Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Telepon itu dimatikan sebentar agar suara deringnya tidak mengganggu rapat kami. - That telephone was turned off for a moment so that its ringing tone does not disturb our meeting.

Dimatikan comes from the active verb mematikan, which means "to turn off." In this sentence, it is in the passive form dimatikan to indicate that the phone was turned off by someone (the agent is not explicitly mentioned). This structure is common in Indonesian when the focus is on the action rather than who performed it.

What is the function of agar in the sentence?

Agar is a conjunction that introduces a purpose clause. It translates to "so that" or "in order to" and explains the reason behind the action. In this sentence, agar shows that the phone was turned off in order to prevent its ringing from disturbing the meeting.

How does suara deringnya work in terms of possession and meaning?

In suara deringnya, suara means "sound" and dering refers to the "ringing" of the phone. The suffix -nya is attached to dering to indicate possession, meaning "its" or "the phone's." Thus, suara deringnya specifically refers to the phone’s ringing sound.

What does the word sebentar contribute to the meaning of the sentence?

Sebentar means "for a short time" or "briefly." It tells us that the phone was turned off only for a moment, indicating the temporary nature of the action.

Can you explain the overall structure of the sentence?

The sentence begins with the subject Telepon itu (“that phone”), followed by the passive verb dimatikan (“was turned off”). The adverb sebentar describes the duration of the action. Finally, the purpose clause agar suara deringnya tidak mengganggu rapat kami explains the reason for turning off the phone—it was done so that its ringing sound wouldn’t disturb the meeting. This structure clearly connects the action to its intended outcome.