Telepon itu rusak.

to be

Breakdown of Telepon itu rusak.

• itu: that
• rusak: broken
• telepon: the telephone

Questions & Answers about Telepon itu rusak.

What does telepon mean in this sentence?

Telepon means “telephone” or “phone.” In this context, it refers to the physical device rather than the action of calling.

What role does itu play in the sentence?

Itu is a demonstrative pronoun that functions similarly to “that” or can indicate a specific item like the definite article “the.” Here, it specifies which telephone is being discussed.

What does rusak mean?

Rusak translates to “broken,” “damaged,” or “not functioning.” Thus, the sentence tells us that the telephone is broken.

Why doesn't the sentence include a linking verb like “is”?

In Indonesian, simple descriptive sentences often omit linking verbs such as “is.” The subject (Telepon itu) directly followed by the predicate (rusak) is sufficient to convey that the telephone is broken.

Is the sentence structure typical for Indonesian?

Yes, the sentence follows the standard Indonesian subject-predicate order. Telepon itu serves as the subject and rusak as the predicate, forming a complete and natural statement in Indonesian.