Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya mengelap keringat dengan tisu.

Mengelap means to wipe (usually using a cloth, tissue, etc.). The base form is lap (a cloth/rag; also the root for the verb). You’ll also see melap as a shorter variant of the same verb; mengelap is very common in modern usage. Passive: dilap (is/was wiped).

Is mengelap transitive? Do I need an object after it?

Yes, it’s typically transitive and takes the thing being wiped as its object:

Saya mengelap keringat.
Dia mengelap meja. You can omit the object if it’s obvious from context, but including it is the default.

Why use dengan here? Are there other ways to say “with a tissue”?

Dengan marks the instrument (the thing you use to do something). Alternatives:

Informal: pakai — Saya mengelap keringat pakai tisu.
More formal: menggunakan — Saya mengelap keringat menggunakan tisu. All three are fine; they differ in formality.

Can I say dengan sebuah tisu for “with a tissue”?

That sounds unnatural. Use:

No classifier: dengan tisu (most common, generic)
With a classifier for “one sheet”: dengan selembar/sehelai tisu Examples:
Saya mengelap keringat dengan tisu.
Saya mengelap keringat dengan selembar tisu.

Is tisu singular or plural? How do I say “tissues”?

Indonesian doesn’t mark plural by default. Use quantifiers/classifiers when needed:

beberapa tisu (some tissues)
dua lembar tisu (two sheets of tissue)
banyak tisu (a lot of tissue)

Is tisu the correct spelling? I also see tissue.

The standard Indonesian spelling is tisu. You’ll see tissue on packaging or in casual writing (influenced by English), but tisu is preferred in formal Indonesian.

Could I replace mengelap with menyeka or mengusap?

Yes, but there are nuances:

Mengelap: wipe, typically with a cloth/paper to remove moisture/dirt.
Menyeka: wipe/daub to remove liquid (a bit more formal/literary).
Mengusap: rub/caress/brush gently (less about removing, more about the motion). So Saya menyeka keringat is fine; Saya mengusap keringat can work but may suggest a gentle motion rather than cleaning.

Can I say menghapus keringat?

It’s understandable but less natural. Menghapus is mainly “to erase/remove writing/marks.” For sweat, prefer mengelap or menyeka. Note: menghapus air mata (wipe away tears) is common, but for sweat stick with mengelap/menyeka.

Do I need to specify possession, like keringat saya?

Not usually. With body-related things, possession is often omitted when obvious:

Saya mengelap keringat (implies my own sweat). Use possession when clarity matters:
keringat saya (my sweat)
keringatmu (your sweat)
keringatnya (his/her sweat)

Can I drop Saya?

Yes, if context already makes the subject clear (e.g., instructions, diary/narration):

Mengelap keringat dengan tisu. In ordinary sentences, keeping the subject is the default.

What’s the difference between Saya, Aku, and Gue/Gua?

Saya: neutral/polite, safe in most situations (work, with strangers).
Aku: informal/intimate (friends, family).
Gue/Gua: very informal Jakarta slang. Your sentence could become Aku mengelap keringat dengan tisu in casual settings.

Where does the instrument phrase go? Can I move dengan tisu?

Default order is Subject–Verb–Object–Instrument:

Saya mengelap keringat dengan tisu. You can front it for emphasis:
Dengan tisu, saya mengelap keringat. Avoid placing it between the verb and its object:
✗ Saya mengelap dengan tisu keringat (unnatural).

How do I express tense/aspect (past, ongoing, future) with this sentence?

Use time/aspect markers:

Past/completed: sudah or a time word: Saya sudah mengelap keringat. / Tadi saya mengelap keringat.
Ongoing: sedang: Saya sedang mengelap keringat.
Future: akan or time word: Saya akan mengelap keringat. / Nanti saya mengelap keringat.

Any pronunciation tips for mengelap and keringat?

ng is a single sound [ŋ], like the ng in English “sing.”
mengelap ≈ muhng-uh-LAHP (the first e is a schwa).
keringat ≈ kuh-REE-ngat (stress commonly on the second syllable; ng is [ŋ]).
tisu ≈ TEE-soo.

Is there a passive or alternative word order version?

Yes:

Passive: Keringat saya dilap dengan tisu. (My sweat was wiped with a tissue.)
Object-fronting (still active): Keringatnya saya lap dengan tisu. (I wiped his/her sweat with a tissue.) Note lap appears in some active patterns like saya lap (colloquial), alongside saya mengelap (standard).

Is mengelapkan ever correct?

Avoid it here. The natural pattern is mengelap + object + (dengan + instrument). You’ll hear mengelap (or melap) as the verb; mengelapkan sounds nonstandard/odd in this meaning.