‘[Greetings:

 Selamat Pagi: Good morning

 Selamat Siang: Good afternoon
 Selamat sore: Good evening
 Selamat malam: Good night
 Apa kabar?: How are you? – Kabar baik: I’m good
 Terima kasih: Thank you
 Sama Sama: You are welcome
 Yes/No: Ia/ Tidak

Pronouns:

 Saya: I
 Kamu: You (familiar) often shortened to “Kau”
 Anda: You (formal or respectful)
 Dia: He/She
 Kita: Us (including the person spoken to)
 Kami: Us (not including the person spoken to)
 Kalian: You (plural)
 Mereka: They

When asking for something, always start your question with ‘Permisi’ (Excuse me) :

 Permisi Mas (to young males)

 Permisi Adek (to young females)
 Permisi Pak (to older men)
 Permisi Ibu (to older women)

 Saya mau tanya: I would like to ask

Ex : Permisi Pak, pantai ada di mana ? (Excuse me Sir, where is the beach?)

Where are you from and where do you want to go?

As people are very friendly and communicative, you will pick up the language quickly.
During your travel around Indonesia, the most common questions you’ll hear will be:
“Dari mana?” and “Mau ke mana?”.

“Dari mana” means where (are you) from and “ke mana” means where (are you) going.
So familiarize yourself with these two short and simple phrases, they’ll definitely come in
handy!

Basic Indonesian words for your Travel in Indonesia

Here are some more useful phrases to help you:
  Saya mau ke Bali: I want to go to Bali
 Saya dari: I am from… Perancis (French) – Ingrris (English) – Spanyol (Spanish)
– America – Australia – Singapura
 Kiri: Left
 Kanan: Right
 Lurus: Straight
 Belakang: Behind

Ordering food in Indonesia

Most people love Indonesian food.

From my personal experience, my Bahasa has improved significantly from ordering food
in the Indonesian warungs. Going to the warungs will definitely invite opportunities to
mix and converse with the locals. Do bring a pocket dictionary if you want to make your
conversations more interesting!

 Permisi Pak, ada tempat makan di dekat sinin?: Excuse me Sir, is there a
restaurant near here?
 Makan: To eat
 Pedas: Spicy (if you cant handle spicy, remember to say Tidak pedas!)
 Saya suka pedas: I like spicy
 Minyak: Oil
 Gula: Sugar
 Minum: Drink
 Nasi: rice
 Mie: noodle
 Sayur saja: if you are vegetarian you might want to ask for “Sayur saja”
(Vegetables only)
 Enak : Delicious!

Bargaining and Numbers

Knowing a few words of the language will always help you to get better deals
in Indonesia.

As an advice, try to bargain around 40% off the initial price offered when you negotiate,
especially in touristic areas:

 1 – Satu ; 2 – Dua ; 3 – Tiga ; 4 – Empat ; 5 -Lima ; 6 -Enam ; 7 – Tujuh ; 8 –

Delapan ; 9 – Sembilan ; 10 – Sepuluh.
 11 Seblas
 12 Dua belas
 13 Tiga belas
 14 Empat belas
 20 – Dua puluh ; 30 – Tiga puluh, etc …
  100 – Seratus ; 200 – Dua ratus etc…
 1, 000 : Seribu – 10,000 Sepuluh Ribu
 1 million : Satu juta

 Harga: Price
 Berapa harganya?: How much does it cost?
 Harga nya mahal: Price is expensive
 Lebih murah bisa?: “Cheaper possible?”
 Saya tidak ada cukup: I don’t have enough
 Mahal sakali: Very expensive!

Basic Indonesian words for your Travel in Indonesia

Police in Indonesia

I hope you won’t get arrested by the Police while travelling in Indonesia, but this
happens sometimes, don’t be afraid of them. Here are a few sentences to deal with
the police, and it will make a big difference for them if you talk to them in Bahasa
Indonesia:

Travel tips meeting with Indonesian policemen:

 My wallet was stolen: Dompet saya di curi

 I am very sorry I won’t do it again: Maaf sakali, saya tidak akan ulangi lagi

 Saya tinggal disini, saya tidak bule: I live here, I am not a tourist (Bule is actually
the term to describe a white foreigner).
 Saya jujur: I am honest

Other easy words in Indonesia that you will use often :

 Tidak Apa Apa!: No worries!

 Bagus!: Great!
 Hati-hati: Be careful
 Boleh or Bisa: Can.
 Ada/Tidak ada : There is/There is not
 Buka/Tutup: Open/Close
 Selamat jalan: Have a safe journey
 Ini apa?: What is this?
 Sampai jumpa lagi : See you again
 Tolong!: Help
 Maaf: I am sorry
 Jam berapa?: What time is it?

Basic Indonesian words for your Travel in Indonesia

Bonus for the surfers:
  Ombak bagus: Good waves!
 Banyak angin: Lot of wind
 Air dingin: Cold water
 Banyak arus: Lots of current
 Bahaya: Dangerous
 Ikan Hiu: Shark (but normally there are no sharks in Indonesia!)

 Semoga berhasil!
Good luck!
 Get well soon!
Semoga cepat sembuh!
 Selamat pagi!
Morning!/ Good morning!
 Selamat malam!
Good evening or Good night!
 Selamat!
Congratulations!
 Selamat tidur!
Sleep tight!
 Selamat Natal!
Merry Christmast!
 Selamat Idul Fitri!
Eid Mubarak/ Happy Eid!
 Selamat bersenang- senang!
Have fun!
 Mimpi indah!
Have a nice dream!
 Hai!
Hi!
 Halo!
Hello!
 Apa kabar?
How are you?
 Lama tidak berjumpa!
Long time no see!
 Apakah kamu baik-baik saja?
Are you okay?

All words above are also called as ‘’basic greetings’’ in Indonesian. Usually, they are used by people in
all ages in Indonesia and they understand what its meaning in some situations.

2. Food and Drink in Indonesian for Basic Words

Food and drink in Indonesian for Basic Words are used to express and say what kind of food look like.
There are some food that can be translated into English, but also there are some food that cannot be
 translated into English because Indonesians have their own language to say kind of food. Here are the
lists:

Indonesian Food and Drink That Can be Translated into English

Some food and drink in Indonesia have its own meaning in English. It means, they can be translated into
English because there are some food like the following food in UK.

They are:

 Nasi – Rice
 Mi – Noodles
 Nasi goreng – Friedrice
 Gula – sugar
 Madu – Honey
 Susu – Milk
 Teh manis – Sweet tea
 Kopi – Coffee
 Keju – Cheese
 Roti – Bread
 Ayam Goreng – Fried Chicken
 Saus – Sauce
 Coklat – Chocolate
 Air – Water
 Sayur – Vegetables
 Jus – juice
 Daging – Meal
 Kue – Cake

Indonesian Food and Drink That Cannot be Translated into English

In Indonesia, there are food that cannot be translated into English because there are no food like that in
Europe or America. However, we are going to explain what the food look like in English. Here are the
lists:

 Sate or Satai – A kind of Indonesian food consists of frozen rize and small meals watered by thick
condiment with a hot taste
 Ketoprak – A kind of Indonesian food consists of frozen rice along with noodle watered by spicy peanut
sauce or water
 Rendang – A typical Indonesian meat formulated with spice herb of Indonesia
 Seblak -A typical Indonesian spicy food and very hot to be tasted
 Bandrek – A typical Indonesian beverages created from Indonesian spices. It can be usefull to warm
your body and make you feel better
 Bajigur – A typical Indonesian beverages that almost the same as bandrek. The different is bajigur is
sweeter than bandrek
 Soto – An Indonesian food consists of chicken, noodles, and water with Indonesian spices
 Martabak – An Indonesian food consists of cake and milk along with frozen blackrice inside of the cake. It
is steamed so the food can be consumed
 See? Those words are Indonesiaan food and drink which exist in Europe or America. However there are
also Indonesian food that is not exist in both. They only exist in Indonesia

3. Animals in Indonesian Basic Words

Animals exist in all over the world. Surely, they may also called in different language in different
country. Many animals in Indonesia which can be translated into English. Here are the lists:

 Kuda – Horse
 Tikus – Mouse
 Kucing – Cat
 Beruang – Bear
 Burung – Bird
 Singa – Lion
 Harimau – Tiger
 Ular – Snake
 Kerbau – Buffalo
 Buaya – Crocodile
 Gajah – Elephant
 Serigala – Wolf
 Semut – Ant
 Laba- laba – Spider
 Cicak – Lizard
 Nyamuk – Mosquito
 Lalat – Flies
 Katak – Frog
 Cacing – Worm
 Naga – Dragon
 Jerapah – Giraffe
 Musang – Weasel
 Sapi – Cow
 Rusa – Deer
 Domba – Lamb

Those words are animal that can be seen in Indonesia. You need to memorize the vocabulary.

You may also read:

 Common Greetings In Indonesian

 Indonesian Plural
 Indonesian Phrases and Common Sentences

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4. Equipment in Indonesian Basic Words

 Equipment is apparatus that can be used to fix or create something useful. If there are some equipment in
Indonesian, they can be translated into English.

Here are the lists:

 Meja – Table
 Pensil – Pencil
 Palu – Hammer
 Gunting – Scissor
 Sapu – Broom
 Sikat – Brush
 Kain pel – Mop
 Penggunting kuku – Nail clippers
 Sisir – Comb
 Tang – Pliers
 Paku – Spike
 Kuas cat – Paintbrush
 Gayung – Water dipper
 Sikat gigi – Tooth brush
 Mesin cuci – Washing machine
 Saklar – Switch
 Kabel – Cable
 Kayu – Wood
 Kipas angin – electric fan

Those words are common equipment used in Indonesia. You need to memorize those words.

5. Limbs in Basic Indonesian Words

Limbs are part of human bodies. Let’s learn and read those part of human bodies in Indonesian. Here are
the lists:

 Kepala – Head
 Mata – Eyes
 Hidung – Nose
 Mulut – Mouth
 Alis mata – Eyebrow
 Bulu mata – Eyelashes
 Bibir – Lips
 Lidah – Tongue
 Gigi – Tooth (Teeth)
 Pipi – Cheek
 Dahi – Forehead
 Rambut – Hair
 Telinga – Ears
 Dagu – Chin
 Leher – Neck
 Pundak – Shouldiers
 Dada – Chest
 Payudara – Breast
 Tangan – Hand
 Jari – Fingers
 Kuku – Nail
 Perut – Stomach
 Pantat – Buttock
 Paha – Thigh
 Lutut – Knee
 Kaki – Foot (leg)
 Tumit – Heel
 Kemaluan – Genital

Those are words are part of bodies that commonly used in Indonesian words. Again,you need to
memorize those words as your vocabulary.

You may also read: Conversation in Indonesian

6. Musical Instrument in Indonesian Basic Words

Musical instrument exists in all over the world. Indonesian musical instrument is very unique because so
many musical instrument which only exist in Indonesia.

First of all, we are going to lists musical instrument that exists in all over the world which also exists in
Indonesia.

 Gitar – Guitar
 Dram – Drum
 Bass – Bass
 Lecapi – Harp
 Piano – Piano
 Keyboard – Keyboard
 Terompet – Trumpet
 Pianika – Inflatable piano
 Gendang senar – Drum string
 Seruling – Flute
 Gendang – Tambour
 Rebana – Tambourine
 Launch pad – Launchpad (DJ instrumental)

However, sometimes some music instruments in Indonesia is not exist in other countries. ‘’Flute ‘’ for
example. Flute in Indonesia is a bit different from flute in other countries. The way in using flute even
strains of flute in Indonesia is more local. Once you come to Indonesia, you will notice the different.

There are aslo some music instrumental in Indonesia which not exist in other countries such as ‘’Ketipung
(Sundanesse). ‘’Ketipung’’ made by Sundanesse people in Indonesia.It sounds like small tambourine but
 a bit different. There are still many kinds of tambourine that difficult to be classified because they only
have names in Indonesian. Again, you need to memorize those words.
ads

7. Fruits in Basic Indonesian Words

Everybody knows fruits, some people eat fruits and make them into juice. People allover the world must
be know what fruits look like. Now, we are going to list some fruit in Indonesian basic words along with
English translation. Here are the list:

 Mangga – Mango
 Apel – Apple
 Jeruk – Orange
 Jambu biji – Guava
 Anggur – Grape
 Pisang – Banana
 Semangka – Watermelon
 Pepaya – Papaya
 Pir – Pear
 Kurma – Date (Palm)
 Sirsak – Soursop
 Nanas – Pineapple
 Markisa – Passion fruit
 Melon – Melon
 Bengkuang – bengkoang (only exist in Indonesia)
 Salak – salak (only exist in Indonesia)
 Stroberi – Strawberry
 Durian – Durian (only exist in Indonesia)
 Lengkeng- Litchi

Those words are common fruits that can be seen in Indonesia. You must try some fruits that only exist in
Indonesia. They are nice and sweet.

8. Numbers in Indonesian
Here are the translation of numbers in Indonesian

 Nol – zero
 Satu – one
 Dua – two
 Tiga – three
 Empat – four
 Lima – five
 Enam – six
 Tujuh – seven
 Delapan – eight
 Sembilan – nine
 Sepuluh – ten
Indeed, You need to practice this basic words in Indonesian again and again.

9. Informal Indonesian Words

Basic Words (Informal) Meaning
Aku I
Kamu You
Kita We
Do’i She/He
Jutek Arrogant
Kepo Curious
Laper Hungry
Gokil Funny
Kocak Funny
Restless, anxiousness
Galau
combined with sadness
Meanwhile, to make you fluent in Indonesian, you need to remember this basic words in Indonesian
everyday.

10. Formal Basic Words in Indonesia

Formal Basic Words in Indonesia are basic words which are used in formal situation or common words
that can be used in formal or informal situation. However, they are often used in formal situation. Here
are the lists:

Basic Words (Formal) Meaning

Saya I
Anda You
Kami We
Dia He/ she
Sombong Arrogant
Lapar Hungry
Lucu Funny
Rumit Complicated
Mudah Easy
Lelah Tired
Imut Cute
Tampan/ cantik Handsome/beautiful
Besar Big
Bodoh Stupid
Kesal Fed up
Hanya Only/ just
Memang Indeed
Sepertinya It seems like
Sekali Very/ so
Tidur Sleep
Santai Relax
Mengapa? Why?
Tidak No
Canggung Awkward
Pindah Move
Pakai Use
Benar Right!
Teman Friend
Sahabat Friend
Malas Lazy
All words above actually can be used in formal or informal situation because it is accepatable in
Indonesia. They are common basic words often used in daily activities. People in all ages can use those
words whether in formal situation or informal situation. However, they are mostly used in informal
situation. You can choose by yourself.
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11. Indonesian Compound Words

Here are the lists of basic compound words in Indonesian for beginners

Basic Words (Compound

Meanings
Words)
Kacamata (kaca+ mata) Glasses
Matahari (mata+ hari) Sun
Rumah sakit (rumah+ sakit) Hospital
Meja makan (meja+ makan) Dining table
Orang tua (orang+ tua) Parents
Keras kepala (keras+ kepala) Stubborn
Mahasiswa (maha+ siswa) University student
Tanah air (tanah + water) Homeland/ mother country
Kamar tidur (kamar+ tidur) Bedroom
Air terjun (air+ terjun) Fallen Water
Kantor pos (kantor+ pos) Post office
Naik daun (naik+ daun) Famous
Terimakasih (terima+ kasih) Thank you
Rendah hati (rendah+hati) Humble
Saksi mata (saksi +mata) Eyewitness
Mata mata (mata+ mata) Scout
Rumah tangga (rumah+
Household
tangga)
Hutan belantara (hutan+
Wilderness
belantara)
Home/Rumah About/Tentang Translate / Terjemahkan Contact/Hubungi Download

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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