Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Tidak semua kata punya padanan yang sepadan, jadi terjemahan sering perlu penjelasan tambahan. - Not every word has an equivalent match, so translations often need additional explanation.

In this position, tidak semua is the natural choice. Bukan semua is possible in some contexts, but it usually sounds more contrastive or corrective, for example:

Tidak semua kata punya padanan … – a neutral statement: “Not all words have an equivalent …”
Bukan semua kata, tapi hanya kata‑kata teknis yang sulit. – “Not all words, but only technical words are difficult.” (correcting or limiting)

For a general statement like the sentence you gave, tidak semua is the standard and most natural form.

Why is punya used instead of memiliki or ada? Are they interchangeable?

Punya is a very common, neutral verb meaning to have. It’s slightly informal but widely used in spoken and written Indonesian.

You could also say:

Tidak semua kata memiliki padanan yang sepadan … – more formal.
Tidak semua kata ada padanannya yang sepadan … – grammatical, but a bit heavier.

In this sentence, punya is natural and conversational. Memiliki would make the sentence sound more formal or written; the meaning is essentially the same: “not all words have an equivalent counterpart”.

What does padanan mean exactly? Is it like “translation”, “equivalent”, or “synonym”?

Padanan is a noun meaning equivalent, counterpart, or matching term in another language.

It does not mean a general synonym; it’s about correspondence between two systems (often two languages). For example:

padanan bahasa Indonesia dari “software” – the Indonesian equivalent of “software”.
padanan kata – an equivalent word (usually in another language).

So in the sentence, padanan refers to a counterpart word in the target language, not just any similar word in the same language.

What is sepadan and how is it different from padanan?

Padanan is a noun (equivalent / counterpart).
Sepadan is an adjective meaning equivalent, commensurate, on the same level/scale.

In padanan yang sepadan:

padanan = the equivalent (noun)
yang sepadan = that is equivalent / that truly matches (adjective clause modifying padanan)

So literally it’s like saying “an equivalent that is really equivalent / appropriately matching”. It emphasizes that the counterpart is truly on the same level in meaning, nuance, etc.

Is padanan yang sepadan redundant? Could I just say padanan?

It can feel a bit repetitive literally (“an equivalent that is equivalent”), but in Indonesian this is a natural way to emphasize a fully adequate / proper equivalent.

Nuance differences:

padanan – just “an equivalent / counterpart”.
padanan yang sepadan – a truly equivalent counterpart, one that matches well in meaning and nuance.

Yes, you could say:

Tidak semua kata punya padanan, jadi …

That would still be correct, but slightly weaker in meaning. The original stresses that some “equivalents” are imperfect, and sometimes there is no really equivalent counterpart.

What does yang do in the phrase padanan yang sepadan?

Yang introduces a relative clause (like “that / which / who” in English).

padanan – “equivalent (noun)”
sepadan – “equivalent / well‑matched (adjective)”
yang sepadan – “that is equivalent / that is well‑matched”

So padanan yang sepadan literally means “an equivalent that is equivalent (to it)”. Grammatically, yang links the noun padanan with the descriptive phrase sepadan. Without yang, padanan sepadan would sound off; you normally need yang to attach an adjective clause like this.

How should I understand the structure terjemahan sering perlu penjelasan tambahan? Which word is the verb?

Breakdown:

terjemahan – “translation(s)” (subject)
sering – “often” (adverb of frequency)
perlu – “need(s)” / “is/are in need of” (stative verb/adjective)
penjelasan tambahan – “additional explanation” (object/complement)

So the core structure is:

terjemahan perlu penjelasan – “translations need explanation”.

Sering just adds “often”: “translations often need additional explanation.”

In Indonesian, perlu often works like a verb (“to need”), even though etymologically it’s more like an adjective (“necessary”).

Why is there no plural marking for kata and terjemahan? How do we know it means “words” and “translations”, not just one?

Indonesian usually does not mark plural with an ending like English ‑s. Number is inferred from context.

kata can mean “word” or “words”.
terjemahan can mean “translation” or “translations”.

In this sentence, it’s a general statement about language and translating, so English naturally uses plurals (“not all words”, “translations often need …”). Indonesian leaves them unmarked; the idea of plurality is understood from the general context. If you really wanted to emphasize plural, you could say kata‑kata or terjemahan‑terjemahan, but that’s not needed here.

Is jadi here a verb (“to become”) or a connector meaning “so / therefore”?

In this sentence, jadi is a connector meaning “so / therefore / as a result”, linking cause and effect:

Tidak semua kata punya padanan yang sepadan, jadi …
“Not all words have truly equivalent counterparts, so …”

Jadi can also be a verb meaning “to become / to turn into” (menjadi in more formal usage), for example:

Dia jadi marah. – “He/she became angry.”

But here it clearly functions as a conjunction. You could replace it with more formal connectors like oleh karena itu or maka, but jadi is very common and neutral.

What is the difference between sering perlu and seringkali perlu? Are both correct?

Both are correct and very similar in meaning.

sering – “often”
seringkali – also “often”, sometimes feels slightly more emphatic or formal, but in practice they overlap a lot.

So:

terjemahan sering perlu penjelasan tambahan
terjemahan seringkali perlu penjelasan tambahan

Both mean “translations often need additional explanation.” The first is a bit simpler and more common in everyday use.

What does penjelasan tambahan literally mean, and could I say it another way?

Literal parts:

penjelasan – “explanation” (jelas = clear → penjelasan = the act/result of making something clear)
tambahan – “extra / additional / in addition”

So penjelasan tambahan = additional explanation / extra explanation.

Alternative expressions with similar meaning:

penjelasan lebih lanjut – “further explanation”
penjelasan lebih detail – “more detailed explanation”
penjelasan yang lebih mendalam – “deeper explanation”

All would work with slightly different nuances. Penjelasan tambahan is neutral and straightforward.

Is the whole sentence more formal or informal? Which parts affect the level of formality?

Overall, the sentence is neutral‑informal, suitable for everyday explanation, conversation, or informal writing.

Formality cues:

punya – slightly informal/neutral. More formal would be memiliki.
jadi – a common, slightly informal connector; more formal options: oleh karena itu, maka, sehingga.
Words like padanan, sepadan, terjemahan, penjelasan tambahan are neutral and can be used in formal texts.

If you wanted a more formal version, you could say:

Tidak semua kata memiliki padanan yang sepadan, sehingga terjemahan sering memerlukan penjelasan tambahan.

This sounds more like academic or formal written Indonesian.