Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Penyedot debu dipakai untuk membersihkan karpet. - The vacuum cleaner is used to clean the carpet.

Yes. dipakai is the passive form of pakai (to use/wear). The prefix di- marks passive voice, so dipakai means “is used” or “is worn,” depending on context. In this sentence it’s “is used.”

Active vs. passive:

Active: (Saya) memakai penyedot debu …
Passive: Penyedot debu dipakai …

Both are correct; passive focuses on the tool, active on the user.

Can I say it in active voice instead?

Yes. Common active equivalents:

Saya memakai penyedot debu untuk membersihkan karpet.
Kami menggunakan penyedot debu untuk membersihkan karpet.

These put the user in subject position and sound very natural in everyday speech.

What’s the difference between dipakai and digunakan?

Both mean “is used,” but:

dipakai (from pakai) is a bit more casual and often for concrete, hands-on use (clothes, tools).
digunakan (from guna/gunakan) is more formal/neutral and works in both concrete and abstract contexts.

Your sentence also works as: Penyedot debu digunakan untuk membersihkan karpet.

Why is untuk used before membersihkan? Can I drop it?

untuk + verb expresses purpose (“in order to …”). All are possible:

Formal/neutral: … dipakai untuk membersihkan karpet.
Informal: … dipakai buat membersihkan karpet.
Colloquial (often spoken): … dipakai membersihkan karpet. (drops untuk)

Use the first in writing or formal contexts.

Why membersihkan and not just bersih or bersihkan?

bersih is an adjective (“clean”).
membersihkan is a transitive verb “to clean (something),” formed from bersih with meN- … -kan.
bersihkan! is the imperative form (“clean [it]!”).

So you need membersihkan because the verb takes a direct object (karpet).

Could I use mencuci instead of membersihkan?

Only if you literally mean “to wash” (with water/detergent): mencuci karpet. For vacuum cleaning, membersihkan (to clean/make clean) or a more specific phrase like menyedot debu is better.

What’s the difference between membersihkan and a hypothetical membersihi?

Indonesian uses two common suffixes with meN- verbs:

-kan often means “to cause/make something [adjective]” or “to do [verb] to an object.” Hence membersihkan = “to make clean, to clean (something).”
-i often targets a location or repeated action over an area. A form like membersihi is not standard; the correct verb is membersihkan.

Rule of thumb here: with bersih, use membersihkan for “to clean [object].”

What exactly does penyedot debu mean? How is it formed?

It’s a compound noun meaning “vacuum cleaner,” literally “dust sucker.”

penyedot = “sucker/suction device,” from prefix peN-
- root sedot (“to suck”). Because the root starts with s, peN- becomes peny- (assimilation), giving penyedot.
debu = “dust.” Together: penyedot debu.

Are there other common ways to say “vacuum cleaner” in Indonesian?

Yes:

penyedot debu (standard, most common)
mesin penyedot debu (more explicit)
Colloquial borrowings: vacuum or vakum (informal speech/ads)

In careful writing, penyedot debu is preferred.

Does pakai also mean “to wear”? Is there ambiguity with dipakai?

Yes, pakai can mean “use” or “wear.” dipakai can mean “is used” or “is worn.” Context resolves it. With penyedot debu, it clearly means “is used,” not “is worn.”

How would I add the agent (who uses it) in the passive?

Use oleh + agent:

Penyedot debu dipakai oleh petugas untuk membersihkan karpet. Using oleh saya/kami is grammatical but less natural; speakers often switch to active:
Saya memakai penyedot debu … Or use the short passive (very natural):
Penyedot debu saya pakai untuk membersihkan karpet.

Is the article “a/the” expressed in karpet?

Indonesian has no articles. karpet can mean “a carpet” or “the carpet,” depending on context. To be explicit:

“the carpet”: karpet itu
“a carpet”: sebuah karpet (optional; often omitted)
“my carpet”: karpet saya
“the carpet (previously mentioned/obvious)”: karpetnya

How do I make “carpets” plural?

Options:

Leave it as is and show plurality with context or a quantifier: banyak karpet (“many carpets”).
Reduplicate: karpet-karpet (emphasizes plural, common in writing). Don’t use para; that’s for people.

Can I rephrase with the carpet as the subject?

Yes:

Karpet dibersihkan dengan penyedot debu. (“The carpet is cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.”) This focuses on the carpet and uses dengan (“with”) to introduce the instrument.

Can I front the purpose phrase?

Yes:

Untuk membersihkan karpet, penyedot debu dipakai. This is fine in writing; in speech, the original order is more common.

Is there a more specific verb than membersihkan for “vacuuming”?

You can say:

menyedot debu di/dari karpet (“to suck up dust on/from the carpet”) So: Penyedot debu dipakai untuk menyedot debu dari karpet. This explicitly mentions removing dust by suction.

What’s the difference between dipakai and terpakai?

dipakai = “is used” (neutral passive).
terpakai = “(ends up) used/consumed/in use,” often implying an unplanned or resultant state. It wouldn’t fit your sentence about general function. Use dipakai here.

Is buat okay instead of untuk?

Yes, in informal speech:

Penyedot debu dipakai buat membersihkan karpet. In formal contexts (writing, presentations), prefer untuk. You might also see formal guna: … digunakan guna membersihkan karpet.