Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya tidak angkat telepon saat rapat. - I do not answer the phone during the meeting.

Yes, literally it means “to lift,” but angkat telepon is an idiomatic collocation meaning “to answer/pick up a call.” It’s the everyday way to say you answer a phone call.

Is Saya tidak mengangkat telepon saat rapat also correct? What’s the difference?

Yes, it’s correct. Mengangkat is the prefixed (more formal/complete) form. In speech, people often use the bare verb: tidak angkat telepon. Both are fine; the prefixed form tends to sound a bit more careful or formal.

How does angkat telepon compare with menjawab telepon or menerima panggilan?

angkat telepon: most common conversational choice (“pick up/answer a call”).
menjawab telepon: “answer the phone,” slightly more neutral/formal.
menerima panggilan: “receive a call,” common in formal or technical contexts (policies, instructions). All three can describe not taking a call in this sentence pattern.

Which spelling is right: telepon, telpon, or telefon? And what’s the verb “to call”?

Standard modern spelling: telepon.
Informal writing often shortens it to telpon.
telefon looks old-fashioned/less common today. Verb “to call”: menelepon (standard). Colloquial: nelpon. You’ll also see menelpon in casual writing.

Does this sentence mean a general policy, or a specific past event?

Indonesian doesn’t mark tense, so it’s context-dependent:

Policy/habit (most likely as written): Saya tidak angkat telepon saat rapat.
Specific past: Kemarin saat rapat, saya tidak mengangkat telepon.
Right now: Saya tidak bisa angkat telepon; saya sedang rapat.
Future: Saya tidak akan angkat telepon saat rapat.

What’s the difference between saat, ketika, waktu, selama, and pas here?

saat/ketika/waktu ≈ “when.” All work here. saat feels slightly formal/neutral; ketika often narrative; waktu is casual.
selama = “during (for the duration of).” Emphasizes the whole period: Saya tidak angkat telepon selama rapat.
pas is informal for “when/at the time”: Aku nggak angkat telepon pas rapat.

Can I say di rapat, pada rapat, or dalam rapat?

To mean “while a meeting is happening,” prefer saat/ketika/waktu rapat or selama rapat.
pada rapat is common in formal reports meaning “at the meeting (event)”: Pada rapat kemarin, kami membahas…
dalam rapat (“in the meeting/in the context of a meeting”) appears in formal writing.
di rapat is less idiomatic for “during”; avoid it in this sense.

Why use saya? Could I use aku or gue?

saya: neutral and polite; safe for work or mixed company.
aku: casual/intimate with friends, family.
gue/gua: very informal Jakarta slang. Pick the pronoun that matches the relationship and setting.

Do I ever add -nya (e.g., teleponnya)?

Add -nya when you mean a specific, known call/device:

Policy (generic): Saya tidak angkat telepon saat rapat.
Specific call: Saya tidak angkat teleponnya tadi. (“I didn’t pick up that call earlier.”) Context decides whether telepon(‑nya) refers to a call or the device; if you mean “call” explicitly, you can say panggilan(‑nya).

What’s the difference between saat rapat and sedang rapat/lagi rapat?

saat rapat = “when (I’m) in a meeting” (time frame, can be habitual).
sedang rapat/lagi rapat = “(I’m) in a meeting right now” (ongoing action). Example auto-reply: Maaf, saya sedang rapat. Nanti saya telepon balik.

How do I make it a command: “Don’t pick up the phone during the meeting”?

Use jangan for negative imperatives:

Jangan angkat telepon saat rapat. Add politeness if needed: Tolong jangan angkat telepon selama rapat.

Any quick pronunciation tips for these words?

angkat: ng = [ŋ] (like “sing”), not [ngg].
tidak: final k is a glottal stop; you’ll often hear it as tida’.
telepon: say it as three syllables: te-le-pon; the first e is a schwa-like sound; stress is light in Indonesian.
rapat: both a like “ah”; clear final t.

Can I front the time phrase?

Yes. Saat rapat, saya tidak angkat telepon. This is common and natural. You can also say the casual version: Pas rapat, aku nggak angkat telepon.