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FORMING INDONESIAN WORDS & USING INDONESIAN AFFIXES

by TruAlfa & IndoDic.com

 

A large number of the words used in the Indonesian language are formed by combining root words with affixes and other combining forms. Knowing how affixes are used is the key to understanding the meanings of derived words and in learning to read bahasa Indonesia. If you know the meaning of a root word and the rules for each type of affix, you will be better able to understand and predict the meanings of the words derived from that root word. There are a relatively small number of Indonesian affixes in common usage and bahasa Indonesia is still very much a root-based language with nice complete word "families". This is in contrast to English where there are many more affixes from diverse sources and the study of root words and their "families" is not as useful. There are at least 100 different English affixes and combining forms in common usage. Bahasa Indonesia has about 40 affixes in common usage that are combined with a relatively small group of root words. There is a certain simplicity and consistency inherent in bahasa Indonesia that makes it an easy language to learn. If this were a logical world, bahasa Indonesia would be the world's international language.

 We have simplified our explanations by excluding advanced concepts such as compound words with affixes, reduplicated words with affixes and by accepting a small degree of impreciseness in terminology. We avoid using highly technical terms in the explanations as much as possible. Our goal is to explain in common language how affixes and combining forms are used, without listing and discussing every rule and exception.  We hope this condensed approach will be useful for students of bahasa Indonesia. Selamat belajar!

 

Terminology Used in Our Analysis

root word = words that are able to have affixes added are called "root words". Although root words can be further classified as base roots, multiple-word roots, previously-affixed roots & roots with other combining forms, we will not discuss these distinctions for the sake of simplicity. (a good example of the "impreciseness" mentioned above that we must be willing to accept for the sake of conciseness and clarity.)

 

affix = a standard set of letters attached to a root word that creates a new word. An affix is not able to be used alone in language but must be attached to another unit such as a root word. The word affix is a general term for a prefix, a suffix or a confix.

 

prefix = an affix attached to the front of a root word that creates a new word.

 

suffix = an affix attached at the end of a root word that creates a new word.

 

confix = a prefix and a suffix attached simultaneously to a root word that performs the single function of creating a new word (note that English does not have the concepts of either confix or infix).

 

infix = an  affix that is inserted within a root word and which creates a new word. An infix is usually placed into the root word after the first syllable of the root word. Infixes are rarely used in bahasa Indonesia.

 

derived word = the new word that is formed when an affix is attached to a root word.

 

root word family = a related group of words consisting of a root word and all derived words that were formed from that root word by the addition of various affixes.

 

combining form = a linguistic unit that has a function similar to an affix but which cannot be technically classified as an affix.

 

 

Common Indonesian Affixes & Combining Forms

prefixes:          ber-, di-, ke-, me- group (me-, mem-, men-, meng-, menge-, meny-), pe- group (pe-, pem-, pen-, peng-, penge-, peny-), per-, se-, ter-

suffixes:          -an, -kan, -i, -lah, -kah, -nya

confixes:          ber - an, ke - an, per - an, se - nya, pe - an group (pe - an, pem - an, pen - an, peng - an, penge - an, peny - an)

infixes:                        el, em, er

combining forms: antar-, para-, eka-, kau-, ku-, oto-, -pun, -ku, -mu, -nya

 

            Note:  the prefixes menge- and penge- listed above are not very common. They are used to produce a smoother sounding result when the root word consists of a single syllable.

     examples:    menge- + lap = mengelap;  penge- + bom = pengebom

 

Study Notes

The effect an affix has on a root word often varies in patterns according to the word type of the root word prior to the attachment of the affix. In listing Indonesian word types we follow the usage of the dictionary prepared and published by the Indonesian government - Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, (Balai Pustaka, Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, Edisi Kedua - 1991). Please to be aware that there is controversy among Indonesian scholars as to whether words with the ber- prefix should be classified as adjectives or verbs. Kamus Besar classifies them all as verbs and we follow that example.

It will be helpful to keep in mind that the usage of affixes often has a connection with the action taking place in a sentence - who is doing that action, where the action is directed and whether the action is the main focus of the sentence or not. As a general rule, the opening words of an Indonesian sentence are the most important in the mind of the speaker and these words normally become the main focus of the sentence. This is especially relevant to the concept of Passive and Active verbs and in deciding which form of verb to use (the "me-" form is used for Active Voice verbs where the actor is the main focus while the "di-" form is used for Passive Voice verbs where a direct object is the main focus of the sentence).

 

Frequency of Affix Usage

            In our TruAlfa Indonesian-English dictionary published in 2002 there are 38,308 unique word entries (excluding abbreviations, acronyms and multiple-word entries) of which 22,022 have an affix added and 16,286 do not. In percentage terms, 57% of the words are affixed and 43% are not.

            In the year 1998, we conducted  an informal analysis of 10,000 Indonesian words found in common Indonesian publications. Of these 10,000 words, 2,887 contained one or more type of affix and 7,113 had no affix at all. In other words, for every 100 words in an Indonesian newspaper or magazine you might expect to find about 29 of them with an affix attached. The degree of usage for each of the most common affixes is included below.

 

INFIXES

el, em & er - there are 3 types of infix that are inserted after the first syllable of root words to create new words with varying meanings. Infixes are rarely used and are not productive (not capable of being used to form new words freely). Since there are only about 20 examples of infixes in common usage, we feel it is easier to just study the meaning of each derived word individually and not attempt to learn the rules regarding their use. Please see the list of derived words with infixes that we have included in a table at the end of this summary. In general, an infix adds a notion of "being many, having repetition, being in the form of or being an actor or tool."

 

PREFIXES

ber- : adding this prefix to verb, noun or adjective root words results in a verb that often means "being something, having something, having a certain attribute" or "indicating a state of being or condition". A primary function of the ber- prefix is to indicate that the subject of a sentence is the experiencer or recipient of the action in the sentence. Many of the Indonesian verbs formed with ber- have English language translations that are classified as adjectives in English. About one in every 44 words in Indonesian publications will have this prefix.

     Examples:    beragama {ber+agama} = having a religion  ["agama" is a noun]

                        berbahaya {ber+bahaya} = being dangerous  ["bahaya" is an adjective]

                        berhenti {ber+henti} = to stop  ["henti" is a verb]

 

me-, mem- men-, meng-, menge-, meny-,: All six of these prefixes are variations of the same prefix "me-" and we refer to them collectively as the "me-group". They have the same meanings and usage but are spelled differently, depending on the first letters of the root word to which they are attached. This is done to produce a smoother sounding result. This is the most commonly used Indonesian prefix and about one in every 13 words in Indonesian publications will have a prefix from the "me-group".

            Attaching one of the prefixes from this group to a verb root word doesn't change the meaning of the verb but gives the new verb a sense of  having the main focus of the sentence on the actor and not on the action or the object of the action. Adding one of the prefixes from the "me-group" to a noun or adjective root word often creates a verb that functions to indicate that the subject of an utterance is the agent, actor, initiator or perpetrator - the one responsible for carrying out the action of the verb.

     Examples:    melihat {me+lihat} = to see; to look at

                        menjadi {men+jadi} = to become

                        mengerti {meng+erti} = to understand

                        mengelap {menge+lap} = to dust with a cloth

                        menyapu {meny+(s)apu} = to sweep with a broom

                        membuat {mem+buat} = to make; to build

             

        Note: Prefixes from the me-group may be optionally dropped in informal speech, except when the root word also has the suffix -kan or -i attached, in which case it cannot be dropped. Prefixes from the me- group are never used in imperatives when the speaker gives a command.

 

di- : This prefix has a strong connection with the me- group of prefixes discussed above. The me-group indicates the Active voice where the actor is the main focus while the di- prefix creates a verb indicating the Passive voice where the main focus of the sentence is on the action or the object of the action and not on the actor. Indonesian words with the di- prefix nearly always translate into English words which have the -ed suffix. About one in every 40 words in Indonesian publications will have this very common prefix.

     Examples:    dilarang {di+larang} = prohibited

                        diparkir {di+parkir} = parked

 

            Note: don't confuse the di- prefix discussed above with the use of "di" as a separate word which means "in, at, on or to". The separate word "di" is not to be attached to other words although some Indonesians do use it that way incorrectly.

 

pe-, pem-, pen-, peng-, penge-, peny- : All six of these prefixes have the same meaning and usage but have different spellings depending on the first letter of the root word to which they are attached. We refer to these as the "pe- group". About one in every 110 words in Indonesian publications will have a prefix from this group. Adding one of these prefixes to a noun root usually forms a noun that indicates a person, agent or thing that has the character of the root word:

     examples:    pekamus {pe+kamus} = a person who makes a dictionary

                        pembantu {pem+bantu} = a maid or assistant

                        pencopet {pen+copet} = a thief

                        pengurus {peng+urus} = a manager or director

                        pengebor {penge+bor} = a drill or driller

                        penyair {peny+(s)air} = a poet

 

If one of the six prefixes from the "pe-group"  is attached to an adjective root word it usually results in a word which indicates a person or thing that has the quality or attribute inherent in the adjective root word:

     examples:    pemuda {pe+muda} = a young person

                        pembuka {pem+buka} = an opener

                        penutup {pen+(t)utup} = a cover or lid

                        penghapus {peng+hapus} = an eraser

                        pengebom {penge+bom} = a bomber

                        penyakit {peny+(s)akit} = illness

 

Note: There is a separate use of the prefix "pe-" that can be distinguished from the pe- prefix discussed above that is part of the "pe- group". Unfortunately, the spellings for these two are the same and the difference in usage is not obvious. The usage rules require an analysis of context to distinguish between the two (one form is used with ber- prefixed verbs while the other is used with verbs having a prefix from the me-group).

 

ter- : About one in every 54 words in Indonesian publications will have this common prefix. Attaching the "ter-" prefix has two possible results.

(1) If "ter-" is added to an adjective root word, it usually results in an adjective that indicates an extreme condition or a superlative:

     examples:    terbesar {ter+besar} = biggest; most big

                        terbaru {ter+baru} = newest; most new

                        termurah {ter+murah} = cheapest; most inexpensive

(2) If "ter-" is added to a root word other than an adjective, it often results in a verb indicating a final or completed state or condition where the actor is unimportant, such as when the action is performed by an unidentified person or by an act of nature. The focus of the sentence is usually on the resultant state or condition of the action, with little concern for who did it or for how this state or condition was reached:

examples:         tercatat {ter+catat} = recorded; documented

                        terbatas {ter+batas} = limited; confined

 

Note: Indonesian words with the ter- prefix nearly always translate into English words having the -ed suffix. This is a very useful coincidence for translation. As noted above, the Indonesian di- prefix also has the same characteristic of creating Indonesian words which nearly always have English translations that end with the -ed suffix.

 

se- : adding the "se-" prefix has several possible results with varying word types. It can often be viewed as a substitute for the word "satu" (meaning "one"). About one in every 42 words in Indonesian publications will have this common prefix. The most common uses of this prefix are:

            (1) to indicate one item, a unit or unity (like "a" or "the" in English)

                        example: sebuah {se+buah} (noun) = a piece; one piece; the piece

            (2) to mean throughout or completely affected by

                        example: sepenuh {se+penuh} (adverb) = fully; completely; entirely

            (3) to mean being similar to or having the same level or degree

                        example: seragam {se+ragam} (adjective) = uniform; similar; alike

(4) to indicate a similar time occurrence or other connection with time

            example: seterima {se+terima} (adverb) = on receipt; when accepted

                        example: sesudah {se+sudah} (adverb) = after; subsequent to

 

SUFFIXES

 

-an : About one in every 34 words in Indonesian publications will have this very common suffix which creates nouns.

            (1) Adding the "-an" suffix to a verb root word often creates a noun indicating an end product or result of an action relating to the character of the verb.

     examples:    makanan {makan+an} = food      

                        bantuan {bantu+an} = assistance

                        bilangan {bilang+an} = a number or sum

            (2) Adding the "-an" suffix to an adjective root word often creates a noun that indicates a place or thing that has the character of the adjective root word.

     examples:    lapangan {lapang+an} = field; open area of land

                        masakan {masak+an} = cuisine; a food course

            (3) Adding the "-an" suffix to a noun root word creates another noun that often has a more specific application which is related to the character of the root word.

     examples:    satuan {satu+an} = a unit

                        isian {isi+an} = a form to be filled-in

                        tepian {tepi+an} = a shallow area near the edge of water

                        ciptaan {cipta+an} = a specific creation or idea.

    

-i : About one in every 70 words in Indonesian publications will have this common suffix. It is often used to direct the action in the sentence to a location or to an indirect object which is not changed or affected by that action. Adding the "-i" suffix to a verb results in a verb which may indicate repetitiveness, the giving of something or causing something to be. It may also simply show where the action is directed or to whom the action is directed. The suffix "-i" is used mainly in writing and formal speech. In informal speech one usually expresses the idea with a phrase having a similar meaning that does not contain a verb with the "-i" suffix.

      examples:   ampuni {ampun+i} = to give forgiveness

                        ulangi {ulang+i} = to repeat

                        temani {teman+i} = to befriend

 

-kan : adding the "-kan" suffix to a verb results in a verb indicating causation; making or causing something to happen. Its main function is to carry or transfer the action of the verb to some other part of the sentence. It is often used for imperatives on product labels or with instructions for cooking recipes. The suffix "-kan" can sometimes be viewed the same as a short form of "akan", the same as adding the preposition "akan" after the root word. It is frequently used in conjunction with the me- prefix and also frequently as the sole affix for imperative or instructional verbs. About one in every 20 words in Indonesian publications will have this most common suffix.

     examples:    campurkan {campur+kan} = to mix or combine

                        matikan {mati+kan} = to deaden; to extinguish

                        belikan {beli+kan} = to buy or purchase something

 

        Note: the suffixes -kan and -i both change predicates from intransitive to transitive. For foreigners, the suffixes -kan & -i often cause great difficulty because there seem to be no consistent patterns of usage which distinguish the two.

 

-kah : adding this suffix indicates that the expression is a question. The suffix -kah is added to the word in the sentence that is the main focus of the question.

     examples:    siapakah {siapa+kah} = who?

                        bolehkah {boleh+kah} = may I?

 

-lah : This suffix has many different and confusing usages but for simplicity we can say it is often used to give emphasis, to soften a command or to add politeness to an expression. Only about one in every 400 words in Indonesian publications will have the "-lah" suffix.

     examples:    pergilah {perg+lah} = go away! get out of here!

                        buanglah {buang+lah} = please discard; please throw away

 

-nya : There is a usage of "-nya" as a true suffix that changes the meaning of the root word, but that usage is not common and since there are no simple and consistent rules regarding this usage, it will not be discussed here. (examples: biasanya = usually; rupanya = apparently). The discussion of "-nya" in the Combining Forms section below is for situations when it is not used as a true suffix.

 

 

CONFIXES

 

ke - an : This is the most commonly used confix and about one in every 65 words in Indonesian publications will have the "ke - an" confix. Adding this confix functions to:

   (1) form a noun indicating a state or condition that has a connection with the root word in a general or vague sense. Many of the English translations for these nouns have the English "-ness" suffix which indicates a certain condition.

     examples:    keadaan {ke+ada+an} = situation; condition

                        kebugilan {ke+bugil+an} = nakedness

   (2) form a noun referring to a place or region.

     examples:    kecamatan {ke+camat+an} = district office

                        keluruhan {ke+luruh+an} = subdistrict

   (3) form an adjective with a sense of excessiveness

     examples:    kepanasan {ke+panas+an} = too hot

                        kedinginan {ke+dingin+an} = too cold

   (4) form an adjective with a sense of being somewhat similar to the root word

     examples:    kemerahan {ke+merah+an} = reddish; rather red

                        kebiruan {ke+biru+an} = bluish; rather blue

 

ketidak - an : the ke - an confix may also consist of the negative tidak and an adjective root word to form a noun that indicates an opposite state of being or something uncharacteristic of the adjective root word.

     examples:    ketidakadilan {ke+tidak+adil+an} = injustice

                        ketidaksamaan {ke+tidak+sama+an} = disparity; inequality

                        ketidaksukaan {ke+tidak+suka+an} = a dislike; disfavor

 

pe - an, pem - an, pen - an, peng - an; penge - an, peny - an : All six of these confixes have the same meaning and usage but have different spellings. The use of each depends on the first letters of the root word to which they are attached. We refer to these as the "pe - an group". Adding a confix from this group usually creates an abstract noun that indicates the process of performing the action referred to by the verb in the sentence (as opposed to the result of the action). Indonesian words formed from the "pe - an group" are often nouns that have English translations which use the "-ing" English suffix when referring to a process in the sense of a noun. About one in every 75 words in Indonesian publications will have a confix from this group.

     examples:    pelatihan {pe+latih+an} = training; exercising

                        penstabilan {pen+stabil+an} = stabilizing

                        pengeboman {penge+bom+an} = bombing

                        pembukaan {pem+buka+an} = opening; disclosing

                        pengadilan {peng+adil+an} = judicial proceedings

                        penyerangan {peny+(s)erang+an} = attacking; assaulting

                       

per - an : About one in every 108 words in Indonesian publications will have this confix. Adding the "per - an" confix often results in a noun that indicates the result of an action (as opposed to the process). The meaning often refers to a circumstance referred to by the root word or the result of the action of the verb in the sentence. This resultant state or condition is similar to that obtained when using the "ke - an" confix, but the "ke - an" confix usually forms a word that has a more abstract or less general meaning .

     examples:    perkawinan {per+kawin+an} = a marriage ceremony

                        perkiraan {per+kira+an} = an estimation

                        permobilan {per+mobil+an} = the automobile industry

The "per - an" confix may also indicate a place or location.

     examples:    perkebunan {per+kebun+an} = an agricultural estate; a plantation

                        perhentian {per+henti+an} = a stopping place; a bus stop or train station

 

se - nya : This common confix often combines with single or repeated adjective root words to form adverbs indicating the utmost or highest level that is able to be achieved by the action of the root word.

    examples:     selamanya {se+lama+nya} = forever; as long as can be

                        selanjutnya {se+lanjut+nya} = afterwards; hereinafter

                        setinggi-tingginya {se+tinggi-tinggi+nya} = as high as possible

                        sebaik-baiknya {se+baik-baik+nya} = as good as possible

 

ber - an : There are two different ways to form words using both the ber- prefix and the -an suffix; a non-confix method and a confix method. Unfortunately, the derived words under both methods are spelled the same and look identical but have different meanings. One approach to help identify which method was used is to consider the context in which they appear and if a notion of mutuality or reciprocity is present, it will indicate that a confix was probably used. If the context indicates that the derived "ber- an" word has a notion of "being something" or "having a certain attribute" (without a notion of mutuality), it will indicate that the non-confix method was probably used.

 

            A. The non-confix method involves two separate steps, 1) adding the -an suffix to a root word to form a new word that is usually a noun and 2) later adding the ber- prefix to this new word. The resulting word will be a verb that follows the rules for using the ber- prefix discussed in the prefix section above (with a meaning of "being something" or "having a certain attribute").

     example: step 1 - adding the -an suffix to atur verb root creates the noun aturan. step 2 - adding ber- prefix to the noun aturan creates the verb beraturan which means "being regular or having an arrangement".

            B. The confix method involves a single step of adding the ber- prefix and the -an suffix at the same time. The resulting form is a verb that indicates mutuality or reciprocity (one to the other).

     example: adding confix ber - an to verb root desak = berdesakan (to jostle or shove)

 

            Duplication of the verb root often occurs for the ber - an confix to add the notion of multiplicity, variety or randomness.

     example: adding confix ber - an to duplicated verb root desak-desak = berdesak-desakan (jostling back and forth; shoving one another repeatedly)

 

Combining Forms

 

combining forms: antar-, para-, eka-, kau-, ku-, oto-, -pun, -ku, -mu, -nya

 

antar- : the combining form "-antar" is attached to the front of Indonesian words to form new words that have the concept of mutuality, being among or between or interacting one with another. It is similar to the English prefix "inter-".

     examples:    antarbangsa = international; among or between nations

                        antarbank = interbank; between banks

 

anti- : this combining form has the same effect as the English prefix "anti-", meaning "opposed to, against or opposite".

     examples:    antikorupsi = opposed to corruption

                        antipeluru = bulletproof

 

eka- : a combining form that means "single; sole; one"

     example:      ekabahasa = monolingual; knowing or speaking only one language

 

eks- : similar to the English prefix "ex-", meaning "former or prior"

     example:      eksperwira = a former military officer; a retired military officer

 

ekstra- : similar to the English prefix "extra-" meaning additional; beyond what is needed

     example:      ekstratinggi = extra high; higher than normal

                        ekstrakurikuler = extracurricular; outside the regular curriculum or program of courses

 

kau- : a short form of "engkau" meaning you or your.

     example:      kaupergi = you go

 

ku- : a short form of "aku" meaning I or me. There is also the combining form -ku which is attached to the end of a root word that is discussed near the end of this section along with -mu & -nya combining forms.

     examples: kulihat - I see

                        kusayang padamu = I like you very much

 

maha- : has the meaning of "great, extreme, exalted or very large"

     examples:    mahabesar = extremely large

                        mahakuasa = almighty; all-powerful

 

oto- : similar to the English prefix "auto-" with a meaning of "automatic" or "self-acting"

     examples:    otodidak = autodidactic; self-educated

                        otokritik = autocritic; self-critical

 

para- : similar to the English prefix para- meaning "beside; side by side or subsidiary"

     examples:    paramedis = paramedic; a medical assistant

                        paramiliter = paramilitary; a supplemental military unit

The Indonesian prefix "para" can also mean "beyond the usual" as in paranormal

        Note: don't confuse the use of "para-" as a prefix discussed above with the use of "para" as a separate word with a meaning of "a group of people with something in common." example: para penumpang = passengers

 

pasca- : has meaning similar to English prefix "post-", meaning "after; afterwards; following"

     examples:    pascajual = after sold; after a sale has been finalized

                        pascasarjana = post-graduate; after graduation

 

-nya, -ku, -mu: these units are not true suffixes and can be referred to as combining forms which are attached to the end of various word types. In most cases they can be viewed as creating compound word personal pronouns indicating possession. They can also be viewed as short-form referral words that help clarify who or what is being referred to. For example, the word "bukuku" means "my book", "bukumu" means "your book", and "bukunya" can mean "the book" or "that book".

The usage of "-nya" in this sense as a personal pronoun or referral word (and not as a true suffix) is very common and about one in every 14 words in Indonesian publications will have it. The usage of "-ku" (short form of "aku") and "-mu" (short form of  "kamu") varies widely according to the type of publication. These two are very common in short stories, novels, comic books and other informal writings while they are used less often in more formal writings such as textbooks, newspapers and news magazines.

 

-pun : the combining form "-pun" is added to the end of conjunctions & adverbs to form new conjunctions and adverbs. It conveys a meaning of "too; even; also; subsequently; then; however or as well". Many of the derived words seem to have the concepts of "although", "any at all" or "up to you".

     examples:    kalaupun {kalau+pun} = even if; even though; although

                        siapapun {siapa+pun} = anybody; whoever; anyone

                        walaupun {walau+pun} = although; even though; in spite of;

The usage of "-pun" is not productive (not freely able to form new formations) and it is probably better to just memorize the meanings of the existing formations rather than trying to understand the formation process.

 

Affixation Spelling Changes

          Both bahasa Indonesia and English have the unfortunate practice of dropping letters from root words when certain affixes are attached. English drops letters at the end of words, such as when forming plurals or 3rd person singular forms (as in dropping "y" when "cry" becomes "cries"). Bahasa Indonesia sometimes drops a letter at the front of the root word which causes more trouble because the root word itself is obscured when a front letter is dropped, making it difficult to identify the root word. Dropping a letter or letters at the end of a root word (as in English) causes less problems because people can usually still identify the root word.

            The four Indonesian letters "k,s,t,p" are the only ones dropped in bahasa Indonesia word formation. Once you become accustomed to working with the guidelines outlined below, it will be easier to identify the root word (which is necessary to know or predict the meaning of the affixed word). Our TruAlfa Indonesian-English dictionaries have Word Formation Diagrams that clearly identify this problem by enclosing the dropped letters in parenthesis. For example, when the prefix "peny-" is added to the root word "sakit", the "s" is dropped and the derived word "penyakit" is diagrammed as {peny+(s)akit}, with the dropped letter "s" in parenthesis.

            The Indonesian usage rules for "k,s,t,p" are described below. The rules for dropping letters is the same for prefixes from the me - group and the pe - group so we discuss them together. At the end of this summary we provide lists of exceptions for each category that can be found in TruAlfa Indonesian-English Concise Dictionary (2006 edition).

 

Letter "K"

            1) Letter "k" is dropped about 85% of the time from the front of a root word when the prefix meng- is added to root words beginning with the letter "k" and about 90% of the time when peng- is added.

  examples:       meng+(k)uat = menguat

                        peng+(k)arang = pengarang.

(See 101 exceptions for meng- and 16 exceptions for peng- in the exceptions section below)

 

Letter "S"

            2) Letter "s" is dropped about 90% of the time from the front of a root word when the prefix meny- is added to root words beginning with the letter "s" and about 95% of the time when peny- is added..

     examples:    meny+(s)entuh = menyentuh

                        peny+(s)ewa = penyewa.

(See 46 exceptions for meny- and 9 exceptions for peny- in the exceptions section below)

 

Letter "T"

            3) Letter "t" is dropped about 95% of the time from the front of a root word when the prefix -men is added to root words beginning with the letter "t" and about 99% of the time when pen- is added.

     examples:    men+(t)elepon = menelepon

                         pen+(t)akut = penakut

(See 28 exceptions for men- and 1 exception for pen- in the exceptions section below)

 

Letter "P"

            4) Letter "p" is dropped about 85% of the time from the front of a root word when the prefix mem- is added to root words beginning with the letter "p" and about 99% of the time with the prefix pem- is used. 

.     examples:    mem+(p)ilih = memilih

                        pem+(p)impin = pemimpin

(See 87 exceptions for mem- and 1 exception for pem- in the exceptions section below)

 

 

Adding Prefixes to Indonesian Root Words

            Indonesian suffixes are attached to the end of root words without any spelling changes at all. However the spelling  situation is more complicated when certain Indonesian prefixes are attached. No changes are required when the prefixes se-, di- & ke- are attached. But for the other prefixes, bahasa Indonesia rules sometimes require spelling adjustments. These adjustments are made to give the newly-formed word a smoother sounding pronunciation (sometimes referred to as nasalization). The "me- group" and the "pe- group" of prefixes are the most affected by these spelling changes but fortunately they are treated the same so that if you learn one set of rules they will apply to the other as well. The discussion below identifies the times when these spelling changes are required. It does not discuss the situations when no changes are needed such as when the prefixes se-, di- or ke- are used.

 

 

No Double "r" Prefix Formations

            The 3 prefixes that end in "er" (ber-, per- and ter-) have the letter "r" dropped from the prefix when the prefix is attached to a root word that begins with the letter "r" or when the first syllable of the root word has an "er" pronunciation. In other words, a double "r" spelling is not created and a double "er" sound is discouraged.

 double "r" examples: ber- + racun = beracun (not "berracun")

                                    per- + rekat = perekat (not "perrekat")

                                    ter- + robek = terobek (not "terrobek")

 "er" sound examples: ber- + kerja = bekerja  (not "berkerja")

                                    ter- + per-+daya = teperdaya  (not "terperdaya")

 

Prefixing Rules for the "Me- group" and the "Pe- group"

The rules in this section apply to both the "me- group" and the "pe- group" of prefixes. Since the rules are identical for both groups, we discuss them together. These rules are consistently applied to traditional bahasa Indonesia root words but are not consistently applied with regard to newer root words that have been "borrowed" from other languages, especially when these foreign root words begin with the letters "k,s,t,p", in which case they are not always dropped. We list the exceptions we have in our TruAlfa Indonesian-English Dictionary (2006 Edition) in the Exceptions section at the end of this summary.   

 

(blue color text identifies the "k,s,t,p" rules for dropping first letters of root words)

(orange colored text identifies the first letter of the root word that is to receive a prefix)

 

Prefix Rules for "Me- group" and "Pe- group"

1. Use me- or pe- prefix for attachment to root words beginning with the letters "l, m, n, r, w, y & z".

     examples:    me- + makan = memakan

                        pe- + zina = pezina

2. Use mem- or pem- prefix for attachment to root words beginning with the letters "b, f, p & v" but drop the "p" from the root word when it begins with "p".

     examples:    mem- + buat = membuat

                        mem- + potong = memotong  {mem+(p)otong}

                        pem- + buru = pemburu

                        pem-  + pandu = pemandu  {pem+(p)andu}

 

3. Use men- or pen- prefix for attachment to root words beginning with letters "c, d, j & t", but drop the "t" from the root word when it begins with "t".

     examples:    men- + didik = mendidik

                        men- + tebak = menebak  {men+(t)ebak}

                        pen- + juru = penjuru

                        pen- + terima = penerima  {pen+(t)erima}           

 

4. Use meng- or peng- prefix for attachment to root words beginning with letters "a, e, g, h, i, k, o & u" but drop the "k" from root words that begin with "k".

     examples:    meng- + alir = mengalir

                        meng- + karang = mengarang  {meng+(k)arang}

                        peng- + obat = pengobat

                        peng- + kocok = pengocok  {peng+(k)ocok}

 

5. Use meny- or peny- prefix for attachment to root words beginning with the letter "s" and drop the "s" from the root word.

     examples:    meny- + suap = menyuap  {meny+(s)uap}

                        peny- + sakit = penyakit  {peny+(s)akit}

 

Summary of "k,s,t,p" Rules (for "me- group" & "pe- group")

We can isolate & summarize the "k,s,t,p" rules where an initial root letter is dropped:

"k" = drop the "k" when meng-/peng- is used with root words beginning with "k"

"s" = drop the "s" when meny-/peny- is used with root words beginning with "s"

"t" = drop the "t" when men-/pen- is used with root words beginning with "t"

"p" = drop the "p" when mem-/pem- is used with root words beginning with "p"

 

Summary of Rules for Letters other than "k,s,t,p"

We can summarize the rules when no letters are dropped & no changes are made to the root word:

- use me- or pe- prefix for root words beginning with "l,m,n,r,w,y & z"

- use mem- or pem- prefix for root words beginning with "b, f & v"

- use men- or pen- prefix for root words beginning with "c,d, & j"

- use meng- or peng- prefix for root words beginning with a,e,g,h,i,o & u

 

A to Z Summary by First Letter of Root Word

For "me- group" & "pe- group", when root word begins with the letter -

a - use meng- or peng- prefix (no change to root word)

b - use mem- or pem- prefix (no change to root word)

c - use men- or pen- prefix (no change to root word)

d - use men- or pen- prefix (no change to root word)

e - use meng- or peng- prefix (no change to root word)

f - use mem- or pem- prefix (no change to root word)

g - use meng- or peng- prefix (no change to root word)

h - use meng- or peng- prefix (no change to root word)

i - use meng- or peng- prefix (no change to root word)

j - use men- or pen- prefix (no change to root word)

k - use meng- or peng- prefix & drop "k" from root word

l - use me- or pe- prefix (no change to root word)

m - use me- or pe- prefix (no change to root word)

n - use me- or pe- prefix (no change to root word)

o - use meng- or peng- prefix (no change to root word)

p - use mem- or pem- prefix & drop "p" from root word

q - n/a

r - use me- or pe- prefix (no change to root word)

s - use meny- or peny- prefix & drop "s" from root word

t- use men- or pen- prefix & drop "t" from root word

u - use meng- or peng- prefix (no change to root word)

v - use mem- or pem- prefix (no change to root word)

w - use me- or pe- prefix (no change to root word)

x - n/a

y - use me- or pe- prefix (no change to root word)

z - use me- or pe- prefix (no change to root word)

 

Note:

          If any native English-speaking people are shaking their heads in dismay at these strange Indonesian rules which change the spelling of root words for certain prefixes, please remember that English has similar rules that are so confusing and complicated that we cannot begin to explain them on our website. The "strange" Indonesian spelling rules discussed above only affect prefix attachments. Indonesian suffixes are attached without any changes. Although English makes no changes when prefixes are attached, it does have some very peculiar rules when certain suffixes are attached. It not only drops letters in the process but in some cases actually adds letters. For example, "try" becomes "tries" when the "s" suffix is used in forming a plural and for 3rd person singular usage. The "y" is dropped and "ies" is added instead of adding a simple "s". Only 2 of the five letters of "tries" are original - 60% of the new word is the result of spelling changes! Also consider "bat" that becomes "batter" when the "-er" suffix is added and a mysterious additional "t" appears! Once again, when comparing these two languages, we come to the inevitable conclusion that bahasa Indonesia, even with its faults, is more suitable than English for use as the world's international language.

 

      Sample Indonesian Root Word Family

 

lengkap  adj.  =  complete; comprehensive; all-inclusive; plenary; full; exhaustive

lengkapan  [lengkap+an]  n.  =  an item that completes something; an installation

lengkapi  [lengkap+i]  v.  =  to supply; equip; provision; complete; furnish

berlengkap  [ber+lengkap]  v.  =  being complete; to be comprehensive

berlengkapkan  [ber+lengkap+an]  v.  =  cause to be complete; cause to be comprehensive

berpelengkap  [ber+pe+lengkap]  v.  =  having a complementary or completing thing

dilengkapi  [di+lengkap+i]  v.  =  completed; supplied; equipped; furnished

diperlengkapi  [di+per+lengkap+i]  v.  =  completed; supplied; equipped; provisioned

kelengkapan  [ke+lengkap+an]  n.  =  completeness; comprehensiveness; the condition of being fully equipped

melengkapi  [me+lengkap+i]  v.  =  to supply; equip; provision; complete; furnish

melengkapkan  [me+lengkap+kan]  v.  =  to supply; equip; provision; complete

memperlengkap  [mem+per+lengkap]  v.  =  to supply; equip; provision; complete; outfit

memperlengkapi  [mem+per+lengkap+i]  v.  =  to complete; supply; equip; provision

pelengkap  [pe+lengkap]  n.  =  a complementary thing; that which is used to make something complete

perlengkapan  [per+lengkap+an]  n.  =  accessories; equipment; supplies; provisions; hardware; gear

perlengkapi  [per+lengkap+i]  v.  =  to complete; supply; equip; provision

selengkap  [se+lengkap]  adv.  =  as complete as

selengkap-lengkapnya  [se+lengkap-lengkap+nya]  adv.  =  as complete as possible; completely

selengkapnya  [se+lengkap+nya]  adv.  =  in detail; completely

terlengkap  [ter+lengkap]  adj.  =  most complete

                            

 

 

               Infix List

 Root   Infixed

Word    Word

 

getar  geletar getar+el [infix] v.  =  to tremble; shiver; throb; shake

gigi  geligi  gigi+el [infix] n.  =  teeth; many teeth

geletuk  gemeletuk  geletuk+em [infix] v.  =  to chatter; rattle; flap around; tremble

gertak  gemertak  gertak+em [infix] v.  =  to rattle; chatter; crackle

getar  gemetar  getar+em [infix] adj.  =  shaky; quivering

guruh  gemuruh  guruh+em [infix] adj.  =  tumultuous; thunderous; booming

gendang  genderang  gendang+er [infix] n.  =  a big drum; timpani drum; a kettle drum

gigi  gerigi  gigi+er [infix] n.  =  serrated edge; toothed edge; cog toothed

jajah  jelajah  jajah+el [infix] v.  =  to travel; explore; look into; traverse; cross

kelut  kemelut  kelut+em [infix] n.  =  critical; confused and disordered

kilau  kemilau  kilau+em [infix] n.  =  a shine; gloss; sparkle

kuning  kemuning  kuning+em {infix] n.  =  yellow (color)

kudung  kerudung  kudung+er [infix] n.  =  a veil; screen; hood

patuk  pelatuk  patuk+el [infix] n.  =  woodpecker; a type of bird that pecks at wood

sidik  selidik  sidik+el [infix] adv.  =  attentively; accurately; critically; carefully

sabut  serabut  sabut+er [infix] n.  =  a fiber; thread; filament

suling  seruling  suling+er [infix] n.  =  flute; a tube-shaped musical wind instrument

tapak  telapak  tapak+el [infix] n.  =  sole of the foot or shoe; palm of the hand

tungkup  telungkup  tungkup+el [infix] v.  =  to lie prone; to be face down

tunjuk   telunjuk  tunjuk+el [infix] n.  =  forefinger; index finger; pointing finger

tali  tali-temali tali-tali+em [infix] n.  =  cord; rigging; various kinds of roping or cordage

 

 

Exceptions Section

        Note: Most of the words in the following tables are exceptions to the general rule that require the letters "k,s,t or p" be dropped from the front of a root word when certain prefixes are attached. The exceptions below are for the cases when these letters are not dropped. Many of these exceptions have foreign root words - a "borrowed" root word. The thinking is that Indonesian grammar shouldn't apply to foreign root words. Of course, when that foreign root word has been in common usage for a long time in bahasa Indonesia, then it should start following the rules. That foreign root is no longer just "borrowed", but is now absorbed. Since nobody really knows when that mysterious time comes when the foreign word becomes naturalized into bahasa Indonesia, we have a long period of time when there are two different spellings. The people who think the time has come, start spelling things the Indonesian way (and start dropping the "k,s,t or p" letter), while others continue the old spelling.

            We suspect that many of the exceptions below exist because the pronunciation with the spelling according to the rules, simply doesn't sound very nice. Sounding nice seems to be more important than always having to follow the spelling rules. Rules are made to be broken!

 

Exceptions Where "k" is Not Dropped

When Meng- Prefix is Attached to a Root Word That Begins With "k"

meng+kabel+kan                  meng+kiblat+kan                   meng+kompilasi                     meng+konvergensi+kan

meng+kader                        meng+kilap                           meng+komplain                      meng+konversi

meng+kafir+kan                  meng+kilap+kan                     meng+kompres                      meng+konversi+kan

meng+kait+kan                    meng+kilat                           meng+kompromi+kan               meng+kooptasi

meng+kaji                          meng+kini+kan                      meng+komunikasi+kan             meng+koordinasi

meng+kaleng+kan                 meng+klaim                          meng+kondisi+kan                  meng+koordinasi+kan

meng+kalibrasi+kan             meng+klarifikasi                   meng+koneksi+kan                 meng+koordinir

meng+kalkulasi                   meng+klarifikasi+kan             meng+konferensi+kan             meng+kopi

meng+kambing+hitam+kan      meng+klasifikasi                   meng+konfigurasi                  meng+koreksi

meng+kampanye+kan             meng+klasifikasi+kan             meng+konfirmasi                   meng+korelasi+kan

meng+kanonisasi+kan           meng+klik                            meng+konfirmasi+kan             meng+korting

meng+karakterisasi+kan       meng+klip                            meng+konfrontasi                 meng+korupsi

meng+karantina                  meng+klon                            meng+konfrontir                   meng+kreasi

meng+karantina+kan            meng+kloning                        meng+konsentrasi+kan           meng+kreasi+kan

meng+kasasi                       meng+kode                           meng+konservasi                   meng+kredit

meng+kasting                     meng+kodifikasi                    meng+konsolidasi+kan            meng+kremasi+kan

meng+katapel                     meng+koleksi                        meng+konsolidir                    meng+kristal

meng+kerdil+kan                 meng+kombinasi+kan              meng+konstatir                    meng+kristalisasi+kan

meng+khawatir+kan             meng+komersialisasi+kan        meng+konsul                         meng+kristal+kan

meng+khayal                       meng+komersial+kan              meng+konsultasi                   meng+kritik

meng+khayal+kan                 meng+komit                          meng+konsultasi+kan             meng+kritis+i

meng+khianat+i                   meng+kompensasi                  meng+konsumsi                     meng+kuadrat+kan

meng+khitan+kan                 meng+kompensasi+kan            meng+kontribusi                   meng+kualifikasi+kan

meng+khotbah+kan                                                        meng+kontribusi+kan             meng+kuatir+kan

meng+khusus                                                               meng+kontrol                       meng+kudeta

 

 

Exceptions Where "t" is Not Dropped

When Men- Prefix is Attached to a Root Word That Begins With "t"

men+taat+i                     men+teleportasi                   men+tolerir                         men+transformasi

men+tabu+kan                 men+tenar+kan                     men+tradisi                         men+transformasi+kan

men+tafakur+kan             men+ter+cengang+kan            men+traktir                         men+transkrip

men+takzim+kan              men+terjemah+kan                men+transaksi+kan                men+transmigrasi+kan

men+talak+i                    men+terlantar+kan                men+transenden                    men+transmisi

men+target+kan              men+teror                           men+transenden+kan              men+transmisi+kan

men+tasrif+kan               men+toleransi                      men+transfer                       men+transposisi+kan

 

Exceptions Where "s" is Not Dropped

When Men- Prefix is Attached to a Root Word That Begins With "s"

(Meny- prefix is also not used for these Exceptions)

men+sah+kan                   men+skenario+kan                 men+starter                        men+sugesti+kan

men+segmentasi+kan        men+sketsa+kan                    men+stensil                         men+sukses+kan

men+sertifikasi              men+skor                             men+steril+kan                     men+supervisi

men+sertifikat+kan         men+skors                           men+stimulasi                      men+suplai

men+servis                     men+solder                          men+stimulasi+kan                men+survei

men+simulasi+kan            men+solid+kan                      men+stop                             men+swasta+kan

men+sinergi+kan              men+sosialisasi                    men+subkontrak+kan              men+swastanisasi

men+sinkronisasi             men+sosialisasi+kan              men+subordinasi                   men+syak+i

men+sinkron+kan             men+spionase                       men+subsidi                         men+syarat+kan

men+sinyalir                   men+sponsor+i                      men+subsidi+kan                   men+syirik+kan

men+skala                      men+stabil+kan                     men+substitusi+kan               men+syukur+i

men+skala+kan                men+standardisasi                                                        

 

Exceptions Where "p" is Not Dropped

When Mem- Prefix is Attached to a Root Word That Begins With "p"

mem+pacar+i                   mem+peringkat                     mem+polemik+kan                  mem+prioritas+kan

mem+pailit+kan               mem+perkara+kan                  mem+polisi+kan                     mem+privatisasi

mem+paket+kan               mem+perkosa                        mem+politik+kan                   mem+produksi

mem+parafrase+kan         mem+permak                         mem+politisasi                     mem+produksi+kan

mem+paralel+kan             mem+permanen+kan                mem+politisir                       mem+produser

mem+parodi+kan              mem+permisi+kan                  mem+politis+kan                   mem+profil

mem+pasrah+kan              mem+persepsi+kan                 mem+pompa                          mem+program

mem+pasteurisasi            mem+personalisasi                mem+populer+kan                  mem+program+kan

mem+pasturisasi+kan       mem+personanongrata+kan      mem+porak-poranda+kan         mem+proklamasi+kan

mem+paten+kan               mem+personifikasi+kan          mem+porot+i                        mem+proklamir+kan

mem+payung+i                 mem+persuasi                       mem+posisi+kan                    mem+promosi+kan

mem+pecundang+i             mem+pesona                         mem+pos+kan                        mem+promotor

mem+pedoman+i               mem+pesona+kan                   mem+prakarsa+i                    mem+propaganda+kan

mem+pedoman+kan            mem+petak+kan                     mem+prakira+kan                  mem+proses

mem+peduli+kan               mem+peti+es+kan                  mem+praktek+kan                  mem+proteksi

mem+pelan+kan                mem+peti+kan                       mem+praktik+kan                  mem+protes

mem+pelopor+i                mem+pidana+kan                    mem+prangko+i                     mem+provokasi

mem+pengaruh+i              mem+pidato+i                       mem+prediksi                       mem+proyeksi

mem+percaya+i                mem+piramida                       mem+prediksi+kan                 mem+proyeksi+kan

mem+percaya+kan            mem+piting                          mem+presentasi+kan              mem+publikasi+kan

mem+perduli+kan             mem+plester                        mem+preteli                         mem+punya+i

mem+peretel+i                mem+polarisasi+kan               mem+prihatin+kan                

 

Exceptions Where "s" is Not Dropped

When Pen- Prefix is Attached to a Root Word That Begins With "s"

(Peny- prefix also not used for These Exceptions)

pen+sinyal+an                 pen+stabil+an                       pen+steril+an                       pen+sukses+an

pen+skala+an                  pen+standar+an                    pen+stok+an                         pen+swasta+an

 

Exception Where "p" is Not Dropped

When Pem- Prefix is Attached to a Root Word That Begins With "p"

pem+proses+an

 

Exceptions Where "k" is Not Dropped

When Peng- Prefix is Attached to a Root Word That Begins With "k"

peng+kaji+an                   peng+khayal+an                     peng+klasifikasi+an               peng+kritik

peng+kapling+an              peng+khianat                        peng+kotak-kotak+an             peng+kritik+an

peng+kategori+an            peng+khianat+an                   peng+kredit+an                     peng+kubu+an

peng+khayal                    peng+khotbah                       peng+kristal+an                    peng+kultus+an

 

Exception Where "t" is Not Dropped

When Pen- Prefix is Attached to a Root Word That Begins With "t"

pen+tarif+an

 



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