Suffix Variation

- in

The use of prefix 'me' (e.g. membeli), suffix 'kan'(e.g. lupakan) and 'i'(tunggui) or both(e.g. melupakan or menunggui) as an active verb is mostly used in a formal situation.

In daily conversation both prefix and suffix is nasalized by adding the suffix 'in' instead of 'kan' or 'i' and dropping the prefix 'me'. Usually the root word changes accordingly.

For passive verbs such as 'di-tinggal-kan' becomes 'di-tinggal-in'.

Examples

Formal Application In a Sentence
Meaning
mengambilkan ambilin Ambilin buku saya dong Could you please get my book
diambilkan diambilin Buku saya diambilin oleh supir saya My book is fetched by my driver
mengambilkan ngambilin Dia ngambilin saya buku itu She's getting me that book
meninggalkan ninggalin Dia ninggalin saya She left me
pikirkan pikirin Pikirin baik-baik Think about it carefully
memikirkan mikirin Dia nggak pernah mikirin orang lain He never thinks about other people
tanyakan tanyain Tanyain berapa harganya Ask him how much it is
menanyakan nanyain Kemarin Sinta nanyain kamu Sinta was asking about you yesterday
Carikan cariin Kamu dicariin semua orang Everybody was looking for you
membawakan bawain Saya bawain makanan besok I'll bring the food tomorrow
menunggui tungguin Ibu saya nungguin bapak di rumah sakit. My mother is staying with my father(who is sick) in the hospital
menunggu nungguin Saya nungguin kamu dari tadi I have been waiting for you
merepotkan ngerepotin Maaf ya . kalo ngerepotin I apologize for causing the trouble.
biarkan biarin Biarin aja Let it be

- an

Unlike the formal grammar, in daily conversation suffix - an transforms an adjective into a comparative form. This rule only applies to adjective that ends with a consonant.

Examples

Root Word Suffix -an   In A Sentence Remarks
gampang gampangan easier Ujian tahun ini gampangan dibanding ujian tahun lalu slang
      Ujian tahun in lebih gampang dibanding ujian tahun lalu informal
      Ujian tahun ini lebih mudah dibanding ujian tahun lalu formal
      This year's exam is easier than last year meaning
       
pinter pinteran smarter Pinteran mana Susi sama adiknya? slang
      Siapa lebih pinter, Susi atau adiknya? informal
      Siapa yang lebih pintar*(pandai), Susi atau adiknya? formal
      Who is smarter, Susi or her younger sister? meaning
         
      * pinter is a slang form of pintar  
         




e-Learning

The University of Hawaii at Manoa offers three dedicated distance education e-learning courses for advanced Indonesian under the supervision of Dr. Uli Kozok, coordinator of the Indonesian language program at the University of Hawaii. The three courses offered are available not only to UH students but to anyone anywhere. You can enrol through UH Outreach College.