Bahasa Indonesia Adjectives: Types, Forms, and How to Use

When learning a new language, adjectives are like the bricks and mortar of communication—they’re essential for building meaningful sentences. Imagine trying to describe your surroundings, feelings, or experiences without words like “big,” “beautiful,” or “tasty.” It’d be like trying to paint a picture without any colors! 

Adjectives add depth and detail to our language, helping us express ourselves more accurately. In Indonesian, mastering adjectives isn’t just about memorizing words; it’s about unlocking the ability to share your thoughts and experiences with clarity and precision. 

In this article, we’ll learn about different types of adjectives and how they’re formed. From basic words to more complex ones, we’ll break down the process step by step. By the end, you’ll have a good understanding of how to use adjectives in Indonesian and make your sentences more interesting. So, let’s dive right in! 

First off, you’re probably wondering whether Indonesian adjectives follow the same rules as English in terms of their placement in a sentence.  Adjectives in Indonesian come in two types based on where they appear in a sentence:

Attributive Adjectives

These adjectives go before nouns, directly describing the nouns. Examples:

  • Pakaian merah (red clothes) as in Pakaian merah sangat cocok untuk acara pesta. (Red clothes are very suitable for party events.)
  • Anjing lucu (cute dog) as in Anjing lucu itu selalu membuat saya tersenyum. (That cute dog always makes me smile.)
  • Buku tebal (thick book) as in Saya suka mengoleksi buku tebal. (I enjoy collecting thick books.)

Predicative Adjectives

These are adjectives that come after and describe a subject in a predicate position. Examples:

  • Dia bahagia. (He is happy.)
  • Mereka lelah setelah bermain sepak bola seharian. (They are tired after playing soccer all day.)
  • Bunga itu sangat indah. (The flower is very beautiful.)

In Indonesian, adjectives can also sometimes kick off a sentence, especially when you are expressing strong emotions. Adding the particle “-nya” to the adjectives emphasizes these feelings. Check out these examples: 

  • Indahnya pemandangan di puncak gunung itu! (How beautiful the view at the peak of that mountain is!)
  • Imutnya bayi itu! (How cute that baby is!)

Now that you know how to spot Indonesian adjectives based on their position in a sentence, let’s delve into how to recognize them by their form. This will enhance your grasp of Indonesian adjectives, making your language skills even sharper. 

Types of Adjective Forms in Indonesian 

Single Adjectives

Single adjectives in Indonesian refer to adjectives that stand alone to describe nouns without any additional modification. This is the most common type and usually conveys specific qualities or attributes of the noun they accompany. They can describe various characteristics such as size, color, shape, texture, or emotions. 

  • Rumah besar (big house)
  • Bunga cantik (beautiful flower)
  • Anjing lucu (cute dog)
  • Buah segar (fresh fruit)
  • Meja kayu (wooden table)
  • Wanita pintar (smart woman)
  • Mobil merah (red car)
  • Kucing hitam (black cat)
  • Pakaian baru (new clothes)
  • Langit biru (blue sky)

Compound Adjectives

In compound adjectives, two adjectives stick together in a specific order. The second one usually makes the first one stronger, e.g., “lemah lembut” (gentle) in Indonesian. Sometimes, it’s an adjective followed by a noun, such as “buta huruf” (illiterate) or “keras kepala” (stubborn). You might also have a color word followed by another word to make it more precise, like “merah tua” (dark red) or “biru muda” (light blue) and “kuning gading” (ivory yellow). More examples: 

  • Rendah hati (humble): Meskipun dia sangat sukses, dia tetap rendah hati dan ramah kepada semua orang. (Despite being very successful, he remains humble and friendly to everyone.)
  • Besar kepala (stubborn): Setelah mendapatkan promosi, dia menjadi besar kepala dan sulit diatur. (After getting promoted, he became arrogant and difficult to deal with.)
  • Serba guna (versatile): Alat dapur itu serba guna, bisa digunakan untuk berbagai macam keperluan. (The kitchen tool is very versatile, it can be used for various purposes.)
  • Ringan tangan (helpful): Dia adalah orang yang ringan tangan, selalu suka menolong orang lain dalam situasi apapun. (He’s naturally helpful, always lending a hand to others in any situation.)
  • Adidaya (all-powerful): Dewa dalam mitologi memiliki kekuatan adidaya yang tidak terbatas. (Gods in mythology possess limitless all-powerful abilities.)
  • Baik budi (kind-hearted): Dia dikenal karena baik budi dan sikapnya yang ramah kepada semua orang. (He is known for his kind-heartedness and friendly attitude towards everyone.)
  • Lapang dada (resigned, patient): Dia menghadapi setiap tantangan dengan penuh lapang dada. (She faced each challenge with remarkable patience, strength, and acceptance.)

Reduplicated Adjectives

Certain adjectives in Indonesian are formed through reduplication, meaning the repetition of the same word. Adjectives in this form may vary in meaning depending on the context in which they’re used. 

To express slightness or approximation

  • Malu-malu (somewhat shy):  Dia malu-malu ketika berbicara dengan orang baru. (He/she is somewhat shy when talking to new people.)
  • Ragu-ragu (somewhat hesitant): Saya ragu-ragu untuk membeli mobil bekas itu. (I am somewhat hesitant to buy that used car.)
  • Kemerah-merahan (reddish): Setelah berjemur seharian, kulitnya menjadi kemerah-merahan. (After sunbathing all day, his/her skin became reddish.)
  • Keputih-putihan (whitish): Bunga-bunga itu memiliki warna keputih-putihan yang cantik. (Those flowers have a whitish, beautiful color.)

To indicate multitude or diversity

  • Muda-muda (various young people): Di acara itu, ada anak muda-muda yang berpartisipasi. (At the event, there are various young people participating.)
  • Kecil-kecil (many small ‘things’): Di sepanjang jalan, terdapat bendera kecil-kecil yang berkibar. (Along the street, there are many small flags waving.)
  • Sulit-sulit (numerous difficult things): Ujian kemarin soalnya sulit-sulit, sehingga membuat siswa merasa tertantang. (Yesterday’s exam had numerous difficult questions that challenged the students.)
  • Muda-muda (Many young people): Di pusat kota, kita bisa bertemu dengan ibu muda-muda yang beragam latar belakangnya. (In the city center, we can meet a variety of young mothers with diverse backgrounds.)

To indicate concession or contrast

  • Kecil-kecil dibawanya juga. (Although small, he/she still carries it.)
  • Panas-panas pun diminumnya. (Even when hot, he still drank it.)
  • Kurus-kurus kuat juga. (Despite being thin, he/she is still strong.)

To denote intensity or condition

  • Besar-besar (very big): Foto tersebut dicetak besar-besar dan ditempel di dinding bagian depan kantor. (The photo was printed out in large size and put up on the front wall of the office.)
  • Halus-halus (very fine): Dedaunan itu harus ditumbuk halus-halus lalu diperah hingga mengeluarkan air. (The leaves should be finely crushed and then squeezed to extract the juice.)
  • Kecil-kecil (very small): Agar tidak terlalu banyak mengunyah, sayur dan buah bisa diparut atau dipotong kecil-kecil. (To avoid chewing too much, vegetables and fruits can be grated or finely chopped.)

To express superlatives (using “se-nya”)

  • Sejauh-jauhnya (as far as possible):  Misi liburan dia kali ini hanya ingin kabur sejauh-jauhnya dari hiruk pikuk kota Jakarta. (His sole holiday mission this time was to get away as far as he could from the hustle and bustle of Jakarta.)
  • Selama-lamanya (forever): Cinta mereka akan bertahan selama-lamanya. (Their love will last forever.)
  • Secepat-cepatnya (as fast as possible):  Dia diminta untuk menyelesaikan tugas itu secepat-cepatnya. (He was asked to complete the task as quickly as possible.)

Verb Turned Adjectives

Many adjectives in Indonesian appear in verb form, in the sense that they come with suffixes, especially words starting with the prefix me- and its variant as well as ber-. For example: 

  • Membosankan (boring): Film itu sangat membosankan. (That movie is very boring.)
  • Menarik (attractive): Pemandangan di pantai sangat menarik. (The scenery at the beach is very attractive.)
  • Berbahaya (dangerous): Jalan itu berbahaya, jadi hati-hati ya. (That road is dangerous, so be careful.)
  • Berhasil (successful): Proyek mereka berhasil, jadi mereka sangat bangga. (Their project was successful, so they are very proud.)
  • Berguna (useful): Alat ini sangat berguna dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. (This tool is very useful in everyday life.)

Affixed Adjectives

You can also form some adjectives by inserting certain  infixes into the root of a word (nouns, verbs, adjectives) to create a new meaning or to modify the existing one. For example:

  • Gerlap (shiny) -> Gemerlap (gleaming, shimmering)
  • Taram (dim) -> Temaram (dim, dimly lit)

In both cases, the infix “-em-” is inserted into the root words to create new adjectives. 

And that’s your crash course on Indonesian adjectives! Think of them as the seasoning that adds flavor to your language dish. Without them, sentences might feel a bit bland, lacking that extra oomph. From their placement in sentences to their various forms, you’ve now got the tools to spot them in action. Whether they’re standing solo or combined with nouns, adjectives help you paint vivid pictures, convey emotions, and tell engaging stories. Let your language shine with color and depth—it’s time to take your communication skills to the next level!

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