Saya mengisi ulang baterai telepon di rumah.

Breakdown of Saya mengisi ulang baterai telepon di rumah.

rumah
the house
saya
I
di
at
baterai telepon
the phone battery
mengisi ulang
to recharge
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Questions & Answers about Saya mengisi ulang baterai telepon di rumah.

What does the verb phrase "mengisi ulang" literally mean and how is it built?

It literally means "to fill again" (re‑fill/recharge). It’s composed of:

  • mengisi = meN- (active/transitive prefix) + isi (fill) → "to fill"
  • ulang = again Together, mengisi ulang expresses doing the filling again, which matches "recharging" in this context. You’ll also see the noun phrase isi ulang meaning "a refill/top-up."
Is "mengisi ulang" the most natural way to say “to charge a phone”?

It’s correct and clear, especially in careful/formal language. In everyday speech, people more often say:

  • Informal: ngecas HP, cas HP
  • Neutral/formal: mengisi daya ponsel/HP All of these are widely understood; pick based on formality.
Why is it "baterai telepon" and not "telepon baterai"?
In Indonesian, the head noun comes first and the modifier follows. So baterai telepon = "the phone’s battery" (battery of the phone). Saying telepon baterai would sound like "battery phone," which is not the intended meaning.
Can I make it clear that it’s my phone’s battery?

Yes. Put the possessor after the noun:

  • baterai telepon saya / baterai HP saya = my phone’s battery Full sentence example: Saya mengisi ulang baterai HP saya di rumah.
Do I need to say "di rumah saya" to mean "at my house"?
Not necessarily. Di rumah usually means "at home" (implicitly your home if you’re the speaker). Use di rumah saya/rumahku to be explicit, or di rumahnya for "at his/her house."
How do I express past, present, or future with this sentence?

Indonesian doesn’t mark tense on the verb. Add time/aspect words:

  • Past/completed: sudah → Saya sudah mengisi ulang…
  • Progressive/ongoing: sedang or informal lagi → Saya sedang/lagi mengisi…
  • Future: akan or nanti → Saya akan mengisi… / Nanti saya mengisi…
Can I drop the subject "Saya"?
Yes, when context makes it obvious. You could say Mengisi ulang baterai telepon di rumah. In isolation it sounds like a note or caption; in conversation, it works as a short answer or update.
Can I move "di rumah" to another position?

Yes, adverbials are flexible. For example:

  • Di rumah, saya mengisi ulang baterai telepon. (place emphasis)
  • Saya di rumah mengisi ulang baterai telepon. Meaning stays the same; word order changes nuance/emphasis.
What’s the difference between the preposition "di" and the passive prefix "di-"?
  • di as a preposition ("at/in/on") is written separately: di rumah.
  • di- as a passive prefix attaches to the verb with no space: diisi ("is/was filled"). So: di rumah vs diisi ulang.
How would I say it in the passive voice?

Two common options:

  • Canonical passive: Baterai telepon diisi ulang di rumah (oleh saya).
  • Object-fronting (colloquial passive): Baterai telepon saya isi ulang di rumah. (Note the base verb isi without the prefix.)
Is there any issue with "mengisi ulang telepon" (charging the phone, not the battery)?

It’s understandable but less idiomatic in formal style. People typically say:

  • mengisi daya telepon/ponsel/HP (neutral/formal), or
  • ngecas HP (very common informal). Your original "mengisi ulang baterai telepon" is also fine.
Any spelling notes on "telepon" and "baterai"?
  • The standard spellings are telepon (not "telpon") and baterai (you’ll hear "batere/batrai" informally).
  • Ponsel (cellphone) and HP ("ha-pe," short for "handphone") are very common alternatives to "telepon."
Should "mengisi ulang" be hyphenated?
No. Write it as two words: mengisi ulang. Hyphens are not used here.
How do I make "the battery" definite?

Indonesian has no articles, so use context or add -nya:

  • baterainya = the battery (previously known or specific) Example: Saya mengisi ulang baterainya di rumah.
How do I say “I’m charging my phone at home right now” in a natural conversational way?
  • Neutral: Saya sedang mengisi daya HP di rumah.
  • Informal: Saya lagi ngecas HP di rumah.
What’s the difference between di/ke/dari with "rumah"?
  • di rumah = at home (location)
  • ke rumah = to (the) house/home (direction)
  • dari rumah = from home (origin)