Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Perjalanan belajar saya panjang, tetapi menyenangkan. - My learning journey is long, but enjoyable.

perjalanan = journey (head noun)
belajar = learning / study (acts like a modifier here, similar to learning in learning journey)
saya = my (possessor pronoun)

So:

perjalanan belajar saya ≈ my learning journey

You cannot freely move these around:

saya perjalanan belajar – incorrect word order
belajar perjalanan saya – sounds wrong; it would be interpreted more like the studying of my journey, which is not the intended meaning

So keep the structure: perjalanan (journey) + belajar (learning) + saya (my).

What exactly does perjalanan belajar mean? Is belajar a noun or a verb here?

In perjalanan belajar, belajar (to study / to learn) is a verb in origin, but here it functions more like a noun or a modifier describing the type of journey.

You can think of:

perjalanan belajar ≈ learning journey / journey of learning

Indonesian often uses a bare verb after a noun to describe the type of that noun:

program belajar – a learning program
rencana makan – a plan to eat / eating plan

So even though belajar is “to study / to learn,” in perjalanan belajar it behaves like learning in English learning journey.

Why is there no word for “is” (like “is long”) in Perjalanan belajar saya panjang?

Indonesian usually omits a verb “to be” when connecting a noun and an adjective.

Perjalanan belajar saya panjang
= literally: My learning journey long
= My learning journey is long.

You can add adalah in more formal writing when the predicate is a noun phrase, but with adjectives it’s normally just omitted.

Perjalanan belajar saya adalah perjalanan yang panjang. (very formal / wordy)

For an adjective directly after the subject, you typically do not use a separate “is” verb.

Could we use lama instead of panjang? What’s the difference between panjang and lama?

Both can translate as long, but they’re used a bit differently:

panjang = long in distance or length (and metaphorically, a long process / journey)
lama = long in time / duration

For perjalanan, both can appear, but the nuance differs:

Perjalanan saya panjang.
– focuses on the extent or length of the journey (also okay metaphorically for a “long journey” of learning).
Perjalanan saya lama.
– focuses more clearly on how long it took (time).

With perjalanan belajar, panjang is natural and slightly metaphorical, like saying “My learning journey is long” in English. Perjalanan belajar saya lama is understandable but sounds more like “My learning journey takes a long time” and is less idiomatic as a life metaphor.

Why do we use menyenangkan and not just senang?

Root: senang = happy, pleased (a state of a person)
Derived: menyenangkan = causing happiness, enjoyable, pleasant

The pattern is:

senang – to be happy (feeling)
menyenangkan – to make (someone) happy / to be enjoyable

In the sentence:

…tetapi menyenangkan.
= …but (it is) enjoyable / pleasant.

If you said:

Perjalanan belajar saya panjang, tetapi saya senang.
= My learning journey is long, but I am happy.

That changes the meaning: now you are happy, instead of the journey being enjoyable.

So menyenangkan describes the journey, not your inner feeling.

What is the difference between tetapi, tapi, and namun?

All can translate as but / however, but they differ in formality and grammar position.

tetapi
- Meaning: but
- Register: neutral, standard
- Position: conjunction at the start of the second clause
- Example: Perjalanan belajar saya panjang, tetapi menyenangkan.
tapi
- Meaning: but
- Register: informal / colloquial
- Often used in speech and casual writing
- You could say: Perjalanan belajar saya panjang, tapi menyenangkan.
namun
- Meaning: however / nevertheless
- Register: more formal
- Often comes at the beginning of a sentence or clause, usually after a period or semicolon
- Example: Perjalanan belajar saya panjang. Namun, menyenangkan.

In your sentence, tetapi is a good neutral choice.

Why is there a comma before tetapi?

Indonesian punctuation here is similar to English:

There are two clauses:
- Perjalanan belajar saya panjang
- (Perjalanan belajar saya) menyenangkan (subject is understood / omitted)
They are joined by tetapi (but).

When tetapi joins two independent clauses, it’s standard to put a comma before it:

…, tetapi …

So:

Perjalanan belajar saya panjang, tetapi menyenangkan.

Can we drop saya and just say Perjalanan belajar panjang, tetapi menyenangkan?

Grammatically, yes, but the meaning changes.

Perjalanan belajar saya panjang…
– My learning journey is long…
Perjalanan belajar panjang…
– The learning journey is long… (more general / impersonal)

Without saya, it sounds like you’re talking about learning journeys in general, or about some specific learning journey previously mentioned, not explicitly yours.

If you want to emphasize your personal experience, keep saya.

How do we know if this sentence is about the past, present, or future, since there’s no tense?

Indonesian verbs and adjectives usually do not change form for tense. Time is understood from context or from time words.

For example, you could add:

dulu (in the past):
- Dulu, perjalanan belajar saya panjang, tetapi menyenangkan. – In the past, my learning journey was long but enjoyable.
sekarang (now):
- Sekarang, perjalanan belajar saya panjang, tetapi menyenangkan. – Now, my learning journey is long but enjoyable.
akan (will):
- Perjalanan belajar saya akan panjang, tetapi menyenangkan. – My learning journey will be long but enjoyable.

Without extra words, Perjalanan belajar saya panjang, tetapi menyenangkan is tense-neutral; the time reference comes from the broader context.

Can we reverse the order of the adjectives and say Perjalanan belajar saya menyenangkan, tetapi panjang? Does it change the meaning?

Yes, you can say:

Perjalanan belajar saya menyenangkan, tetapi panjang.

Both versions are grammatical, but the emphasis shifts slightly:

…panjang, tetapi menyenangkan.
– Emphasis: it’s long, but (despite that) it’s enjoyable.
…menyenangkan, tetapi panjang.
– Emphasis: it’s enjoyable, but (the downside is) it’s long.

The difference is similar to English:

It’s long, but enjoyable.
It’s enjoyable, but long.

Same basic meaning; different nuance of what you present as the main point versus the “concession.”