Alarm telepon saya berbunyi dua kali pagi ini.

My phone alarm rang twice this morning.

Breakdown of Alarm telepon saya berbunyi dua kali pagi ini.

• dua kali: twice
• saya: my
• pagi ini: this morning
• berbunyi: to ring
• alarm telepon: the phone alarm

Questions & Answers about Alarm telepon saya berbunyi dua kali pagi ini.

What does berbunyi mean exactly? Should I use berbunyi or berdering for an alarm?

berbunyi means to make a sound/to go off. It’s a general verb for sounds and is very natural for alarms, sirens, buzzers, etc.

• berdering means to ring (like a bell or a phone). It’s also fine for alarms, especially if you imagine a ringing sound.
• Avoid menyala here; it means to be on/light up (lights, screens, engines), not to make a sound.

Examples:

• Alarm telepon saya berbunyi dua kali pagi ini.
• Alarm telepon saya berdering dua kali pagi ini.
  Both are natural; the first is more general.

Why is there no past tense marking? How does this convey “went off”?

Indonesian verbs don’t change form for tense. Time is shown by context and time expressions.

• pagi ini (this morning) tells you when it happened.
• You can add sudah (already) to emphasize completion: Alarm telepon saya sudah berbunyi dua kali pagi ini.
• If it’s later in the day, use tadi pagi (earlier this morning): Alarm telepon saya berbunyi dua kali tadi pagi.

What’s the difference between pagi ini and tadi pagi?

• pagi ini = this morning (typically used while it’s still morning).
• tadi pagi = earlier this morning (works even when it’s afternoon/evening now). If it’s not morning anymore, tadi pagi is the safer choice.

Can I move pagi ini to the beginning?

Yes. Time expressions are flexible:

• Pagi ini, alarm telepon saya berbunyi dua kali. (fronted time = emphasis on when)
• Alarm telepon saya pagi ini berbunyi dua kali. (time in the middle = also fine)
• Alarm telepon saya berbunyi dua kali pagi ini. (original; very natural)

Where should dua kali go? Can it come before the verb?

The most natural spot is after the verb: berbunyi dua kali.
Other options:

• Alarm telepon saya dua kali berbunyi pagi ini. (emphasizes the frequency)
• Alarm telepon saya sudah dua kali berbunyi pagi ini. (with sudah)

Does kali here mean “river”?

No. kali has two unrelated meanings:

• As a counter: dua kali = two times/twice.
• As a noun: kali = river. In your sentence, it’s the counter because it follows a number.

What’s the difference between dua kali, sekali, and kedua kali?

• sekali = once.
• dua kali = twice.
• kedua kali = the second time (often as part of a phrase like untuk kedua kalinya = for the second time).

Is Alarm telepon saya the only natural way? Could I just say Alarm saya?

Both are correct:

• Alarm telepon saya is specific: the alarm on my phone.
• Alarm saya is more general: my alarm (could be a phone or a clock).
  Other natural options: Alarm ponsel saya, Alarm HP saya, Alarm di telepon saya.

How does possession work here? Why not “saya telepon”?

In Indonesian, the possessor normally follows the noun:

• telepon saya = my phone (not “saya telepon”).
• alarm telepon saya = my phone’s alarm (literally: alarm + phone + my).
  You can also say alarm di telepon saya (alarm on my phone).
  Using punya expresses “to have”: telepon saya punya alarm = my phone has an alarm (not used to say “my phone’s alarm”).

Is telepon the best word for a cell phone? What about ponsel or HP?

All are used, with register differences:

• telepon = phone (general). Many people still say this for a mobile.
• ponsel = mobile phone (more formal/standard).
• HP (pronounced ha-pe) = very common colloquial “cell phone.” Any of these works with alarm: Alarm ponsel saya, Alarm HP saya, Alarm telepon saya.

Should I use menyala for an alarm since it “turns on”?

Use berbunyi or berdering for the sound. menyala is about a device being on or lighting up (lampu menyala, layar menyala). In casual speech you might hear alarmnya nyala to mean “the alarm is on,” but for “went off,” stick with berbunyi/berdering.

How do I say “already” or “not yet” with this sentence?

• Already: Alarm telepon saya sudah berbunyi dua kali pagi ini.
• Not yet: Alarm telepon saya belum berbunyi pagi ini.

How do I negate it correctly: tidak or bukan?

Use tidak to negate verbs/adjectives:
Alarm telepon saya tidak berbunyi pagi ini.
Use bukan to negate nouns:
Ini bukan alarm telepon saya. (This is not my phone alarm.)

Can I use aku or -ku instead of saya?

Yes, it changes the formality:

• saya = neutral/formal.
• aku = informal.
  You can attach -ku to the noun: teleponku, ponselku, HP-ku.
  Example: Alarm teleponku berbunyi dua kali pagi ini.

Any quick pronunciation tips for telepon and berbunyi?

• telepon: te-le-pon; the first e is often a schwa (uh-like), no strong stress.
• berbunyi: ber-bu-nyi; ny like the “ny” in “canyon.”

How do I add emphasis like “exactly two times” or “only twice”?

• Exactly two times: tepat dua kali.
• Only twice: hanya dua kali or colloquial cuma dua kali.
  Example: Alarm telepon saya berbunyi tepat dua kali pagi ini.