Walaupun begitu, saya masih belajar di perpustakaan malam ini.

Even so, I still study in the library tonight.

Breakdown of Walaupun begitu, saya masih belajar di perpustakaan malam ini.

• saya: I
• di: at
• malam ini: tonight
• belajar: to study
• masih: still
• perpustakaan: the library
• walaupun begitu: even so

Questions & Answers about Walaupun begitu, saya masih belajar di perpustakaan malam ini.

What does Walaupun begitu literally mean, and what role does it play in this sentence?

Walaupun begitu is a fixed phrase that literally combines:

• walaupun = although / even though
• begitu = like that / that way / that being the case

Together as a phrase, walaupun begitu functions more like:

• even so, nevertheless, in spite of that

In this sentence:

Walaupun begitu, saya masih belajar di perpustakaan malam ini.
Even so, I am still studying in the library tonight.

Walaupun begitu refers to some previous situation or fact just mentioned (for example, I’m tired, it’s noisy, it’s late), and then contrasts it with saya masih belajar….

So it does not introduce a full “although-clause” here; instead, it comments on the previous sentence or idea:
“Although it is like that / Even so, …”

How is Walaupun begitu different from just walaupun?

On its own, walaupun is a conjunction meaning although / even though and normally introduces a clause:

• Walaupun saya penat, saya masih belajar.
  = Although I’m tired, I still study / am still studying.

Walaupun begitu is different:

• It does not introduce a new clause.
• It refers back to a previous statement and means even so / nevertheless / in spite of that.

So:

• Walaupun saya penat, saya masih belajar.
  → Although I’m tired, I still study.

• Saya penat. Walaupun begitu, saya masih belajar.
  → I’m tired. Even so, I’m still studying.

In your sentence, Walaupun begitu is the second type: a sentence connector, not a clause starter.

Is Walaupun begitu more formal? What would a more casual alternative be?

Yes, Walaupun begitu sounds neutral to slightly formal and is common in writing, news, formal speech, and careful conversation.

More casual alternatives with a similar meaning include:

• Tapi saya masih belajar di perpustakaan malam ini.
  = But I’m still studying in the library tonight.

• Tapi saya tetap belajar di perpustakaan malam ini.
  (tetap emphasises persistence: still / nonetheless / regardless.)

• Walaupun macam tu, saya masih belajar di perpustakaan malam ini.
  (more colloquial: macam tu = like that / like that situation)

So you might have:

• Formalish: Walaupun begitu, saya masih belajar…
• Casual: Tapi saya tetap belajar… / Walaupun macam tu, saya masih belajar…

Why is there a comma after Walaupun begitu?

The comma separates the discourse connector from the main clause:

• Walaupun begitu,
  = Even so / Nevertheless,

• saya masih belajar di perpustakaan malam ini.
  = I still study / am still studying in the library tonight.

In writing, Malay usually uses a comma after introductory phrases like:

• Namun begitu, … (however, …)
• Sebaliknya, … (on the other hand, …)
• Walaupun begitu, … (even so, …)

Spoken Malay naturally has a brief pause there, which the comma represents.

What does masih mean here, and how does it relate to English still?

masih means still in the sense of an action or state continuing and not yet finished or changed.

In this sentence:

• saya masih belajar
  = I’m still studying / I’m still in the process of studying.

The nuance:

• There was an expectation that the studying might have stopped by now (because of whatever was mentioned before).
• masih says: But it is *still going on.*

Compare:

• Saya belajar di perpustakaan malam ini.
  = I study / am studying in the library tonight. (Just a statement.)

• Saya masih belajar di perpustakaan malam ini.
  = I’m still studying in the library tonight. (Emphasises the ongoing nature / persistence.)

Common contrast:

• masih = still (continuing)
• lagi can mean still / more / again, but masih is the clearest choice for still (continuing) in standard sentences like this.

How does Malay show tense here? There’s no change in the verb like am studying vs studied.

Malay does not change the verb form for tense the way English does. The basic verb belajar covers:

• study / am studying / studied / will study

Time and aspect are usually shown by:

1. Time expressions

   • malam ini = tonight / this evening
   • semalam = yesterday
   • esok = tomorrow
     etc.

2. Aspect words like

   • sudah / telah = already
   • akan = will
   • sedang = currently, in the middle of
   • masih = still

In this sentence:

• malam ini (tonight) and
• masih (still)

tell us the time and ongoing nature of the action. The verb belajar itself stays unchanged.

What exactly does belajar mean? Is it to study or to learn?

belajar covers both ideas:

• to study (do study work, revise, do homework, etc.)
• to learn (undergo the process of learning)

In context, belajar di perpustakaan almost always means to study in the library (doing school/university work, reading, revising).

Examples:

• Saya belajar bahasa Melayu.
  = I learn / study Malay.

• Dia belajar di universiti.
  = He/She studies at university.

So in your sentence, belajar di perpustakaan malam ini is naturally understood as studying in the library tonight.

What does di mean, and why is it used with perpustakaan?

di is a preposition meaning at / in / on, depending on context. It marks a location.

• di perpustakaan
  = at the library / in the library

You use di for places:

• di rumah = at home
• di sekolah = at school
• di pejabat = at the office

So saya masih belajar di perpustakaan literally = I still study at the library.

Could we say di malam ini instead of malam ini to mean tonight?

No. di malam ini is unnatural in this context.

For times like today, tonight, tomorrow, Malay usually does not use di. Instead, you just say:

• malam ini = tonight / this evening
• pagi ini = this morning
• esok = tomorrow
• semalam = yesterday

di is used for places, not for these simple time expressions.
So:

• di perpustakaan malam ini
  = at the library tonight
  (di goes with perpustakaan, not with malam ini.)

Can I change the word order of di perpustakaan and malam ini?

Yes, there is some flexibility, and all of these are acceptable and natural:

1. Saya masih belajar di perpustakaan malam ini.
   = I’m still studying at the library tonight.
   (Place first, then time.)

2. Saya masih belajar malam ini di perpustakaan.
   = I’m still studying tonight at the library.
   (Time then place; still okay.)

3. Malam ini, saya masih belajar di perpustakaan.
   = Tonight, I’m still studying at the library.
   (Time at the beginning for emphasis; add a comma in writing.)

The most common neutral order in spoken Malay is usually:

• Subject + verb + place + time
  → Saya belajar di perpustakaan malam ini.

But putting malam ini at the front is perfectly fine when you want to emphasise tonight.

Is it necessary to say saya, or can Malay drop the subject like Spanish?

Malay can drop the subject pronoun if it’s clear from context, especially in casual speech.

So in a conversation where it’s obvious you’re talking about yourself, you might hear:

• Walaupun begitu, masih belajar di perpustakaan malam ini.

This would still be understood as:

• (Saya) masih belajar di perpustakaan malam ini.

However:

• In writing, textbooks, and careful speech, including saya keeps things clear.
• For learners, it’s safer to keep the pronoun until you’re very comfortable with context.

What does perpustakaan refer to exactly? Any difference from English library?

perpustakaan means library, and it is used very similarly to English:

• public libraries
• school libraries
• university libraries
• any organised place with a collection of books/resources for reading and study

Some related words:

• buku = book
• librarian = pustakawan

So di perpustakaan is straightforwardly at the library / in the library.