Bahasa Indonesia: Sentence Structure Part 2

Now let’s look at how to make imperative sentences. 

Imperatives

In Indonesian grammar, imperatives are commands or requests that instruct someone to do or avoid doing something. They can vary in structure and tone. Here are some common types of imperatives in Indonesian:

Direct Imperatives

These are straightforward commands or requests and are usually formed using the base form of the verb. For example:

  • Panggil polisi sekarang juga!” (Call the police right now!)
  • Makanlah!” (Eat!). Adding “-lah” to the end of the word emphasizes the instruction to eat.
  • “Tolong bukakan pintu.” (Please open the door.). Adding “-kan” to the base form of the verb implies that the action (opening the door) is requested for the benefit of the speaker or someone else. 

Polite Imperatives

These imperatives can be softened to sound more polite or respectful by using words like “tolong” (please) or “mohon” (kindly). For example: 

  • Tolong ambilkan saya air.” (Please fetch some water for me.)
  • Mohon tunggu sebentar.” (Kindly wait a moment.)

Negative Imperatives

These imperatives are used to instruct someone to avoid doing something. Such sentences use the word “jangan” (don’t) followed by the base form of the verb. For example:

  • Jangan lupa membawa payung.” (Don’t forget to bring an umbrella.)
  • Jangan buka pintu itu!” (Don’t open that door!)

Indirect Imperatives

These imperatives are suggestions or advice given indirectly to avoid sounding too bossy. They often use phrases like “sebaiknya” (it’s better to) or “lebih baik” (it’s better). For example:

  • Sebaiknya kamu istirahat sekarang.” (You should rest now.)
  • Lebih baik kamu berkonsultasi dengan dokter.” (It’s better if you consult with a doctor.)

Conditional Imperatives

These imperatives depend on certain circumstances or conditions. They use conditional conjunctions like “kalau” (if) or “jika” (if). For example:

  • Kalau lapar, makanlah.” (If you’re hungry, please eat.)
  • Jika ada masalah, segera hubungi saya.” (If there’s a problem, contact me immediately.)

Exclamations

Exclamatory statements are used to express excitement and emotion. Here are the basics of expressing  exclamatory statements in Indonesian.

Single word interjections:

  • Hore, kita menang!” (Hooray, we won!)
  • Kasihan!” (Poor thing!)
  • Keparat!” (Damn!)

Interjections

Indonesians use interjections like “Wow!”, “Wah!”, “Astaga!”, “Aduh!”, and “Wuih!” to convey surprise, admiration, or dismay. These interjections are standalone words that are often accompanied by an exclamation mark to indicate strong emotion. For example:

  • Wah, itu benar-benar indah!” (Wow, that is truly beautiful!)
  • Astaga, apa yang terjadi di sini?” (Oh my goodness, what is happening here?)

Specific Intensifiers

Indonesian words such as “bukan main”, “alangkah”, and “betapa” are used to make exclamations stronger or more intense.

  • “Dia hebat bukan main!” (He’s incredibly great!)
  • Alangkah indahnya bunga-bunga ini!” (How beautiful these flowers are!)
  • Betapa sedihnya kehilangan dia.” (How sad to lose her.)

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