walaupun ... masih ...
Concession with Continuing State
Use walaupun ... masih ... to say "Although [condition], [state] is still [occurring/true]." It emphasizes that an expected change did not happen.
How It Works
The walaupun ... masih ... construction is a standard way to express logical concession in Indonesian. It is used when you want to point out that a specific circumstance (the 'walaupun' clause) would normally lead to a different result, yet the original state continues (the 'masih' clause).
1. Structure and Placement
- Walaupun: This introduces the dependent clause. It can be placed at the beginning of the sentence or in the middle. The shorter walau is also a standard form, including in literary writing.
- Masih: This is placed before the predicate phrase (the verb, adjective, or noun phrase) of the main clause. It can be separated from the core predicate by modifiers like sangat or tidak.
2. Punctuation Rules
When the walaupun clause begins the sentence, a comma is required to separate it from the main clause. If the main clause comes first and the walaupun clause follows, the comma is typically omitted.
3. Nuance of Persistence
While a simple concession just shows contrast, adding masih specifically targets the duration or continuation of the action. It suggests that the 'obstacle' mentioned was expected to stop the action, but failed to do so.
4. Formal vs. Informal
This pattern is neutral and widely used in both formal writing and daily conversation. In very formal contexts, you might see meskipun used instead of walaupun, but the logical relationship with masih remains the same.
Examples (4)
- Walaupun sudah malam, ayah masih bekerja di kantor.
Although it is already night, father is still working at the office.
Word by Word: Although already night, father still work at office.
Here, the night time is the 'obstacle' that would usually mean work has ended, but the father continues to work.
- Walaupun dia sakit, dia masih ingin pergi ke sekolah.
Although he is sick, he still wants to go to school.
Word by Word: Although he sick, he still want go to school.
The desire to go to school continues despite the illness. Masih modifies ingin, not the sick state itself.
- Walaupun jawaban sudah jelas, dia masih bertanya terus.
Although the answer was already clear, he still kept asking.
Word by Word: Although answer already clear, he still ask continuously.
The clarity of the answer should have stopped the questions, but the questioning continues.
- Dia masih mencintai mantan pacarnya walaupun mereka sudah berpisah lama.
He still loves his ex-girlfriend although they have been separated for a long time.
Word by Word: He still love former girlfriend-his although they already separate long.
This shows the pattern with the 'walaupun' clause placed at the end of the sentence.
Common Mistakes
Omitting the comma after an initial concessive clause.
Walaupun hujan dia masih pergi.Walaupun hujan, dia masih pergi.Separate an initial walaupun clause from the main clause with a comma in standard writing. Walaupun ... tapi ... occurs in conversation; a single concessive connector is the concise formal model here.
Incorrect placement of 'masih' after the verb.
Walaupun lelah, dia bekerja masih.Walaupun lelah, dia masih bekerja.In the basic declarative order, put masih before the predicate: dia masih bekerja. This does not rule out every colloquial afterthought or special word order.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The 'walaupun ... masih ...' pattern is a correlative construction that combines a concessive clause ('although X') with a main clause emphasizing a continuing state ('still Y'). To use this correctly, learners must already understand how to form basic concessive clauses with 'walaupun' and how to use the aspectual marker 'masih' to indicate that a situation remains unchanged.
- walaupunConcession with Walaupun
The concessive conjunction 'walaupun' (although) is the primary marker for the subordinate clause in this pattern.
Level 2 - masih + PredicateContinuing State with Masih
The adverb 'masih' (still) is required in the main clause to express the continuation of a state or action.
Level 2
Related Patterns
- meskipun ... tetap ...Concession with a Persisting Result
A similar pattern where 'tetap' emphasizes constancy or 'anyway' rather than just continuation over time.
Level 4 - meskipunConcession with Meskipun
A more formal synonym for 'walaupun' that can be used in the same structure.
Level 2 - padahalContradictory Background with Padahal
Used to show a contradiction between a fact and a situation, often translated as 'even though' or 'whereas'.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice walaupun ... masih ... in Bubblegum
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