Bahasa Indonesia Noun Affixation: Understanding How Nouns Change in Indonesian

The Indonesian language is full of surprises. One of the most interesting things about it is how a word’s meaning can completely change with just a small tweak. In this section, we’re going to dive into noun affixation. By the end of this section, you’ll see how adding bits and pieces to words in Indonesian can totally change what they mean.

Noun affixation refers to the process of adding elements to Indonesian nouns to change their meaning. These elements can be attached to the beginning, middle, or end of a word, and include prefixes, suffixes, infixes, and circumfixes. We’ll break down each type and demonstrate how these modifications can significantly alter the meaning of Indonesian words.

Contents

Nouns with the Prefix ‘ke-’
Nouns with the Prefix ‘ke-an’
Nouns with the Prefix ‘pe-’
Nouns with the Prefix "pe-" without Consonant Assimilation
Nouns with the "pe-an" Circumfix
Nouns with the ‘per-an’ Circumfix
Nouns with the ‘-an’ Suffix
Nouns with the ‘-nya’ Suffix
Nouns with the ‘-ter’ Prefix
Nouns with infixes ‘-el,’ ‘-em,’ ‘-er-’
Nouns with Foreign Suffixes
What to Read Next

Nouns with the Prefix ‘ke-’

Nouns prefixed with ‘ke-‘ are limited in number, consisting of only three words: ‘ketua’ (leader), ‘kekasih’ (beloved), and ‘kehendak’ (will).

‘Ketua’ comes from the base word ‘tua’ (old or elderly). When combined with the ‘ke-‘ prefix, it forms ‘ketua’, meaning “leader” or “chairperson.” The connection between “old” and “leader” may refer to someone with authority or seniority.

‘Kekasih’ is derived from ‘kasih’ (love or affection). With the ‘ke-‘ prefix, it becomes ‘kekasih’, meaning “beloved” or “sweetheart,” reflecting deep affection and love.

‘Kehendak’ originates from ‘hendak’ (to intend). The ‘ke-‘ prefix transforms it into ‘kehendak’, meaning “will” or “desire,” emphasizing perseverance or determination behind one’s intentions.

Nouns with the Prefix ‘ke-an’

Nouns with the prefix ‘ke-an’ are formed in two ways.

By combining the prefix directly with base words. For example, ‘hutan’ (forest) combined with ‘ke-an’ becomes ‘kehutanan’ (forestry), representing ‘the state of being a forest’.

By forming nouns from roots, typically through verbs that serve as predicates in a clause. For example, ‘keberanian’ (bravery) is derived from the verb ‘berani’ (to be brave).

Nouns with the Prefix ‘pe-’

Nouns with the prefix ‘pe-’ follow consonant assimilation rules, meaning the prefix adapts slightly to blend smoothly with the first letter of the base word. Depending on the consonant that follows pe-’, it may appear in different forms, such as ‘pem-’, ‘pen-’, ‘peng-’, ‘peny-’, or even ‘pel-’.

The prefix “pe-“ remains unchanged when placed before words that start with the following consonants: /r, l, w, y, m, n, ny, ng/. For example, ‘rawat’ (to care) becomes ‘perawat’ (nurse), ‘marah’ (to be angry) becomes ‘pemarah’ (hot-tempered), and ‘amen’ (to sing on the street) becomes ‘pengamen’ (street musician)

The variant ‘pem-‘ is used before words starting with /b, p, f, v/ (with /b, f, v/ remaining unchanged and /p/ undergoing assimilation). For example:

‘bina’ (to guide) becomes ‘pembina’ (mentor)

‘fitnah’ (slander) becomes ‘pemfitnah’ (slanderer)

‘veto’ (to veto) becomes ‘pemveto’ (vetoer)

‘potong’ (to cut) becomes ‘pemotong’ (cutter)

In the case of pemotong, derived from the base word potong, the initial consonant /p/ assimilates to /m/, as the prefix ‘pem-‘ blends with the /p/ sound, resulting in ‘pemotong’.

The variant ‘pen-‘ is used before words starting with /d, t/ (with /d/ remaining unchanged and /t/ undergoing assimilation). For example:

‘dengar’ (to listen) becomes ‘pendengar’ (listener)

‘tulis’ (to write) becomes ‘penulis’ (writer), where the initial /t/ in ‘tulis’ assimilates with the /n/ in ‘pen-‘ to form ‘penulis.’

The variant ‘peny-‘ is used before words starting with /s, c, j/. When the prefix ‘peny-‘ is added, the initial consonant of the base word assimilates to /ny/. For example:

‘sikat’ (brush) becomes ‘penyikat’ (brusher)

‘siksa’ (torture) becomes ‘penyiksa’ (torturer)

‘sogok’ (bribe) becomes ‘penyogok’ (briber).

The variant ‘peng-‘ is used before words starting with /k, g, h, kh, a, i, u, e, o/. When ‘peng-‘ is added, there is no change to most initial consonant sounds, except for /k/, which often becomes nasalized to /ng/. This nasalization is similar to how the “ng” sound in English occurs in words like “singing.” For example:

‘gugat’ (to sue) becomes ‘penggugat’ (plaintiff)

‘iris’ (to slice) becomes ‘pengiris’ (slicer)

‘kirim’ (to send) becomes ‘pengirim’ (sender), where the /k/ in ‘kirim’ is nasalized to /ng/.

The variant ‘penge-‘ is used to form nouns that refer to a person who performs a specific action or verb. When attached to a verb, this prefix creates a noun that identifies the doer of the action. For example, the verb ‘mengebom’ (to bomb) becomes ‘pengebom’, meaning “bomber,” referring to the person carrying out the bombing.. Similarly, ‘mengetik’ (to type) becomes ‘pengetik,’ meaning “typist,” or the person who types. In each case, ‘penge-‘ transforms a verb into a noun, turning the action into the title of the person performing it.

Nouns with the Prefix “pe-” without Consonant Assimilation

Some nouns with the prefix ‘pe-’ don’t follow consonant assimilation rules. They are connected to verbs with the prefix ‘ber-’. These nouns usually mean ‘the one who (base)’.

For example:

“Peladang” (farmer) (from “ladang (field)” through “berladang” (to farm).
“Pedagang” (trader) (from “dagang” (trade) through “berdagang” (to trade).

Nouns with the “pe-an” Circumfix

Nouns formed with the ‘pe-an’ circumfix have six forms or variants:

The variant ‘pe-an’ can be added to words that begin with sounds like /r, l, w, y, m, n, ny, ng/. For example:
- ‘rawat’ (to care) becomes ‘perawatan’ (care),
- ‘mantap’ (solid) becomes ‘pemantapan’ (solidification),
- ‘nanti’ (to wait) becomes ‘penantian’ (wait).

The variant ‘pem-an’ is used with words that begin with sounds such as /b, p, f, v/, where /b, f, v/ remain unchanged, and /p/ is assimilated. For example:
- “pembinaan” (mentoring) from ‘bina’ meaning “to develop,”
- “pemfitnahan” (defamation) from ‘fitnah’ meaning “slander,” and
- “pemotongan” (the action of cutting) from ‘potong’ meaning “to cut.”

The variant ‘pen-an’ is seen in words starting with /d, t/, where /d/ remains unchanged, and /t/ is assimilated. For instance:
- “pendengaran” (hearing) from ‘dengar’ meaning “to hear,” and
- “penertiban” (regulation) from ‘tertib’ meaning “organized.”

The variant ‘peny-an’ occurs in words starting with /s/. For example:
- “penyiksaan” (torture) from ‘siksa’ and
- “penyelesaian” (resolution) from ‘selesai’ meaning “finished.”

The variant ‘peng-an’ appears in words beginning with /k, g, h, kh, a, i, u, e, o/, with /k/ being assimilated. For example:
- “penggalian” (excavation) from ‘gali’ meaning “to dig,”
- “pengkhianatan” (betrayal) from ‘khianat’ meaning “betrayal,” and
- “pengiriman” (delivery) from ‘kirim’ meaning “to send.”

The variant ‘penge-an’ is used for derived verbs. For example:
- “pengeboran” (drilling) from ‘mengebor’ meaning “to drill,” and
- “pengetikan” (typing) from ‘mengetik’ meaning “to type.”

Nouns with the ‘per-an’ Circumfix

Nouns with the ‘per-an’ circumfix are derived from the base form using the prefix ‘ber’ followed by a verb. There are several variants:

The variant ‘per-an’ appears in words such as:
- “perdagangan” (trade), derived from ‘berdagang’ (to trade),
- “perselingkuhan” (infidelity), derived from ‘berselingkuh’ (to have an affair), and
- “pergaulan” (socialization), derived from ‘bergaul’ (to socialize).

The variant ‘pe-an’ can be found in words such as:
- “pekerjaan” (job), derived from ‘bekerja’ (to work), and
- “peternakan” (farming), derived from ‘beternak’ (to farm).

The Variant ‘pel-an’ can be found in words such as “pelajaran” (lesson), derived from “belajar” (to study).

Some nouns with the ‘per-an’ circumfix are formed directly from a base noun: For example:
- “perkaretan” (matters related to rubber), derived from “karet” (rubber).
- “perburuhan” (labor), derived from “buruh” (worker), and
- “perkantoran” (matters related to office), derived from “kantor” (office).

Nouns with the ‘-an’ Suffix

These nouns are formed through different methods:

Some nouns are formed from base words using the prefix ‘me-’ to create a verb. For example, “tulisan” (writing) is derived from the verb “menulis” (to write).

Others are derived from base words using the prefix ‘ber-’ to form verbs. For example
- “tepian” (riverbank), originating from “bertepi” (to have an edge), and
- “kubangan” (pool), originating from “berkubang” (to wallow in a mud hole).

Some nouns can be formed directly by adding the suffix ‘-an’ to base words, indicating actions or qualities:
- “bulanan” (monthly) is derived from the base word “bulan” (month), indicating something recurring on a monthly basis.
- “Ubanan” (to go/turn grey) is derived from the base word “uban” (gray hair), referring to the condition of having gray or white hair due to aging.

Nouns with the ‘-nya’ Suffix

The suffix ‘-nya,’ is used to indicate possession, specification, or emphasis.

“Naiknya harga BBM” (rise in fuel prices) refers to the increase (“naik”) in the price (“harga”) of fuel (“BBM”).

“Luasnya daerah bencana” (The extent of the disaster area) refers to the vastness (“luasnya”) of the disaster (“bencana”) area.

“Datangnya Budi disambut hangat oleh Rudi” (Budi’s arrival was warmly welcomed by Rudi). Here, the suffix ‘-nya’ emphasizes or specifies the action of arrival. The phrase “disambut hangat oleh Rudi” means “warmly welcomed by Rudi,” so the entire sentence conveys how Budi’s arrival (“Datangnya Budi”) was warmly welcomed (“disambut hangat”) by Rudi.

“Mau makan, nasinya habis” (The rice is gone just when you want to eat). This example demonstrates how the suffix ‘-nya’ emphasizes specificity. In this context, “nasinya” specifically refers to the rice, highlighting its state of being gone (“habis”) right when one wants to eat (“mau makan”).

Nouns with the ‘-ter’ Prefix

Nouns with the prefix ‘ter-’ convey the meaning of “the one who is (base)” and are mainly used in legal contexts:

“Tersangka” (derived from “sangka” meaning “suspect”) refers to someone who is under suspicion in a legal investigation.

“Terperiksa” (derived from “periksa” meaning “to interrogate”) means someone who has been questioned or interrogated in a legal matter.

“Terdakwa” (derived from “dakwa” meaning “to accuse”) is used to describe someone accused or charged in a legal proceeding.

“Tergugat” (derived from “gugat” meaning “to sue”) refers to the party against whom legal action is taken or who is being sued in court.

“Tertuduh” (derived from “tuduh” meaning “to accuse”) refers to someone who has been formally charged with committing a crime or offense.

“Terhukum” (derived from “hukum” meaning “to sentence”) refers to someone who has been given a judgment or punishment by a court of law.

“Terpidana” (derived from “pidana” meaning “punishment”) refers to someone who has been found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court.

Nouns with infixes ‘-el,’ ‘-em,’ ‘-er-’

In Indonesian, some nouns have infixes — parts inserted within a word’s root or stem — which alter its meaning.

Here are some examples:

“Telapak” (sole) is derived from “tapak” (footprint).

“Telunjuk” (index finger) originates from “tunjuk” (to show).

“Gemetar” (to tremble) is derived from “getar” (to vibrate).

“Seruling” (bamboo or wooden flute) comes from “suling” (flute).

“Gerigi” (serration) is derived from “gigi” (tooth).

“Pelatuk” (weapon trigger) originates from “patuk” (to peck).

“Genderang” (war drum) comes from “gendang” (drum).

Nouns with Foreign Suffixes

In Indonesian, many foreign words have been adopted, often with specific endings that indicate their type. These endings help categorize or label different concepts or ideas:

‘-in’: “hadirin” (male attendee), “muslimin” (Muslim male), “mukimin” (male resident)

‘-at’: “hadirat” (female attendee), “mukminat” (Muslim female)

‘-ah’: “gairah” (passion), “hafizah” (female memorizer)

‘-si’: “kritisi” (critic), “politisi” (politician), “redaksi” (editorial staff)

’-ika’: “fisika” (physics), “mekanika” (mechanics), “fonetika” (phonetics)

’-ir’: “importir” (importer), “eksportir” (exporter)

’-ur’: “direktur” (director), “inspektur” (inspector)

‘-us’: “politikus” (politician), “kritikus” (critics)

’-isme’: “kapitalisme” (capitalism), “sukuisme” (tribalism)

‘-sasi’: “organisasi” (organization), “spesialisasi” (specialization)

‘-or’: “aktor” (actor), “konduktor” (conductor)

However, these foreign suffixes are not actively used in the formation of Indonesian nouns. Only few existing Indonesian words have been assigned foreign suffixes, such as “sukuisme” (tribalism) from “suku” (tribe), and “daerahisme” (localism) from “daerah” (district, region).

To wrap up, noun affixation is an interesting aspect of the Indonesian language. It lets us create new words and modify the meanings of existing ones by adding prefixes, suffixes, infixes, and circumfixes. We’ve learned how these parts work together to shape words in different ways.

From simple changes with prefixes such as ‘ke-’ and ‘pe-’ to more complex ones using circumfixes such as ‘-an’ and ‘-nya,’ noun affixation shows us how versatile Indonesian words can be. Understanding these processes enhances our comprehension of Indonesian vocabulary and meanings. At the end of the day, it’s not just about changing words — it’s about observing how the language evolves and adapts to different ways of expressing ideas.