Breakdown of Telepon itu diperbaiki kemarin.
itu
that
kemarin
yesterday
telepon
the telephone
diperbaiki
to be repaired
Questions & Answers about Telepon itu diperbaiki kemarin.
What does the word itu mean here—“that” or “the”?
In Indonesian, itu after a noun often marks definiteness and can mean either that or the, depending on context. So Telepon itu can be understood as either that phone (deictic, pointing to a specific one) or the phone (a known, specific phone). If you want “this,” use ini: telepon ini.
Is this sentence in the passive voice? How would I say it in the active voice?
Yes, diperbaiki is passive. The active counterpart is:
- Teknisi memperbaiki telepon itu kemarin. = The technician repaired the phone yesterday. Passive focuses on the phone; active focuses on the agent.
How is diperbaiki formed?
diperbaiki = di- (passive prefix) + perbaiki (verb base).
The active verb is memperbaiki (to repair/fix/improve). Switching to passive replaces mem- with di- and keeps the same base: diperbaiki.
Why is it -i (diperbaiki) and not -kan (diperbaikan or diperbaikkan)?
- The correct verb is memperbaiki / diperbaiki with -i.
- -kan is not used here; memperbaikkan / diperbaikkan is not standard.
- perbaikan (with -an) is a noun meaning repair/improvement. For example: Sedang dalam perbaikan = under repair. Don’t confuse the noun with the passive verb.
How do I say “by the technician” in Indonesian?
- Formal/neutral: Telepon itu diperbaiki oleh teknisi kemarin.
- Common informal: Telepon itu diperbaiki sama teknisi kemarin.
- Another very natural way (no di- passive): Telepon itu saya perbaiki kemarin. = I repaired that phone yesterday.
Where can I put kemarin in the sentence?
Indonesian is flexible with time words:
- Telepon itu diperbaiki kemarin. (neutral)
- Kemarin telepon itu diperbaiki. (emphasizes “yesterday”)
- Telepon itu kemarin diperbaiki. (also fine in speech)
All are grammatical; choose based on what you want to emphasize.
Do I need sudah or telah to mark the past?
No. Indonesian doesn’t mark tense on the verb. Kemarin already places the action in the past. You can add sudah (neutral) or telah (formal) to emphasize completion:
- Telepon itu sudah diperbaiki (kemarin).
Can I say Teleponnya instead of Telepon itu?
Yes, but it changes nuance:
- Telepon itu = that/the (specific) phone.
- Teleponnya can mean “the phone (we both know about)” or “his/her/their phone,” depending on context. It’s often topical and can imply possession.
How do I show plural, like “The phones were repaired yesterday”?
Indonesian doesn’t require a plural marker, so context can do the job:
- Telepon itu diperbaiki kemarin. could mean one or more phones depending on context.
To be explicit: - Telepon-telepon itu diperbaiki kemarin.
- Semua telepon itu diperbaiki kemarin.
Is telepon a cellphone or a landline?
Telepon is general and can refer to a phone. In everyday speech, people often say HP (from “handphone”) for a mobile phone, and ponsel is the more formal term. If you specifically mean a mobile, say HP or ponsel.
Is it okay to write telpon instead of telepon?
Informally, many people write telpon (and the abbreviation telp.). The standard spelling is telepon, which you should prefer in writing and formal contexts.
How do you pronounce the words?
- telepon: tuh-LEH-pon (the first “e” is like a schwa)
- diperbaiki: dee-per-BAI-kee (the ai is like the “eye” sound)
- kemarin: ke-MA-rin (first “e” is a schwa)
Could I use sedang to say “was being repaired”?
Yes. Use sedang for an ongoing action:
- Kemarin telepon itu sedang diperbaiki. = Yesterday the phone was being repaired (in progress at that time).
Can I drop itu and just say Telepon diperbaiki kemarin?
Yes. Telepon diperbaiki kemarin is grammatical and more generic/indefinite (“A/The phone(s) were repaired yesterday”). Itu points to a specific phone you have in mind.
Why is di attached in diperbaiki, not written separately?
Because di- here is a prefix forming the passive verb and must be attached: diperbaiki.
Write di separately only when it’s a preposition meaning “at/in/on,” e.g., di rumah (at home).
Are there synonyms for diperbaiki? What about casual speech?
- Standard synonyms: dibetulkan (from membetulkan), sometimes diperbaiki and dibetulkan overlap.
- Casual Jakarta Indonesian: diperbaikin or dibenerin. Example: Teleponnya dibenerin kemarin.
Use the standard diperbaiki in formal or careful speech.
Could I use ter- instead of di- here?
Not for this meaning. ter- often marks a state or accidental action. Terbaiki is uncommon here and can sound odd. To say “It has been repaired,” stick with sudah diperbaiki or describe the state: Telepon itu sudah berfungsi.
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