Tolong fotokopi dokumen ini dulu sebelum rapat dimulai.

Tolong is a very common way to make a request sound polite in Indonesian. In sentences like this, it works a lot like please in English.

• Tolong fotokopi dokumen ini... = Please photocopy this document...

It is especially common in everyday speech and workplace language.
Without tolong, the sentence can sound more direct:

• Fotokopi dokumen ini. = more like a plain command

So tolong softens the instruction.

In Indonesian requests and commands, the verb often appears in its base form rather than with the usual active prefix.

So:

• Tolong fotokopi dokumen ini. is natural.
• Tolong memfotokopi dokumen ini. is grammatically possible, but less natural in a simple request.

This happens with many verbs:

• Tolong tutup pintunya.
• Tolong ambil buku itu.
• Tolong kirim email ini.

So here, fotokopi is being used as the verb in a command/request form.

Here, fotokopi is functioning as a verb: to photocopy.

In Indonesian, many words can function flexibly depending on context.
Fotokopi can refer to:

• a photocopy as a thing
• the act to photocopy

In this sentence, because it follows tolong and is followed by an object (dokumen ini), it is clearly being used as a verb.

Indonesian often leaves out the subject when it is obvious from context.

In English, you would normally say:

• Please photocopy this document first...

The subject you is understood, even in English commands. Indonesian works similarly, and it does this very often.

So in:

• Tolong fotokopi dokumen ini dulu...

the implied subject is basically you, but it does not need to be stated.

In Indonesian, demonstratives like ini and itu usually come after the noun.

So:

• dokumen ini = this document
• rapat ini = this meeting
• buku itu = that book

This is different from English, where this comes before the noun.

So the pattern is:

• noun + ini/itu

not

• ini dokumen in this kind of usage

In this sentence, dulu means something like:

• first
• before that
• for now, as the first step

So:

• Tolong fotokopi dokumen ini dulu... means Please photocopy this document first...

It often suggests that this action should happen before another action or event.

In requests, dulu can also make the sentence sound a little softer or more natural, not just strictly temporal.

For example:

• Saya makan dulu. = I’ll eat first.
• Tunggu dulu. = Wait a moment / wait first.

In Indonesian, dulu is quite flexible, but in this sentence it naturally comes after the object:

• Tolong fotokopi dokumen ini dulu...

This sounds very normal and idiomatic.

If you move it, the sentence may still be understandable, but this version is the most natural for everyday usage. The idea is:

• photocopy this document first

where dulu applies to the whole action, not just the verb alone.

Sebelum means before and introduces a time clause.

So:

• sebelum rapat dimulai = before the meeting begins / before the meeting is started

It connects the request to a deadline or time limit.

Common pattern:

• sebelum + clause

Examples:

• sebelum makan = before eating
• sebelum dia datang = before he/she comes
• sebelum rapat dimulai = before the meeting begins

Dimulai is the passive form of memulai (to start something).
So rapat dimulai literally means something like:

• the meeting is started
• more naturally in English: the meeting begins

This is very natural Indonesian.

Compare:

• Rapat mulai jam 9. = The meeting starts at 9.
  This is common and a bit simpler or more conversational.

• Rapat dimulai jam 9. = The meeting is started / begins at 9.
  This can sound a bit more formal or official.

So in your sentence, sebelum rapat dimulai sounds appropriate in a workplace or formal context.

Dimulai comes from:

• mulai = begin/start
• di- = passive prefix

So:

• memulai = to start something
• dimulai = be started / begun

Examples:

• Mereka memulai rapat. = They start the meeting.
• Rapat dimulai pukul 10. = The meeting begins at 10.

In your sentence, the focus is on the meeting, not on who starts it, so the passive form is very natural.

Yes, in everyday Indonesian, sebelum rapat mulai is understandable and common in speech.

However:

• sebelum rapat dimulai sounds a bit more formal, polished, and standard
• sebelum rapat mulai sounds a bit more conversational

So both can work, but the original sentence is especially suitable for office or formal situations.

It is polite neutral, and it fits very well in a workplace.

• tolong makes it polite
• fotokopi dokumen sounds practical and professional
• sebelum rapat dimulai sounds slightly formal

So this is the kind of sentence you might hear from a coworker, supervisor, or office staff member.

It is not extremely formal like a written official memo, but it is definitely appropriate and professional.

No. Indonesian does not use articles like a, an, or the the way English does.

So rapat can mean:

• a meeting
• the meeting

The exact meaning depends on context.

In this sentence, because both speaker and listener likely know which meeting is meant, English would naturally translate it as the meeting, but Indonesian does not need a separate word for that.

Indonesian nouns do not have to change form for plural the way English nouns do.

So dokumen can mean:

• document
• documents

depending on context.

Here, because of ini and the context, it most naturally means this document.

If the speaker wanted to be clearly plural, they might say:

• dokumen-dokumen ini = these documents

But Indonesian often leaves number unmarked unless it is important.

Yes. A few natural alternatives are:

• Tolong fotokopi dokumen ini sebelum rapat dimulai.
  Same meaning, but without dulu

• Tolong difotokopi dokumen ini sebelum rapat dimulai.
  A passive-style request; also natural

• Mohon fotokopi dokumen ini sebelum rapat dimulai.
  More formal than tolong

• Bisa tolong fotokopi dokumen ini dulu sebelum rapat dimulai?
  Softer and more indirect, like Could you please photocopy this document first before the meeting starts?

The original sentence is already very natural and useful.

A helpful breakdown is:

• Tolong = polite request marker
• fotokopi = verb
• dokumen ini = object
• dulu = first
• sebelum rapat dimulai = before the meeting begins

So the structure is roughly:

• Request marker + verb + object + time/sequence word + subordinate clause

That gives:

• Tolong fotokopi dokumen ini dulu sebelum rapat dimulai.

This is a very typical and natural Indonesian sentence pattern.