Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Ayo pindai dokumen sebelum rapat pagi. - Let's scan the document before the morning meeting.

Ayo functions like let’s or come on in English. It’s an informal, friendly way to invite or encourage someone to perform an action, softening the command into a suggestion.

What does pindai mean?

pindai is the root verb meaning to scan, as in using a scanner or scanning an image/document electronically.

Why is the verb pindai in its base form rather than memindai?

After Ayo, Indonesian typically uses the bare verb root for imperatives and invitations.

Ayo + root verb = “Let’s + infinitive”
If you said Ayo memindai, it would sound unusual because memindai is the active verbal form used in normal declarative sentences.

Can you use the English word scan instead of pindai?

Yes. In casual or tech-oriented settings, many Indonesians say Ayo scan dokumen.
However, pindai is the official Indonesian equivalent recommended in formal contexts.

Why is there no article like “the” or “a” before dokumen?

Indonesian does not use definite or indefinite articles. A noun like dokumen can mean “a document,” “the document,” or “documents” depending on context and intonation.

What does sebelum mean, and how is it used here?

sebelum means before. It introduces a time clause, indicating that the scanning should happen prior to another event—here, the morning meeting.

Why is it rapat pagi instead of pagi rapat?

In Indonesian, temporal or descriptive modifiers generally follow the noun.

rapat pagi = “meeting morning” = “morning meeting”
Putting pagi first (as in pagi rapat) would sound ungrammatical.

Is this sentence too informal for a workplace email?

It’s casual but still acceptable among colleagues. For more formality, you could say:

Silakan memindai dokumen sebelum rapat pagi.
This uses Silakan (please), the full verbal form memindai, and sounds more polite in written communication.