Breakdown of Jangan hapus arsip rapat itu.
itu
that
jangan
don’t
arsip rapat
the meeting archive
hapus
to delete
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Questions & Answers about Jangan hapus arsip rapat itu.
What does jangan mean, and when do I use it instead of tidak or bukan?
Jangan is the negative imperative “don’t,” used to prohibit or tell someone not to do something.
- Pattern: Jangan + base verb + (object) → Jangan hapus arsip rapat itu.
- Use tidak to negate statements with verbs/adjectives: Saya tidak menghapus. (I’m not deleting.)
- Use bukan to negate nouns: Itu bukan arsip rapat. (That’s not a meeting archive.) So for commands/prohibitions, choose jangan.
Why is it hapus and not menghapus after jangan?
In prohibitions, Indonesian commonly uses the base verb (the root) after jangan.
- Natural: Jangan hapus arsip rapat itu.
- Acceptable but heavier/less casual: Jangan menghapus arsip rapat itu. The base form sounds crisper and is the default in everyday speech for commands and prohibitions.
What’s the difference between Jangan hapus arsip rapat itu and Jangan dihapus?
- Jangan hapus arsip rapat itu (active): Addresses the doer directly—“You, don’t delete that meeting archive.”
- Jangan dihapus (passive): Focuses on the item—“Don’t let it be deleted/Don’t have it deleted.” Often used when the object is understood from context or on labels/signs. A full passive with the object fronted is also very natural: Arsip rapat itu jangan dihapus.
Do I need to say “you,” like kamu or Anda, in this sentence?
No. Imperatives normally omit the subject; it’s understood. If you really need to specify:
- Informal: Kamu jangan hapus arsip rapat itu. (can sound pointed)
- Formal/polite: Anda mohon jangan menghapus arsip rapat itu. Often it’s better to soften instead of naming the person (see next question).
How can I make this prohibition more polite or softer?
- Add a softener: Jangan dihapus, ya.
- Add “please”: Tolong jangan hapus arsip rapat itu.
- Formal notices: Harap tidak menghapus arsip rapat itu. / Mohon jangan dihapus. Avoid silakan here; it invites someone to do something, not to refrain.
What does arsip rapat mean exactly? Does it mean minutes, recording, or a folder?
Arsip rapat literally means “meeting archive/records.” It’s broad:
- If you mean minutes: notulen rapat or risalah rapat
- If you mean an audio/video recording: rekaman rapat
- If you mean a folder of meeting materials: folder/berkas rapat Context determines which kind of “archive” it is.
Why is itu at the end? Could I use ini instead?
Indonesian usually puts demonstratives after the noun phrase:
- arsip rapat itu = that/the (specific) meeting archive
- arsip rapat ini = this meeting archive Without ini/itu, arsip rapat is less specific (could be generic/non-definite).
How do I say “Please don’t delete it yet” or “Make sure you don’t accidentally delete it”?
- “Don’t delete it yet”: Jangan dihapus dulu. / Jangan hapus dulu arsip rapat itu.
- “Make sure you don’t end up deleting it (by accident)”: Jangan sampai terhapus. / Jangan sampai kamu menghapus arsip rapat itu. The ter- form (terhapus) often implies something happened unintentionally.
Is the sentence singular or plural? What if I mean multiple archives?
Indonesian doesn’t mark plural by default. Arsip rapat itu could be one or more, depending on context. To be explicit:
- Plural: arsip-arsip rapat itu or semua arsip rapat itu
- Singular explicitly: satu arsip rapat itu (less common; usually context suffices)
Can I use hapuskan or menghapuskan here?
For files and digital deletion, use hapus (base) or menghapus (active verb). Hapuskan/menghapuskan tends to mean “wipe out/eliminate/abolish” in a broader or more formal sense (e.g., menghapuskan kemiskinan = abolish poverty) and sounds odd for routine file deletion.
Is rapat the same as pertemuan?
- rapat: a formal/organizational meeting (work, committee, board)
- pertemuan: any meeting/encounter (broader) Both can be understood, but for workplace/official contexts, rapat is the default.
Could I say file or dokumen instead of arsip?
Yes, depending on what you mean:
- Jangan hapus file rapat itu. (a specific file)
- Jangan hapus dokumen rapat itu. (a document)
- Jangan hapus folder rapat itu. (a folder)
- Jangan hapus arsip rapat itu. (records/archive as a set)
Is the word order fixed? Could I front the object?
Default active imperative order is verb–object: Jangan hapus arsip rapat itu. You can front the object in a passive or topicalized style:
- Arsip rapat itu jangan dihapus. (very natural) Avoid something like Jangan arsip rapat itu hapus in standard speech.
How do I say “Don’t ever delete it,” “Don’t delete it now,” or “Don’t delete it again”?
- Don’t ever delete it: Jangan pernah hapus (di)itu. / Jangan pernah menghapusnya.
- Don’t delete it now: Jangan hapus sekarang.
- Don’t delete it again: Jangan hapus lagi.
Any pronunciation tips for these words?
- jangan: the ng is a single nasal sound [ŋ], like “sing,” not “n-g.”
- hapus: clear initial h; final -s is unvoiced.
- rapat: stress is light; both a as in “father”; t unaspirated.
- arsip: r is tapped/flapped; si like “see.”
- itu: i like “ee,” tu like “too.”