Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya mengunduh video setelah rapat selesai. - I download a video after the meeting is finished.

Indonesian doesn’t mark tense, so Saya mengunduh video setelah rapat selesai can be past, present, or future depending on context. To make it explicit:

Past: Saya sudah/baru saja mengunduh video setelah rapat selesai tadi.
Future: Saya akan mengunduh video nanti setelah rapat selesai.

Is mengunduh the common way to say “download,” or do people just say “download”?

Both are understood. Mengunduh is standard/formal (preferred in official writing), while in everyday speech many say download, mendownload, or colloquially ngedownload. For formal writing, stick with mengunduh.

What’s the structure of mengunduh? Why the prefix meng-?

The root is unduh; the prefix meng- forms an active transitive verb, giving mengunduh “to download (something).” Because the root begins with a vowel, the prefix stays as meng- (not men-, mem-, etc.).

Is mengunduh transitive? Do I need an object?

Yes, it normally takes an object. Mengunduh video is good; saying just mengunduh feels incomplete unless the object is understood from context. You can also use a pronoun: mengunduhnya = “download it.”

What exactly does setelah rapat selesai mean grammatically?

It’s a clause where rapat is the subject and selesai is the predicate adjective “finished.” So it literally means “after the meeting [is] finished/over.”

Can I drop selesai and just say setelah rapat?

Yes. Setelah rapat is natural and means “after the meeting.” Adding selesai explicitly highlights that the meeting has concluded; both are common.

Are there synonyms for setelah?

Sesudah: near-synonym, equally correct.
Seusai: slightly formal/literary.
Colloquial: habis/abis (e.g., Abis rapat, saya…).

Can the time clause come first?

Yes: Setelah rapat selesai, saya mengunduh video. When the subordinate clause comes first, use a comma. The meaning doesn’t change.

How do I make it clearly past or future without relying on context?

Past/completed: sudah or telah (more formal), or time words like tadi/kemarin.
- Example: Saya sudah mengunduh videonya setelah rapat selesai tadi.
Future: akan or time words like nanti.
- Example: Saya akan mengunduh video nanti setelah rapat selesai.

How would I say “I was downloading … when the meeting finished”?

Use a progressive marker like sedang or lagi with a “when” conjunction:

Saya sedang/lagi mengunduh video ketika/saat rapat selesai. This means you were in the middle of downloading at the moment the meeting ended.

What’s the opposite of mengunduh?

Mengunggah = “to upload.” Example: Saya mengunggah video setelah rapat selesai.

How do I say “the video” instead of just “a video”?

Make it definite with -nya or itu:

videonya or video itu = “the video/that video.” Example: Saya mengunduh videonya setelah rapat selesai.

Can I omit Saya?

Yes, subjects are often dropped when obvious from context: Mengunduh video setelah rapat selesai. In full sentences or formal writing, keeping Saya is clearer.

Is there a difference between rapat, pertemuan, and using English meeting?

Rapat: a formal/work meeting (very common in offices).
Pertemuan: any “meeting/encounter,” slightly broader/less specifically corporate.
Many speakers also say meeting in casual contexts, but rapat is the standard Indonesian term.

Should I add sudah before selesai (e.g., setelah rapat sudah selesai)?

You can, but it’s often redundant because selesai already implies completion. Setelah rapat selesai is usually enough; setelah rapat sudah selesai adds emphasis but sounds wordier.

Can I use ketika/waktu/saat instead of setelah?

They mean “when,” not “after.” Use them if you want to highlight the moment something happens:

Ketika/saat rapat selesai, saya mengunduh video = “When the meeting finished, I downloaded the video.” If you mean strictly “after,” setelah/sesudah is the safest choice.

Is selesai interchangeable with berakhir or usai?

Often, yes:

setelah rapat berakhir, setelah rapat usai ≈ “after the meeting ended.”
Subtle nuance: berakhir focuses on the event’s ending point; selesai/usai emphasize completion. All are natural here.

What are the pronoun/register options besides Saya?

Saya: neutral/formal.
Aku: informal, friendly.
Gue (Jakarta), I (Medan), etc.: very informal/regional.
Choose based on audience and setting.

Any quick pronunciation tips?

mengunduh: me-ngun-duh (final h is audible).
rapat: ra-pat (both syllables short).
selesai: se-le-sai (final ai like “eye”).
video: vi-de-o (three syllables).