutral, can be more “give it a try”)

In this sentence, Saya berusaha tidak cemburu suggests:

• “I’m really making an effort not to be jealous,” not just casually trying.

You could say Saya mencoba tidak cemburu, and it’s grammatically fine, but berusaha sounds a bit more serious and intentional about the inner struggle.

Could I say berusaha untuk tidak cemburu? Why is untuk left out?

Yes, Saya berusaha untuk tidak cemburu is also correct.

• berusaha + (untuk) + verb: the untuk is optional in many cases.
• Without untuk, the sentence is slightly more natural and direct in everyday speech:
  • Saya berusaha tidak cemburu (very common)
  • Saya berusaha untuk tidak cemburu (a bit more formal or written style, but still natural)

Meaning-wise, there’s no real difference here; both mean the same thing.

Why is tidak used here, and not bukan? Could I say nggak?

In Indonesian:

• tidak negates verbs and adjectives.
• bukan negates nouns and noun phrases.

In tidak cemburu:

• cemburu is an adjective (“jealous”), so you must use tidak.

✅ Correct:

• tidak cemburu = not jealous

❌ Incorrect:

• bukan cemburu (wrong type of negation)

Informally, you can replace tidak with:

• nggak / gak / enggak

So in casual spoken Indonesian, you might hear:

• Saya berusaha nggak cemburu.

What exactly does cemburu mean? Is it like jealousy or envy, and how is it different from iri?

Cemburu usually refers to jealousy, often in emotional or relationship contexts:

• being jealous of a partner talking to someone else
• feeling possessive or insecure

Iri is closer to “envy”:

• wanting what someone else has (their success, possessions, opportunities)

Examples:

• Dia cemburu karena pacarnya jalan dengan orang lain.
  “He/She is jealous because their boyfriend/girlfriend went out with someone else.”
• Dia iri melihat kesuksesan temannya.
  “He/She is envious seeing their friend’s success.”

In your sentence, tidak cemburu suggests an emotional jealousy, possibly about other people’s progress, attention, or achievements, depending on context.

Is fokus here an adjective or a verb? Should it be berfokus or memfokuskan instead?

In this sentence, fokus functions like a verb, similar to English “(to) focus”:

• … dan fokus pada langkah saya sendiri.
  “… and (I) focus on my own steps.”

Colloquial Indonesian often uses fokus directly as a verb:

• Saya mau fokus belajar. = “I want to focus on studying.”

More “textbook” options:

• berfokus pada = to be focused on
  
  • Saya berfokus pada langkah saya sendiri.
• memfokuskan (diri) pada = to focus (oneself) on
  
  • Saya memfokuskan diri pada langkah saya sendiri.

All are grammatically correct, but fokus pada is very common and natural in everyday usage. It also sounds less formal than berfokus or memfokuskan diri.

Why do we use pada after fokus? Could I say fokus ke or fokus di?

Pada is the standard preposition used with fokus:

• fokus pada sesuatu = focus on something

So:

• fokus pada langkah saya sendiri = “focus on my own steps”

Other options:

• fokus ke: heard in casual speech, but less standard; some consider it sloppy.
• fokus di: sounds odd with fokus; di is more for locations (in, at, on).

For clear and correct Indonesian, use:

• fokus pada …

What does langkah literally mean here? Is it physical “steps” or more like “actions” or “progress”?

Literally, langkah = “step” (as in the movement of your feet).

Figuratively, it also means:

• step in a process
• move / action
• stage in progress or development

In langkah saya sendiri, it’s metaphorical:

• your steps in life
• your own progress or path
• the actions or moves you are taking

So the idea is: “I focus on my own path / my own progress,” not just literal walking steps.

Why is saya repeated in langkah saya sendiri? Why not just langkah sendiri?

Langkah saya sendiri explicitly marks possession: my own steps.

• langkah = steps
• saya = my
• langkah saya = my steps
• langkah saya sendiri = my own steps

If you say only langkah sendiri, it can still be understood as “one’s own steps,” but it’s:

• less explicit about whose steps
• more generic or impersonal

langkah saya sendiri makes it very clear that:

• you are talking about your steps, your path, not others’.

What nuance does sendiri add in langkah saya sendiri? Is it “alone” or “my own”?

Sendiri has several nuances depending on context:

1. Alone / by oneself

   • Saya tinggal sendiri. = I live alone.

2. One’s own; personal; not others’

   • Keputusan saya sendiri. = My own decision.

In langkah saya sendiri, it means:

• my own steps, my own path, distinct from other people’s
• not about being physically alone, but about focusing on personal progress and choices

So the sentence emphasizes:

• not comparing yourself to others
• concentrating on your personal journey.

How do we know the tense in this sentence? Is it present, past, or future?

Indonesian doesn’t mark tense the way English does. Saya berusaha tidak cemburu dan fokus pada langkah saya sendiri can mean:

• “I try / I am trying not to be jealous and (to) focus on my own steps.” (present)
• “I was trying not to be jealous and (to) focus on my own steps.” (past) — if the context makes it clear
• “I will try not to be jealous and (to) focus on my own steps.” (future) — again, context-dependent

To make time more explicit, you add time words:

• Tadi saya berusaha… = Earlier I tried…
• Sekarang saya berusaha… = Now I am trying…
• Besok saya akan berusaha… = Tomorrow I will try…

Could I replace saya with aku? Does that change the tone?

Yes. The choice of pronoun affects formality and intimacy:

• saya = polite, neutral, standard; safe in most situations, including formal ones.
• aku = informal, used with friends, family, close people, or in casual writing.

Variants:

• Saya berusaha tidak cemburu… → polite/neutral.
• Aku berusaha tidak cemburu… → more intimate/casual.

In casual speech, you might even hear:

• Aku berusaha nggak cemburu dan fokus ke langkahku sendiri.

That version is more relaxed and colloquial.

Can the sentence be shortened naturally, or is every part necessary?

Every part adds meaning, but you can shorten depending on context:

Original:

• Saya berusaha tidak cemburu dan fokus pada langkah saya sendiri.

Possible natural shortenings:

• Saya berusaha tidak cemburu dan fokus pada langkah sendiri.
  (drops the second saya; still understandable)
• Saya berusaha fokus pada langkah saya sendiri.
  (drops tidak cemburu; focuses only on “focusing on my own steps”)
• Saya berusaha tidak cemburu.
  (only mentions the effort not to be jealous)

The original sentence balances two ideas:

1. resisting jealousy (tidak cemburu)
2. redirecting attention to your personal path (fokus pada langkah saya sendiri)

If you want that full nuance, it’s better not to shorten it.