Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Telepon berdering; saya tidak sempat mengangkatnya. - The phone rings; I don’t have time to answer it.

Indonesian turns many “make/emit a sound” verbs into intransitives with the prefix ber-. Dering is the noun “ring” (the sound), while berdering means “to ring.”

Could I use berbunyi instead of berdering?

Yes. Telepon berbunyi is acceptable, but berdering is more specific to phones/bells ringing. Berbunyi just means “to make a sound.”

What does mengangkatnya literally mean, and why is it used for calls?

Mengangkat literally means “to lift/raise.” By extension, it means “to pick up (the receiver),” i.e., “to answer a call.” The suffix -nya means “it” (or “his/her/its” depending on context), so mengangkatnya = “pick it up.”

Do I need the -nya? Can I say saya tidak sempat mengangkat?

Yes, you can omit -nya. In conversation, …tidak sempat mengangkat (or just …nggak sempet angkat) is natural; the object is understood from context.

What exactly does tidak sempat mean compared with tidak bisa?

Tidak sempat = you didn’t have the time/opportunity.
Tidak bisa = you were unable (for some other reason: permission, ability, etc.).
So here it’s about not having the chance, not inability.

What’s the difference between tidak sempat and belum sempat?

Tidak sempat = you didn’t get the chance (and that’s that).
Belum sempat = you haven’t had the chance yet (implies it may still happen).

Do I need untuk after sempat? As in tidak sempat untuk mengangkatnya?

Both are correct. (Tidak) sempat mengangkatnya is very common; (tidak) sempat untuk mengangkatnya is a bit more formal or emphatic.

Why is it mengangkat, not some other meN- form?

The verb root is angkat. The prefix meN- becomes meng- before vowels, so meN- + angkat → mengangkat.

Can I use menjawab for answering the phone?

Yes. Menjawab telepon means “to answer the phone.” For calls, mengangkat (telepon) is extremely common; menjawab is also correct but is more general (“answer a question,” etc.).

What does the -nya in mengangkatnya refer to exactly?

It’s an object pronoun “it/him/her,” resolved from context. Here it most naturally refers to the call (or the phone). If you need to be explicit: …mengangkat teleponnya or …menjawab panggilannya.

Could I say teleponnya berdering instead of telepon berdering?

Yes. Teleponnya makes it definite/possessive (“the phone/that phone/his phone”). Telepon berdering is also fine as a generic definite (“the phone rang”).

Why use a semicolon here? Could I use a comma or a period?

They’re two independent clauses, so a semicolon or a period is correct in formal writing. A plain comma is often seen informally but is best avoided. You could also link them: Telepon berdering, tapi saya tidak sempat mengangkatnya.

How do I show past vs ongoing time with this sentence?

Indonesian doesn’t mark tense morphologically. Add time words:

Past: Tadi/Barusan telepon berdering…
Ongoing: Telepon sedang berdering…
Completed: Telepon sudah berdering…

Is telepon the only word for “phone”? What about HP/ponsel/gawai?

All are used:

Telepon = phone (general); also the act of calling as a verb.
HP/hape = cell phone (very common in speech; from “handphone”).
Ponsel (formal) or gawai (device; more formal/official).

Is the spelling telpon acceptable?

In standard writing, use telepon (per PUEBI). Telpon is very common informally but nonstandard.

Can I say mendering for “to ring”?

For phones, use berdering. You’ll hear mendering occasionally, but berdering is the standard, natural choice.

Should I hyphenate mengangkatnya (as mengangkat-nya)?

No. The pronoun -nya attaches directly: mengangkatnya (no hyphen).

How would this sound in casual speech?

Examples:

Teleponnya bunyi; aku nggak sempet angkat.
HP-nya bunyi; gue ga sempet ngangkat.

Is there a colloquial alternative to tidak sempat?

Yes: nggak/ga sempet or nggak keburu. For example, Telepon berdering; aku nggak keburu angkat.