Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya mencadangkan data sebelum rapat dimulai. - I back up data before the meeting starts.

menyimpan = to save (e.g., save a file you’re working on)
menyalin = to copy (make a duplicate, not necessarily for backup) Related terms:
memulihkan = to restore (from a backup)
membuat cadangan (data) = to make a (data) backup (more formal/explicit)

Why is the passive form dimulai used after rapat?

Because the meeting is the thing being started (by someone), so passive fits: rapat dimulai = “the meeting is started”/“the meeting starts.” It’s a very common, neutral way to talk about scheduled events beginning, without naming who starts them.

Can I say sebelum rapat mulai instead of sebelum rapat dimulai?

Yes, rapat mulai is also acceptable and common, especially when you add a time: Rapat mulai jam tiga. Both mean the same thing. Rapat dimulai feels a bit more formal/neutral; rapat mulai is slightly more direct and colloquial.

Do I have to keep the subject Saya, or can I drop it?

You can drop it if the context is clear: Mencadangkan data sebelum rapat dimulai. Indonesian often omits pronouns when understood from context. Keeping Saya is fine in careful/formal speech or when you need to be explicit.

How do I express different times (past, habitual, future) with this sentence?

Past (completed): Saya sudah mencadangkan data sebelum rapat dimulai.
Formal past: Saya telah mencadangkan data sebelum rapat dimulai.
Habitual: Saya selalu mencadangkan data sebelum rapat (dimulai).
Future: Saya akan mencadangkan data sebelum rapat dimulai. / Colloquial: Nanti saya mencadangkan data sebelum rapat dimulai.

Is rapat the best word for “meeting”? What about pertemuan or the English loanword meeting?

rapat = the standard word for a work/business meeting.
pertemuan = a meeting/encounter in general; broader and a bit more formal/neutral.
meeting = a casual business loanword used in offices; not ideal in formal writing. Your sentence with rapat is perfectly natural.

Can I shorten sebelum rapat dimulai to just sebelum rapat?

Yes, in context that’s fine: Saya mencadangkan data sebelum rapat. The full sebelum rapat dimulai is more explicit, but many speakers omit dimulai when the meaning is obvious.

Could I say sebelum memulai rapat instead? Does that change the meaning?

sebelum rapat dimulai focuses on the meeting as an event starting (no actor).
sebelum memulai rapat implies that the subject (here, “I”) is the one starting the meeting. So: Saya mencadangkan data sebelum memulai rapat suggests “before I start the meeting…”

Why does mencadangkan end with -kan? What’s the root?

Root: cadang (reserve/spare). Pattern: meN- + cadang + -kan → mencadangkan, making it a transitive verb “to put (something) into reserve/backup.” Passive: dicadangkan (e.g., Data itu dicadangkan kemarin.)

Does mencadangkan ever mean “to suggest,” like in Malaysian usage?

In Indonesian, mencadangkan means “to back up” or “to set aside as a reserve.” “To suggest/recommend” is menyarankan or mengusulkan. In Malaysian Malay, mencadangkan commonly means “to propose/suggest,” so be aware of this cross-dialect difference.

Is data singular or plural in Indonesian? Should I use data-data?

Data is typically treated as an uncountable mass noun. You can keep it as data for both singular/plural contexts. Use quantifiers if needed: banyak data (a lot of data), sebagian data (some of the data). Data-data is possible but often unnecessary.

How do I say “my data,” “the data,” or “some data” here?

My data: data saya
The data (specific/previously mentioned): data itu / data tersebut (more formal)
Some data: sebagian data, or specify the items: beberapa berkas/beberapa file

If I want “backup” as a noun, what should I use?

Use cadangan. Examples:

Saya punya cadangan data di cloud. (I have a data backup in the cloud.)
Membuat cadangan = to make a backup. Colloquially, people also say backup (loanword), but cadangan is the standard Indonesian term.

Are there more everyday or techy-sounding alternatives?

Colloquial/workplace speech might use the loanword:

Sebelum rapat, saya (mem)backup data dulu. But for standard/formal Indonesian, prefer mencadangkan/membuat cadangan. Also, berkas (native) vs file (loanword) are both common.

Any quick pronunciation tips for the sentence?

mencadangkan: men-cha-DANG-kan (ng as in “sing”)
rapat: RA-pat (final t is unaspirated)
dimulai: dee-moo-LAI (ai like “eye”) Stress is typically near the end of words, and vowels are clear and short.

If I move the sebelum clause to the front, do I need a comma?

Yes. Example: Sebelum rapat dimulai, saya mencadangkan data. If the sebelum clause comes after the main clause, no comma is needed in standard usage.