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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 >> 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
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