Pada Oktober, saya ingin ikut lomba menulis cerpen di sekolah.

Pada here means in or during when talking about a point or period of time.

So:

• pada Oktober = in October

In Indonesian, pada is often used with time expressions, especially in slightly more formal or careful speech/writing.

You may also hear:

• di bulan Oktober = in the month of October
• simply Oktober in some contexts

So Pada Oktober, ... is a natural way to set the time at the beginning of the sentence.

The comma is there because Pada Oktober is a time phrase placed at the beginning of the sentence.

It works like English:

• In October, I want to...

The comma helps separate the time setting from the main clause. In casual writing, some people may leave it out, but using it is clear and standard.

Ikut often means to join, to take part, or to come along, depending on context.

In this sentence:

• ikut lomba = join a competition / take part in a competition

It can sometimes be translated as follow in other contexts, but here that would sound unnatural in English. The idea is participation.

Examples:

• Saya ikut kelas itu. = I’m taking/joining that class.
• Dia ikut teman-temannya. = He went along with his friends.

So in this sentence, ikut means participate in.

Both are possible, but they feel a little different.

• ikut lomba = more everyday, conversational, and common in speech
• mengikuti lomba = more formal or neutral in writing

So:

• saya ingin ikut lomba menulis cerpen
  and
• saya ingin mengikuti lomba menulis cerpen

both mean roughly the same thing: I want to join/take part in a short-story writing competition.

A learner should know that Indonesian often prefers shorter, simpler verbs in casual use, and ikut is very common for this.

This is a very common Indonesian pattern where words are placed next to each other to describe something.

Breakdown:

• lomba = competition
• menulis = writing / to write
• cerpen = short story

So:

• lomba menulis cerpen = a short-story writing competition

Literally, it is something like:

• competition + writing + short story

Indonesian often builds phrases this way without adding extra words like for or of.

Compare:

• lomba menyanyi = singing competition
• kursus memasak = cooking course
• buku pelajaran bahasa Indonesia = Indonesian language textbook

Yes, cerpen is a very normal and common Indonesian word. It is an abbreviation of:

• cerita pendek
  • cerita = story
  • pendek = short

So:

• cerpen = short story

Indonesian uses many abbreviations like this in everyday language. Cerpen is so common that many speakers use it more often than the full form cerita pendek.

Menulis is the active verb form meaning to write or writing.

Base/root:

• tulis = write

With the prefix meN-:

• menulis = to write

In the phrase lomba menulis cerpen, menulis describes the type of competition: a competition involving writing short stories.

This is more natural than using bare tulis there.

A useful comparison:

• menulis surat = to write a letter
• belajar menulis = learn to write

Most naturally, di sekolah means at school and tells us the location of the competition or where it is being held.

So the sentence is understood as:

• In October, I want to join a short-story writing competition at school.

However, Indonesian can sometimes leave room for slight ambiguity. Depending on context, it could also be interpreted as a competition connected with school.

Still, the most straightforward reading is:

• di sekolah = at school

Indonesian does not use articles like a, an, and the the way English does.

So:

• lomba can mean a competition or the competition
• sekolah can mean school, a school, or the school

The exact meaning depends on context.

This is very normal in Indonesian. Learners often want to add an article mentally, but Indonesian usually just leaves it out.

Because ingin means want to, and it comes before the main verb.

So:

• saya ingin ikut = I want to join

This is similar to English:

• want to + verb

Other examples:

• Saya ingin belajar. = I want to study.
• Dia ingin pergi. = He/She wants to go.

So the pattern is:

• subject + ingin + verb

Yes.

• Saya ingin ikut lomba menulis cerpen di sekolah.
• Saya mau ikut lomba menulis cerpen di sekolah.

Both can mean I want to join the short-story writing competition at school.

The difference is mainly tone:

• ingin = a bit more neutral, careful, or formal
• mau = very common and conversational

In everyday speech, mau is extremely common. In writing or more polished language, ingin is often preferred.

Yes, aku is possible, but the tone changes.

• saya = neutral, polite, standard
• aku = more informal, personal, intimate

So:

• Pada Oktober, saya ingin ikut lomba menulis cerpen di sekolah.
  sounds standard and appropriate in many situations.

If you say:

• Pada Oktober, aku ingin ikut lomba menulis cerpen di sekolah.

it sounds more casual and personal, like something said to friends, family, or in a diary.

Yes. Pada Oktober is more standard and natural.

For time expressions, Indonesian commonly uses:

• pada for at/in/on time-related meanings
• di mainly for location

So:

• pada Oktober = natural
• di Oktober = generally not preferred in standard Indonesian

You may also hear:

• bulan Oktober = the month of October
• di bulan Oktober = in the month of October

But pada Oktober is a very good standard choice.

Yes. Indonesian word order is somewhat flexible, especially with time and place phrases.

For example:

• Saya ingin ikut lomba menulis cerpen di sekolah pada Oktober.
• Pada Oktober, saya ingin ikut lomba menulis cerpen di sekolah.

Both are grammatical.

The version with Pada Oktober first emphasizes the time a little more, just like in English when you begin with In October, ...

So the original sentence is natural and puts focus on when.