Indonesian Prefixes, Suffixes, and Circumfixes

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Indonesian Affixes

Indonesian Prefixes:

word	me	ber	di	ter	pe	per	memper	se
Tulis	Menulis	-	Ditulis	Tertulis	Penulis	-	-	-
(to write)	(write)	-	(written)	(written)	(writer)	-	-	-
Jalan	-	Berjalan	-	-	Pejalan	-	-	-
(to walk)	-	(to walk)	-	-	(walker)	-	-	-
Baca	Membaca	-	Dibaca	Terbaca	Reader	-	-	-
(to read)	(read)	-	(read)	(read)	(pembaca)	-	-	-
Lihat	Melihat	-	Dilihat	Terlihat	-	-	-	-
(to see)	(see)	-	(seen)	(seen)	-	-	-	-
Dengar	Mendengar	-	Didengar	Terdengar	Pendengar	-	-	-
(to hear, listen)	(hear, listen)	-	(heard)	(heard)	(listener)	-	-	-

 

The - does not mean that the words do not exist; they just don't make sense, or they need a suffix.

The prefix 'memper-' has two function:

1. if it is followed by an adjective, it is to make something to be (the adjective).

2. if it is followed by a verb, it is to do something to other person, to make other person (the verb)

There is a confusion between the prefix 'pe' and 'per'.

- 'pe' shows the person who does the verb, while

- 'per' shows the person who has a profession as the verb.

'se' means one. You can see how it works on the numbering section.

Prefixes, suffixes, and circumfixes

Prefixes >> prefixes are always pronounced with a closed e

Prefix me-
to make an active sentence, to make something change, and needs an object (watch how the letter changes before the first word of the infinitive)

Mengambil	Me + ambil	To take
Membuat	Me + buat	To make, to create
Mencari	Me + cari	To search, to look for
Mendengar	Me + dengar	To hear, to listen to
Mengevaluasi	Me + evaluasi	To evaluate
Mengganti	Me + ganti	To change
Menghilang	Me + hilang	To be disappeared
Mengisi	Me + isi	To fill in
Menjual	Me + jual	To sell
Mengira	Me + kira	To guess
Melihat	Me + lihat	To see
Memasak	Me + masak	To cook
Mengoperasi	Me + operasi	To do an operation(surgery)
Memindah	Me + pindah	To move (stuff)
Merasa	Me + rasa	To feel
Menyapu	Me + sapu	To sweep
Menulis	Me + tulis	To write
Mengulang	Me + ulang	To repeat

 

Saya mengambil baju-baju saya - I take my clothes

Kamu membuat lukisan - You make a painting (you paint/you are painting)

Saya mencari teman saya - I look for my friend

Saya mendengar sesuatu - I hear something

Kamu mengisi gelas itu dengan air - You fill the glass with water

Ayah menjual mobilnya - Father sells his car

Kamu melihatku? - Do you see me?

Saya memindah weblog saya - I move my weblog

Saya merasa capai / lelah - I feel tired

Dia menyapu lantai - She/he sweeps the floor

Kamu menulis sebuah lagu - You write a song

Prefix ber-
to make an active sentence that does not have to followed by an object

Berangkat	Ber + angkat	To have a departure
Berbahasa	Ber + bahasa	To have an ability to speak a/some language/s
Bercinta	Ber + cinta	To have sex
Berdansa	Ber + dansa	To have a dance
Berguru	Ber + guru	To have a study
Berhitung	Ber + hitung	To have count
Berjanji	Ber + janji	To have a promise
Bermain	Ber + main	To have a play
Berpura-pura	Ber + pura-pura	To have a pretend
Bersantai	Ber + santai	To have a relax
Bertaruh	Ber + taruh	To have a bet
Berubah	Ber + ubah	To have a change
Bervariasi	Ber + variasi	To have a variation
Berzina	Ber + zina	To have an affair, a prostitution

 

Ayah berangkat ke kantor - Father leaves for office

Saya berbahasa Indonesia - I speak Indonesian

Apakah kamu bercinta dengannya? - Do you have sex with her?

Maukah kamu berdansa denganku? - Would you dance with me?

Saya berjanji padamu - I promise you

Jangan berpura-pura tidak tahu -  Don't pretend like you don't know

Mari bersantai di gazebo -Let's relax in the gazebo

Aku bertaruh dia akan menang - I bet she/he will win

Prefix di-
to make a passive sentence  (note: must be caused by something)

Diambil	Di + ambil	To be taken
Dibuat	Di + buat	To be made
Dicari	Di + cari	To be searched, to be looked for
Didamba	Di + damba	To be wanted, to be waited
Diganti	Di + ganti	To be changed
Dihuni	Di + huni	To be occupied
Diisi	Di + isi	To be filled in
Dijumlah	Di + jumlah	To be calculated
Dikandung	Di + kandung	To be contained
Dilihat	Di + lihat	To be seen
Diminta	Di + minta	To be asked
Diolah	Di + olah	To be processed (factory)
Diproses	Di + proses	To be processed
Dirinci	Di + rinci	To be explained, to be described
Disumpah	Di + sumpah	To be sworn
Ditambah	Di + tambah	To be added, to be increased
Diulang	Di + ulang	To be repeated

 

Kamu dicari orangtuamu - You are looked for by your parents (your parents [are]look[ing] for you)

Jadwal hari ini telah diganti - Today's schedule is changed

Rumah ini hanya dihuni oleh kami berdua - This house is only occupied by us (just us that live in this house)

Aku sudah lakukan apa yang diminta olehnya - I have done what she/he asked me to

Susu itu diolah di pabrik - The milk is processed in the factory

Saya adalah penerjemah yang telah disumpah - I am a sworn translator

Prefix ter-
To make a superlative [Note: you can change the prefix 'ter-' with the word paling, i.e: terbaru = paling baru (the newest)]
To make a passive sentence, but not like di-, we don't know if the word with ter- is caused by somehing

Terbaru	Ter + baru	The newest
Tercantik	Ter + cantik	The fairest (woman)
Terenak	Ter + enak	The most delicious
Terindah	Ter + indah	The most beautiful
Terkecil	Ter + kecil	The smallest
Terlebar	Ter + lebar	The widest
Termanis	Ter + manis	The sweetest
Terpandai	Ter + pandai	The cleverest/the smartest
Terpintar	Ter + pintar	The cleverest/the smartest
Tertua	Ter + tua	The oldest
Terambil	Ter + ambil	To be taken
Tercuri	Ter + curi	To be stolen
Terganggu	Ter + ganggu	To be disturbed
Teringat	Ter + ingat	To be remember
Terjual	Ter + jual	To be sold
Terlihat	Ter + lihat	To be seen
Tertulis	Ter + tulis	To be written

 

Dia adalah wanita tercantik di Swedia - She is the most beautiful woman in Sweden

Bali adalah tempat terindah yang pernah kulihat - Bali is the most beautiful place I've ever seen

Kenangan itu termanis dalam hidupku - That was the sweetest memory in my life ever

Dia adalah anak terpandai di kelas - He is the cleverest boy in the class

Saya merasa sangat terganggu - I am feeling so disturbed/annoyed/aggravated

Saya teringat akan Bali - I remember about Bali

Gaun itu telah terjual - The gown is sold

Kamu bisa terlihat orang lain! - You could have been seen!

Kalimat itu tertulis di kertas - That sentence is written on the paper

Prefix pe-
Person / thing who does, makes, etc.

Pengambil	Pe + ambil	Person who takes
Pemburu	Pe + buru	Hunter
Pencium	Pe + cium	Kisser
Pendaki	Pe + daki	Hiker
Penghitung	Pe + hitung	Person who counts / A tool used for counting things
Pengikut	Pe + ikut	Follower
Penjual	Pe + jual	Seller
Pengasih	Pe + kasih	Person who likes to give
Pelukis	Pe + lukis	Painter
Pemula	Pe + mula	Beginner
Pemukul	Pe + pukul	Person who hits
Penyanyi	Pe + nyanyi	Singer
Penyaji	Pe + saji	Servant
Penari	Pe + tari	Dancer
Penunggu	Pe + tunggu	Person who waits

 

Dia adalah pendaki yang hebat - She/he is a great climber

Mereka adalah pengikutku - They are my follower

Pelan-pelan, aku masih pemula - Slow down, I am still a beginner

Aku ingin menjadi penyanyi - I want to be a singer

Kamu adalah penari yang baik - You are a good dancer

Dia adalah pencium yang hebat - He's an unbelievable kisser