Saya mengepel lantai di ruang tamu.

I mop the floor in the living room.

Breakdown of Saya mengepel lantai di ruang tamu.

• saya: I
• di: in
• lantai: the floor
• ruang tamu: the living room
• mengepel: to mop

Questions & Answers about Saya mengepel lantai di ruang tamu.

Why is it written as mengepel (with nge), not something like mempel or mengpel?

Because the root is the monosyllabic noun pel (a mop). With monosyllabic roots, Indonesian uses the prefix menge- to form an active verb: menge- + pel → mengepel. Compare: mengecat (to paint, from cat), mengebor (to drill, from bor). So mengepel literally means “to mop (something).”

Can I drop the subject and just say Mengepel lantai di ruang tamu?

Yes. Indonesian often omits subjects when clear from context. Mengepel lantai di ruang tamu is natural in instructions or diary-like notes. Using Saya simply makes the subject explicit.

Do I have to mention lantai? Could I say Saya mengepel di ruang tamu?

You can omit lantai if it’s obvious you’re mopping the floor. Saya mengepel di ruang tamu is common in conversation.

Is there another natural way to say “the living room floor” without di?

Yes, use a noun–noun compound: Saya mengepel lantai ruang tamu (“I mop the living room floor”). In Indonesian, the head noun comes first: lantai (head) + ruang tamu (modifier).

What’s the difference between ruang tamu, kamar tamu, and ruang keluarga?

• ruang tamu: living room (where you receive guests).
• kamar tamu: guest bedroom.
• ruang keluarga: family room/den (more private, for family).

Do I need an article like “the”? How do I show definiteness?

Indonesian has no articles. Context gives definiteness. To make it explicit:

• Add itu: Saya mengepel lantai di ruang tamu itu (that/the specific living room).
• Use -nya: Saya mengepelnya di ruang tamu (“I mop it in the living room”) or lantainya (“the floor” specifically).

How do I say “I am mopping (right now)” or “I already mopped”?

• Progressive: Saya sedang mengepel (lantai) di ruang tamu.
• Informal progressive: Saya lagi ngepel di ruang tamu.
• Already: Saya sudah mengepel di ruang tamu / Saya baru saja mengepel di ruang tamu (just did).

Is ngepel acceptable?

Yes, ngepel is the informal/colloquial form of mengepel, common in speech and casual writing. Use mengepel in neutral/formal contexts.

What’s the difference between Saya, Aku, and Gue/Gua here?

All mean “I,” but register differs:

• Saya: neutral/polite; safe with strangers, work, public contexts.
• Aku: informal/intimate; friends/family.
• Gue/Gua: very informal, Jakarta slang.
  The sentence adapts accordingly (e.g., Aku lagi ngepel…).

How do I make a passive like “The living room floor is being mopped (by me)”?

• Standard passive: Lantai di ruang tamu sedang dipel (oleh saya).
• Short passive (very common): Lantai ruang tamu saya pel.
  Here dipel is the passive of mengepel, and pel is the bare verb in the short passive.

What’s the difference between di as a word and the prefix di-?

• di (separate word) is a preposition meaning “in/at/on”: di ruang tamu.
• di- (attached) is the passive prefix: dipel (“be mopped”). Spacing matters.

How do I negate this? “I’m not mopping the living room floor.”

Use tidak before the verb: Saya tidak (sedang) mengepel lantai di ruang tamu.
If it’s “not yet,” use belum: Saya belum mengepel di ruang tamu.

Any pronunciation tips?

• mengepel: roughly “muh-nge-pell” (the first e is a schwa).
• ruang: “roo-ahng” (final ng is the nasal).
• tamu: “tah-moo.”
  Stress is light and fairly even in Indonesian.

Does lantai ever mean “storey/floor level” in a building?

Yes. lantai can mean floor surface or level. lantai dua = second floor (AmE)/first floor above ground (BrE). In your sentence, context makes it the surface you mop.