Saya menulis jadwal khusus untuk proyek sampingan.

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Questions & Answers about Saya menulis jadwal khusus untuk proyek sampingan.

What tense is menulis here? Does it mean “am writing” or “wrote”?

Indonesian verbs usually don’t mark tense; menulis just means “to write / writing” in a neutral way.
In this sentence, Saya menulis jadwal khusus untuk proyek sampingan can mean:

  • I am writing a special schedule for the side project. (present)
  • I wrote a special schedule for the side project. (past)
  • I write a special schedule for the side project. (habitual/present simple)

The actual time is understood from context or from extra words like:

  • Saya sedang menulis… = I am (currently) writing…
  • Tadi saya menulis… = I wrote earlier…
  • Besok saya akan menulis… = I will write tomorrow…
What is the difference between saya and aku?

Both mean “I / me”.

  • saya – more formal or neutral polite; safe in most situations (workplace, talking to strangers, writing).
  • aku – more informal/intimate, often used with friends, family, or in songs, poems, etc.

Your sentence with aku would be:

  • Aku menulis jadwal khusus untuk proyek sampingan.

Grammatically both are correct; the choice is about register and relationship with the listener.

Why is it jadwal khusus and not khusus jadwal?

In Indonesian, adjectives normally come after the noun:

  • jadwal khusus = schedule (that is) special/specific
  • jadwal baru = new schedule
  • proyek sampingan = side project

khusus can appear before a noun, but then its function changes. For example:

  • Khusus proyek sampingan, saya menulis jadwal.
    = Specifically for the side project, I wrote a schedule.

Here khusus works more like “specifically/especially (for)”, not as a simple adjective.
So in your sentence, jadwal khusus is the normal and correct order.

What exactly does khusus mean here: “special” or “specific”?

khusus can mean both “special” and “specific/for a particular purpose”; the nuance depends on context.

In jadwal khusus untuk proyek sampingan:

  • It often means a schedule made specifically for the side project (dedicated schedule).
  • It can also carry a mild nuance of “special” in the sense of not the usual schedule.

If you wanted “special” in a more emotional or “special occasion” sense, you might sometimes use istimewa, but for functional, purpose-based “special/specific”, khusus is very natural.

Could I say membuat jadwal instead of menulis jadwal? What’s the difference?

Yes, both are possible, but the nuance is slightly different:

  • menulis jadwal = literally “to write a schedule” – you’re focusing on the act of writing it down (on paper, on a screen, etc.).
  • membuat jadwal = “to make/create a schedule” – more about planning and creating it, not just physically writing.

Often, membuat jadwal sounds a bit more general: you design and set up the schedule.
menulis jadwal emphasizes writing it out (even though it may imply you created it too).

What does proyek sampingan really imply? Is it the same as a side job?

proyek sampingan literally means “side project”—something you work on in addition to your main job or main project.

  • It can be a hobby project, a personal project, or an extra work project.
  • If it clearly brings in money and functions as another job, it can also overlap in meaning with “side job”, but the more direct term for a side job is often kerja sampingan or pekerjaan sampingan.

So:

  • proyek sampingan – side project (could be paid or unpaid).
  • kerja sampingan / pekerjaan sampingan – side job (emphasizes it as work/occupation).
Can I drop untuk and just say jadwal khusus proyek sampingan?

Yes, and the meaning would still be understandable, but the nuance shifts slightly.

  • jadwal khusus untuk proyek sampingan
    = a special/specific schedule for the side project (explicit link with for).

  • jadwal khusus proyek sampingan
    = more compact, like “the side project’s special schedule”; sounds a bit more like a noun phrase used in titles or headings.

In normal, clear sentences, untuk is very natural and explicit, especially for learners. Dropping it is more common in informal speech or in written labels/headings.

Can I replace untuk with buat or bagi?

Yes, but they’re not always interchangeable in every context.

  • untuk – neutral and widely used; good in both spoken and written Indonesian.
  • buat – very common in informal speech; feels more casual.
    • Saya menulis jadwal khusus buat proyek sampingan. (colloquial)
  • bagi – sounds a bit more formal or literary, and is often used in “for someone/for a group”:
    • Ini penting bagi saya. = This is important for me.

In your sentence, untuk is the safest and most standard choice. buat is fine in casual conversation; bagi is less common here.

If I want to clearly say “I am currently writing…”, how do I change the sentence?

Add sedang before the verb:

  • Saya sedang menulis jadwal khusus untuk proyek sampingan.
    = I am currently writing a special schedule for the side project (present continuous).

sedang explicitly marks an ongoing action at the present moment. Without sedang, it can still mean that, but it’s more ambiguous and context-dependent.

Is it okay to drop saya and just say Menulis jadwal khusus untuk proyek sampingan?

Yes, in Indonesian the subject pronoun is often omitted when it’s clear from context.

  • Menulis jadwal khusus untuk proyek sampingan.
    Could mean “(I’m) writing a special schedule for the side project” if the speaker is clearly “I”.

This kind of subject-dropping is common in conversation, notes, or instructions.
However, for learners, including saya helps keep things clear and is always correct.

Why is sampingan after proyek? Could I say sampingan proyek?

Indonesian usually puts the describing word after the main noun:

  • proyek sampingan = side project
    • proyek = project
    • sampingan = additional / on the side

sampingan proyek is not a natural way to say “side project”. It would sound like you’re saying “the side of a project” or just ungrammatical.
So you should keep proyek sampingan as the fixed, natural phrase.

Is this sentence formal, or is it okay in casual speech?

The sentence is neutral to slightly formal:

  • Saya and untuk give it a neutral/polite tone.
  • Vocabulary like proyek and jadwal khusus is neutral and common.

For casual conversation, many speakers might say:

  • Aku lagi nulis jadwal khusus buat proyek sampingan.
    • aku (informal “I”)
    • lagi (informal marker for “currently”)
    • nulis (colloquial form of menulis)
    • buat (informal untuk)

Your original version is perfectly natural in professional or neutral contexts.