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