Bahasa Indonesia Verb Affixation: Understanding How Verbs Change

Imagine Sarah, a dedicated language learner who has spent countless hours mastering Indonesian, chatting with her Indonesian friend. Despite Sarah’s efforts to speak in Indonesian, her friend often struggles to understand her clearly.

The friend suggests that Sarah check how she uses Indonesian verbs, as this seems to be the main issue affecting her communication.

This advice prompts Sarah to reflect on her verb usage and how it influences her ability to convey her message. Inspired by this suggestion, Sarah becomes curious about why her verbs don’t always communicate what she intends, leading her to explore Indonesian verb affixation.

Sarah’s difficulty in communicating effectively with her friend highlights the importance of understanding how Indonesian verbs work. Errors in verb usage can significantly hinder communication. If you can relate to Sarah, it might be worth taking a closer look at how verbs change in Indonesian.

Verb formation in Indonesian relies heavily on affixes. There are three main types of affixes used in forming verbs in Indonesian: prefixes, suffixes, and confixes. Here is a detailed explanation of each:

Contents

Prefixes
Suffixes
1. -kan Suffix
2. -in Suffix
Confixes
What to Read Next

Prefixes

Prefixes are parts added to the beginning of a base verb. In Indonesian, common prefixes include me-, ber-, per-, ter-, and di-, and the slightly casual ke-. Let’s take a closer look at each of these prefixes.

The me- prefix has various forms, including me-, mem-, men-, meny-, meng-. These prefixes can be added to various word classes, including verbs, nouns, adjectives, numerals, adverbs, pronouns, interjections, noun phrases, and interrogatives. It is natural to find these different forms of me- a bit mind-boggling at first. There’s quite a mix, and knowing which form to use can be tricky because it’s not just about slapping on “me-” or its variants willy-nilly. It’s more like a dance, where you have to match the right move with the right beat of the music. But don’t worry, we will break down the usage and examples for me- and all its forms (mem-, men-, meny-, meng-, menge-) below:

The prefix “me-” does not change when the base word it attaches to begins with the consonants r, l, w, y, m, n, ng, or ny. Examples:

me + nyala + menyala = menyala (to light up)

me + yakin + kan = meyakinkan (to convince)

me + wasit = mewasit (to referee)

The prefix “me-” changes to “mem-” when the base word it attaches to begins with the consonants b, f, or v. Examples:

me + benci = membenci (to hate)

me + fitnah = memfitnah (to slander)

me + vaksin = memvaksin (to vaccinate)

The prefix “me-” changes to “men-” when the base word it attaches to begins with the consonants c, d, or j. Examples:

me + duga = menduga (to suspect)

me + jabat = menjabat (to hold a position)

me + cuci = mencuci (to wash)

The prefix “me-” changes to “meng-” when the base word it attaches to begins with the consonants a, i, u, e, o, g, h, or kh. Examples:

me + ambil = mengambil (to take)

me + goda = menggoda (to tempt)

me + hina = menghina (to insult)

me + ukur = mengukur (to measure)

me + ekor = mengekor (to follow)

me + inap = menginap (to stay overnight)

me + khayal = mengkhayal (to daydream)

The prefix “me-” changes to “menge-” when the base word it attaches to consists of only one syllable. Examples:

me + bom = mengebom (to bomb)

me + lap = mengelap (to wipe)

me + cat = mengecat (to paint)

Now, let’s look at the prefix ber-. Just like “me-“, “ber-” also has a few different forms, such as be-, and bel-. You can add it to verbs, nouns, adjectives, and even quantifiers.

When you add the prefix “ber-” to a word, you typically form a verb that describes an action happening without directly involving anything else — meaning it doesn’t need an object. This type of verb is known as intransitive.

Here are some examples:

“Kerja” (to work) (Base verb) → “Bekerja” (to work)

“Pikir” (to think) (Base verb) → “Berpikir” (to think)

“Ajar” (to teach) (Base verb) → “Belajar” (to learn)

“Sepeda” (bicycle) (Noun) → “Bersepeda” (to go cycling)

“Sedih” (sad) (Adjective) → “Bersedih” (to be sad)

“Tiga” (three) (Quantifier) → “Bertiga” (to be a group of three)

“Kedai nasi” (eating stall) (Noun phrase) → “Berkedai nasi” (to own or run an eating stall)

“Main bola” (to play ball) (Verb phrase) → “Bermain bola” (to play soccer/football)

You might be wondering, “When should I use ‘ber-‘, ‘be-‘, or ‘bel-‘?” No worries — there are some handy guidelines to help you choose the right one.

This most common and straightforward form is ‘ber-‘, which is added to the base word without any changes. Example:

Ber + kunjung → berkunjung (to visit)

Ber + buah → berbuah (to bear fruit)

Ber + main → bermain (to play)

Now, if the main word already starts with an ‘r’, you can drop the extra ‘r’ to avoid repeating sounds. In this case, the prefix becomes ‘be-‘:

Ber + racun → beracun (poisonous)

Ber + ragam → beragam (diverse)

Ber + rambut → berambut (hairy)

Lastly, if the base word contains ‘-er’ in the beginning, the prefix ‘ber-‘ changes to ‘be-‘ to maintain smooth pronunciation.

Ber + kerja → bekerja (to work)

Ber + cermin → becermin (to reflect)

Ber + pergi + an → bepergian (to travel)

Understanding when and how to switch up ‘ber-’ can be difficult at first. Similar to ‘me-’, it takes practice to get used to how these prefixes interact with different words. Over time, you’ll develop a sense of how ‘ber-’, ‘be-’, and ‘bel-’ fit into different verbs, and using them will become second nature.

Now, let’s explore the prefix ‘per-’. This versatile prefix transforms regular words into action words (verbs), making them ideal for specific situations:

Imperative sentences: “Per-” verbs are great for giving instructions or commands, acting as a gentle (or not so gentle) nudge to get someone to do something. For example: “perjelas argumenmu” (clarify your arguments), “percepat langkahmu” (hurry up!, pick up the pace!).

Passive sentence patterns: In situations where the focus is on the action rather than the actor, ‘per-’ verbs help build passive sentence structures. For example: “Penghargaan itu akan mereka persembahkan kepada penulis terbaik” (That award will be presented by them to the best writer).

Additional information in subject or object positions: Verbs with the ‘per-’ prefix can also add extra details about the subject or object. For example: “Rumah yang mereka perbaiki bulan lalu sekarang terlihat lebih indah” (The house they repaired last month now looks more beautiful).

Forming inflectional verbs: You can also take ‘per-’ verbs and give them a new twist by using them as the base to create new versions of verbs. When you add ‘memper-’ to the beginning of a word, it conveys the sense of ” doing something.” For example:

“memper” + “panjang” (long) = “memperpanjang” (to extend something)

When you start a word with ‘di-,’ it indicates that “something is being done to it.”

“diper” + “panjang” (long) = “diperpanjang” (to be extended)

Think of ‘memper-’ as a marker that you’re the one performing the action, while ‘diper- indicates that something is being done to the object, not by its own will.

Finally, ‘per-’ is like a magician’s hat for words — it can transform nouns, adjectives, or even numbers into verbs:

Noun: “budak” (slave) turns into “perbudak” (to enslave)

Adjective: “tinggi” (high) becomes “pertinggi” (to raise or heighten)

Numeral: “tiga” (three) morphs into “pertiga” (to divide into three parts)

Let’s turn our attention now to the prefix ‘ter-’. This prefix is quite versatile and adds layers of meaning to the base verb it is attached to. Here are some specific ways ‘ter-’ is used:

Unintentional action: ‘Ter-’ can indicate that something happened by accident.
- Buku Rudi terbawa oleh Sinta (Rudi’s book was accidentally taken by Sinta.)

Passive meaning: ‘Ter-’ can turn an active action into a passive one, indicating that the subject has something done to them by someone else.
- Terdakwa perampokan itu tertangkap polisi. (The robbery suspect has been caught by the police.)

Potential: ‘Ter- can also express the capability or potential for an action. Example: Tulisannya baik dan rapi, sehingga terbaca dengan jelas oleh siapa pun. (The text is so clear and neat that anyone can read it easily.)

Sudden occurrence: ‘Ter- can suggest that something took place unexpectedly or suddenly. Example: Mendengar berita mengejutkan itu, ibu terduduk. (Surprised by the news, the mother sat down abruptly.)

State/condition: ‘Ter- can signify that something is already in a certain state or condition. Example: Rombongan kami masuk melalui pintu yang terbuka. (Our group entered through a door that was already open.)

Next, we have the prefix is ‘di-, which in Indonesian plays a critical role in shaping the voice and form of the verbs it’s added to. Here’s how it works:

Passive Voice: The prefix ‘di-’ is used to form the passive voice, indicating that the subject is the recipient of the action. The performer of the action is either stated explicitly with “oleh” (by) or left implied.

“Makan” (to eat) becomes “dimakan” (to be eaten). For example: “Apel itu telah dimakan.” (The apple has been eaten.) Here, the actor is implied.

“Tulis” (to write) becomes “ditulis” (to be written). For example: “Buku itu ditulis oleh penulis terkenal.” (The book is written by a famous author.) Here, the actor is explicitly stated.

Change of State: ‘Di- can also indicate a change in condition or transformation, especially when used with adjectives or nouns.

“Kecil” (small) becomes “diperkecil” (to be made smaller). For example: “Foto itu diperkecil sebelum dicetak.” (The picture is made smaller before being printed.)

It’s useful to remember that when you see ‘di-’ at the start of a word, it often signals that something is being done to someone or something, or that a state is being changed. It’s a key indicator of passive construction or transformation in Indonesian.

In addition to the standard prefixes mentioned above, there’s another prefix commonly found in non-standard or informal speech: the prefix ‘ke-’. This prefix functions in a unique way within informal Indonesian and, while it may seem similar to ‘ter-’, it’s not always interchangeable.

The ‘ke-’ prefix often adds a casual or colloquial touch to words:

From “baca” (to read), you can get “kebaca” in a non-formal setting, which implies something like “it’s readable” or “has been read,” similar to “terbaca.”

However, “ke-” doesn’t work with every “ter-” word due to differences in meaning and usage. For instance, “terpesona” (enchanted) can’t be changed to “kepesona” because there’s no colloquial or informal variant that uses “ke-” for this particular word. The feeling of being enchanted (“terpesona”) hasn’t adopted an informal variant with “ke-.”

This shows the limitations and rules within the language. Some words may sound natural with “ke-“, while others won’t, and this often comes down to common usage and what feels right to native speakers.

Suffixes

Suffixes are affixes added at the end of a base word to modify its meaning or function. In Indonesian verb formation, the primary suffixes are -kan and -i. That said, an informal variation of -kan, which is -in, also serves similar functions but is used more casually in speech.

-kan Suffix

This suffix can form bi-transitive verbs (i.e., take both a direct object and an indirect object) when added to a verb, which indicate an action aimed towards achieving something or reaching a target, or mono-transitive verbs (i.e., take only a direct object) when added to a verb, noun, or adjective.

Bi-transitive verbs: These verbs occur when a suffix is added to describe an action with a specific purpose or outcome. The verb can then relate to both a main object (what is being acted upon) and a secondary object (who benefits from the action).
- Example: “Baca” (to read) changes to “Bacakan” (to read something for someone).

Mono-transitive verbs: These verbs happen when the suffix is added to nouns or adjectives, resulting in a verb that primarily deals with one object.
- Example: “Tidur” (to sleep) to “Tidurkan” (to put someone to sleep).
- “Darat” (land) becomes “Daratkan” (to make something land).
- “Damai” (peace) becomes “Damaikan” (to bring peace between two parties).

Verbs with suffix ‘-kan’ are used in various ways:

Imperative sentences, e.g., “Bersihkan kamar ini!” (Clean this room!)

Passive sentences with structured predicates where the subject becomes the target of the action, e.g., “Bukunya baru kami belikan tadi pagi.” (We just bought the book this morning.)

Descriptive sentences, adding depth to subjects or objects, e.g., “Makanan yang mereka hidangkan pada acara tersebut sangat lezat.” (The food they served at the event was very delicious.)

-in Suffix

This is simply a more casual or colloquial form of ‘-kan.’ It’s common in daily conversations but not in formal writing. So in casual conversations, you might hear:

“Bersihin kamar ini ya!” (Clean this room, okay?!) instead of “Bersihkan kamar ini!”.

Verbs with the ‘-i’ suffix in Indonesian aretransitive, meaning they require an object. These verbs can be formed from base verbs, nouns, or adjectives and are commonly used in various contexts:

Imperative sentences: The ‘-i’ suffix is used to give commands or instructions, such as “perbaik+i” in “Perbaiki pintu itu” (Fix the door) or “nasehat+i” in “Nasehati anakmu” (Give a piece of advice to your child).

Passive sentences: In passive constructions, verbs with the ‘-i’ suffix are used when the subject is acted upon by an agent. For example, “hubung+i” in “Kemarin beliau sudah kami hubungi” (We contacted him yesterday).

Providing additional information: Verbs with the ‘-i’ suffix can also offer additional details about the subject or object. This extra information can clarify or emphasize important information. For instance, “temu+i” in “Orang yang harus kamu temui sudah datang” (The person you have to meet has arrived).

Confixes

Think of confixes as a “word sandwich” — one part goes at the beginning and another at the end, and together they change the word’s meaning. These confixes come as a set and are used simultaneously. In Indonesian, verb-forming confixes include ‘ber-an’, ‘ber-kan’, ‘ke-an,’ ‘per-kan,’ and ‘per-i.’ When forming verbs, you can mix and match these elements at the start and end of a word to create different meanings.

Each of these confix pairs transforms a base word into an action word in its own unique way. Here’s a breakdown of these confixes:

Ber-an Confix

This confix and its variants are used to transform different types of words into verbs that typically describe a state of being or an action that doesn’t directly involve an object, meaning they’re intransitive. It’s a less common transformation but still quite handy for expressing certain ideas. For example:

Ber + jauh (far) + an → Berjauhan (far apart)

Ber + batas (border) + an → Berbatasan (to border on, to be adjacent to)

Ber+ pergi (to go) + an → Bepergian (to travel)

Ber + lari (run) + an → “Berlarian” (to run about or to run around in different directions).

Ber + pukul (to hit) + an → Berpukulan (to hit each other)

The ‘ber-kan’ confix in Indonesian is interesting because it starts with a noun, and when you add ‘ber’ at the beginning and ‘-kan’ at the end, you get a verb that describes someone doing something with the thing the noun refers to. Let’s break it down:

Without -kan: Ber + senjata (weapon) – This means “armed” in general, as in “Mereka bersenjata” (They were armed), but we don’t know with what.

With -kan: You specify the tool or instrument with a noun after the verb. “Bersenjatakan” + “tombak” (spear) gives you “Mereka bersenjatakan tombak” (They were armed with spears), telling us exactly what they were armed with.

Ke-an Confix

This confix adds a special twist to words by turning them into intransitive verbs that indicate something is happening to or affecting the subject, often in a negative way. The subject is the recipient of the action and rather than the one performing it. Unlike other passive using di- and ter-, these verbs can’t be switched to an active voice. Also, the base form for this affix can be verbs, adjectives, or nouns. Examples:

Ke + dingin (cold) + an → Kedinginan (to feel cold) implies that someone is feeling cold, so the coldness is affecting them.

Ke + masuk (to enter) + an → Kemasukan often means that something (e.g., a spirit) has entered someone or something, hence it means “to become possessed”.

Ke + hujan (rain) + an → Kehujanan (to get rained on) describes the situation where someone has been caught in the rain.

Per-kan Confix

This confix is used to form transitive verbs, which means the action is being performed by someone or something onto another object. It’s quite versatile and can be used in different kinds of sentences, such as commands and passive constructions, or to provide additional details about someone or something performing an action. The basic form for this confix can include verbs, nouns, and adjectives. Examples:

“Per” + “lihat” (to see) + “kan” → “Perlihatkan,” which means to show or reveal something to someone.

“Per” + “main” (to play) + “kan” → “Permainkan,” which translates to playing around with or manipulating something.

“Per” + “tegas” (firm) + “kan” → “Pertegaskan,” which is used when you want to stress or emphasize a point.

“Per” + “beda” (different) + “kan” → “Perbedakan,” which means to differentiate or to distinguish between things.

Per-i Confix

This confix is also useful for forming transitive verbs, where the action is directed toward an object. These verbs emphasize someone doing something to someone or something else. Whether you’re giving orders, describing something that has been done, or offering more details about an activity, the ‘per-i’ confix makes it clear who’s doing what to whom.

This confix works well with both verbs and adjectives to form verbs that indicate an action directed at an object. Here are some examples:

“Per” + “baik” (good) + “i” = “Perbaiki,” which means to fix or repair something.

“Per” + “gaul” (to associate) + “i” = “Pergauli,” which means to socialize or associate with someone.

“Per” + “baru” (new) + “i” = “Perbarui,” which means to update or renew something to its new state.

“Per” + “turut” (to join in) + “i” = “Perturuti,” which means to follow or to comply with something.

The ‘me-kan’ confix in Indonesian transforms words into transitive verbs, indicating an action directed toward an object or objects. These ‘me-kan’ verbs can either take one object (mono-transitive) when the original word isn’t already a transitive verb or two objects (di-transitive) when the base word is already a verb that requires an object. It’s quite flexible and can work with all kinds of words, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, numbers.

Please note that the examples below include other forms of me- namely mem-, men-, meny-, meng-, and menge-:

“Me” + “tulis” (to write) + “kan” → “Menuliskan” means to write something down, presumably for someone else.

“Me” + “terbang” (to fly) + “kan” → “Menerbangkan” means to make something fly or to send something flying.

“Me” + “hitam” (black) + “kan” → “Menghitamkan” is to blacken something, or to make it black.

“Me” + “kecil” (small) + “kan” → “Mengecilkan” can mean to minimize something in size, or it could figuratively mean to belittle someone, i.e., make someone feel small.

“Me” + “dewa” (god/idol) + “kan” → “Mendewakan” implies deifying or idolizing someone or something, i.e., treating them like a deity.

“Me” + “satu” (one) + “kan” → “Menyatukan” means to unite or bring together as one.

“Me” + “dua” (two) + “kan” → “Menduakan” means to double something or make a copy of it.

Me-i Confix

This confix in Indonesian functions as an add-on that takes a word and transforms it into a verb that indicates an action being done to something or someone. It can also work with lots of different types of words. Here are some examples:

“Me” + “turun” (to go down) + “i” → “Menuruni” means to descend, as in going down a hill.

“Me” + “luka” (wound) + “i” → “Melukai” means to injure someone or damage something.

“Me” + “patuh” (obey) + “i” → “Mematuhi” means to follow someone’s orders.

“Me” + “yakin” (believe) + “i” → “Meyakini” means to be convinced about something, i.e., to hold a belief.

“Me” + “lebih” (more) + “i” → “Melebihi” means to go beyond something, i.e., to exceed.

“Me” + “aku” (I) + “i” → “Mengakui” means to confess something or to acknowledge.

Memper-kan Confix

This one also transforms words into transitive verbs. It essentially gives an ordinary word a new function. For example:

“Memper” + “dengar” (to listen) + “kan” → “Memperdengarkan” means to enable or cause someone to listen to something.

“Memper” + “masalah” (problem) + “kan” → “Mempermasalahkan” means to turn something into an issue or a problem.

“Memper” + “malu” (shame) + “kan” → “Mempermalukan” means to do something that shames or humiliates someone.

“Memper” + “boleh” (may, allowed) + “kan” → “Memperbolehkan” means to permit something, i.e., to give permission.

“Memper” + “satu” (one) + “kan” → “Mempersatukan” means to bring together, i.e., to unite individuals or groups into one.

This confix can be applied to a variety of base words, such as verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, and quantifiers to form a verb that indicates causing something or assigning a certain quality to something.

Finally, we have ‘ter-kan’, ‘ter-i’, ‘terper-’, ‘terper-kan’, and ‘terper-i’ confixes: These are passive forms derived from ‘me-kan, ‘me-i’, ‘per-’, ‘per-kan’, and ‘per-i’, respectively. They are used in passive sentence constructions to indicate that the action is being done to the subject. Examples:

Melompatkan (To cause to jump) → Dilompatkan (To be caused to jump) → Terlompatkan (To be caused to jump)

Mempersatukan (To unite) → Dipersatukan (To be united) → Terpersatukan (To be united)

Memperbaiki (To repair) → Diperbaiki (To be repaired) → Terperbaiki (To be repaired)

So, there you have it! At first glance, adding affixes to words to form verbs might seem complex. But with practice, your language skills will improve. Learning these can help you unlock a wide array of new words and meanings that can make your conversations and writing more precise. And once you master these, you’ll feel more confident in speaking Indonesian.

Take your time to review the examples and practice forming verbs with these affixes. It’s normal for this process to take a little while to become second nature, but when it clicks, you’ll notice a big improvement in your ability to express a wide range of actions and concepts.