Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Di rumah, saya mengambil sapu dan pel untuk membersihkan lantai. - At home, I take a broom and a mop to clean the floor.

di = at/in. Di rumah = at home/at the house.
ke = to. Ke rumah = to the house.
dari = from. Dari rumah = from home. Note: Di rumah often reads as “at home” in context, not necessarily “inside a physical house.”

Is the comma after “Di rumah” necessary?

It’s optional but common in writing when a place/time phrase is fronted. It marks a slight pause: Di rumah, … In speech, you’d naturally pause there.

Does “Di rumah” mean “at my home”? How do I make it explicit?

By default it’s just “at home/at the house.” To be explicit:

Di rumah saya = at my house
Di rumahnya = at his/her house
Di rumah itu = at that house

Why use saya here? Could I use aku or gue?

saya: neutral/formal and safe in most contexts.
aku: informal/intimate; friends/family.
gue: very colloquial (Jakarta). Choose based on formality and who you’re talking to.

Why mengambil and not just ambil? Are both correct?

Both are possible.

mengambil (meN- prefix) is more neutral/formal.
ambil without the prefix is common in everyday speech: Saya ambil sapu…
Imperative uses the bare form: Ambil sapu itu! = Take that broom!

What’s the nuance of mengambil? Is it “take,” “pick up,” or “fetch”?

It covers all of those depending on context: take, pick up, or go get. If you mean “get something for someone,” use mengambilkan (benefactive): Saya mengambilkan sapu untuk ibu = I got a broom for mom.

Are sapu and pel nouns or verbs here? How do I say “to sweep” and “to mop”?

Here they’re nouns: sapu (broom) and pel (mop). Verbs:

menyapu = to sweep (meN- + sapu; s drops → meny-)
mengepel = to mop (meN- + pel; monosyllabic root → menge- + pel) Colloquial: nyapu and ngepel.

What exactly is pel? I’ve seen people say alat pel or kain pel.

In Indonesian, pel commonly refers to a mop or the mopping tool. People also say:

alat pel = mopping tool (the whole contraption)
kain pel = the mop cloth There’s also pembersih lantai for “floor cleaner” (the liquid).

What does untuk do here? Can I drop it or use something else?

untuk marks purpose (“in order to”): …untuk membersihkan…

You generally need it to introduce a purpose clause.
Colloquial: buat instead of untuk.
You can also front the purpose: Untuk membersihkan lantai, saya…

Is membersihkan just “to clean”? How is it formed?

Yes, it’s “to clean (something)”/“make clean,” formed from:

bersih (clean, adj) + meN- … -kan → membersihkan (causative, transitive). Related forms:
pembersih = cleaner (substance/device)
bersih-bersih = do cleaning in general (activity)
Imperative: Bersihkan lantai! = Clean the floor!

Could I say untuk bersihkan lantai instead of untuk membersihkan lantai?

You’ll hear untuk bersihkan lantai in speech, but untuk membersihkan lantai is more standard. After modals (e.g., mau, harus), the bare bersihkan also appears: Saya harus bersihkan lantai.

Would it be more natural to focus on the actions instead of “taking” the tools?

Yes. If the point is the cleaning, say:

Di rumah, saya menyapu dan mengepel lantai. Your original sentence is fine if you want to emphasize grabbing the tools first.

How do I express tense? Does this mean past, present, or future?

Indonesian doesn’t mark tense on the verb. Context/time words do:

Past: tadi, kemarin, barusan (e.g., Tadi di rumah, saya mengambil…)
Progressive: sedang (e.g., Saya sedang mengambil…)
Future: akan/time adverbs (e.g., Nanti saya akan mengambil…)
Completed: sudah/telah (e.g., Saya sudah mengambil…)

Can I move parts of the sentence around?

Yes:

Saya mengambil sapu dan pel di rumah. (place at the end)
Untuk membersihkan lantai, saya mengambil sapu dan pel. (purpose fronted) Word order is flexible as long as it stays clear.

How do I say “the broom and the mop” if I mean specific ones?

Add a demonstrative:

sapu dan pel itu = that/the (context-specific) broom and mop
sapu dan pel ini = this broom and mop

How do I show plural or quantity?

Indonesian usually doesn’t mark plural. Use numbers or quantifiers:

dua sapu dan tiga pel = two brooms and three mops
Classifiers are optional; for stick-like items: sebatang sapu (a broom), but sebuah sapu also occurs. Most of the time you just say satu/dua sapu.

Is there any difference between membersihkan lantai, mengepel lantai, and mencuci lantai?

membersihkan lantai: clean the floor (general).
menyapu lantai: sweep the floor (remove dust/debris).
mengepel lantai: mop the floor (wet cleaning).
mencuci lantai: wash the floor (often with water/soap). Choose based on the method you want to emphasize.

Is there any potential confusion with bersih containing “ber-”? Is bersih using the ber- prefix?

No—bersih is a root adjective meaning “clean.” It’s not ber- + sih. The verb membersihkan is formed with meN- … -kan from that adjective.

What would a casual version of the whole sentence sound like?

Di rumah, aku ambil sapu sama pel buat bersihin lantai. Even more casual focusing on actions:
Di rumah, aku nyapu sama ngepel lantai. Notes: sama = and (colloquial), buat = for/to (colloquial), bersihin = clean (colloquial), nyapu/ngepel = sweep/mop (colloquial).