Adverbs of Degree
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Adverbs of degree tell us the intensity of an adjective or verb, usually placed directly before the word they modify.
- Place 'sangat' (very) before adjectives: 'Sangat cantik' (Very beautiful).
- Use 'terlalu' (too) for excess: 'Terlalu mahal' (Too expensive).
- Use 'sedikit' (a little) to soften: 'Sedikit lelah' (A little tired).
Degree Adverb Placement
| Intensifier | Meaning | Target Word | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Sangat
|
Very
|
Adjective
|
Sangat cantik
|
|
Terlalu
|
Too
|
Adjective
|
Terlalu mahal
|
|
Sedikit
|
A little
|
Adjective
|
Sedikit lapar
|
|
Cukup
|
Quite
|
Adjective
|
Cukup baik
|
|
Agak
|
Somewhat
|
Adjective
|
Agak marah
|
|
Amat
|
Extremely
|
Adjective
|
Amat besar
|
Meanings
Adverbs of degree modify adjectives, verbs, or other adverbs to express the intensity or extent of a quality or action.
High Intensity
Expresses a high degree of a quality.
“Makanan ini sangat enak.”
“Dia sangat cepat.”
Excessive Degree
Indicates something is beyond the desired limit.
“Harganya terlalu mahal.”
“Dia terlalu lambat.”
Low Intensity
Indicates a small amount or mild degree.
“Saya sedikit lapar.”
“Dia sedikit marah.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Intensifier + Adj
|
Sangat indah
|
|
Negative
|
Tidak + Intensifier + Adj
|
Tidak terlalu indah
|
|
Question
|
Apakah + Intensifier + Adj?
|
Apakah sangat indah?
|
|
Comparison
|
Intensifier + Lebih + Adj
|
Sangat lebih baik
|
|
Informal
|
Adj + Banget
|
Indah banget
|
|
Extreme
|
Amat + Sangat + Adj
|
Amat sangat indah
|
Formalitätsspektrum
Makanan ini sangat enak. (Dining)
Makanan ini enak sekali. (Dining)
Makanannya enak banget. (Dining)
Makanannya mantap parah! (Dining)
Intensity Scale
Low
- Sedikit A little
Medium
- Cukup Quite
High
- Sangat Very
Excessive
- Terlalu Too
Formal vs Informal Intensifiers
Choosing the Right Intensifier
Is it too much?
Is it high?
Common Intensifiers
Standard
- • Sangat
- • Cukup
Extreme
- • Amat
- • Terlalu
Mild
- • Sedikit
- • Agak
Beispiele nach Niveau
Kopi ini sangat panas.
This coffee is very hot.
Dia sangat baik.
He is very kind.
Rumah itu sangat besar.
That house is very big.
Saya sangat senang.
I am very happy.
Harganya terlalu mahal.
The price is too expensive.
Saya sedikit lelah.
I am a little tired.
Ini tidak terlalu sulit.
This is not too difficult.
Dia agak marah.
He is a bit angry.
Film itu cukup menarik.
That movie is quite interesting.
Dia sangat mahir berbahasa Indonesia.
He is very proficient in Indonesian.
Cuacanya agak dingin hari ini.
The weather is somewhat cold today.
Jangan terlalu cepat bicara.
Don't speak too fast.
Keputusannya sangat tidak bijaksana.
His decision is very unwise.
Masalah ini cukup kompleks untuk diselesaikan.
This problem is quite complex to solve.
Dia terlalu memaksakan kehendaknya.
He is forcing his will too much.
Hasilnya agak mengecewakan.
The result is somewhat disappointing.
Argumennya sangat persuasif namun agak spekulatif.
His argument is very persuasive but somewhat speculative.
Dia amat sangat teliti dalam pekerjaannya.
He is extremely meticulous in his work.
Situasinya terlalu genting untuk diabaikan.
The situation is too critical to be ignored.
Pencapaiannya cukup signifikan bagi perusahaan.
His achievement is quite significant for the company.
Karya sastra ini amat sangat mendalam maknanya.
This literary work is extremely profound in its meaning.
Pendekatan ini terlalu reduksionis untuk masalah tersebut.
This approach is too reductionist for that problem.
Dia cukup piawai dalam menavigasi birokrasi.
He is quite skilled at navigating bureaucracy.
Reaksinya agak berlebihan terhadap kritik tersebut.
His reaction is somewhat excessive to that criticism.
Leicht verwechselbar
Both mean 'very', but 'amat' is more formal.
Both mean 'a little', but 'sedikit' is for quantity and 'agak' is for quality.
Both intensify, but 'terlalu' implies a negative limit.
Häufige Fehler
Cantik sangat
Sangat cantik
Sangat makan
Sangat suka makan
Terlalu bagus
Sangat bagus
Sedikit besar
Agak besar
Sangat tidak mahal
Tidak terlalu mahal
Agak sangat besar
Sangat besar
Cukup sangat
Cukup
Sangat cepat lari
Lari dengan sangat cepat
Terlalu senang
Sangat senang
Agak sangat
Sangat
Amat terlalu
Terlalu
Sangat-sangat sangat
Amat sangat
Terlalu sedikit
Sangat sedikit
Satzmuster
Dia ___ ___.
Makanan ini ___ ___.
Proyek ini ___ ___ untuk diselesaikan.
Reaksinya ___ ___ terhadap situasi tersebut.
Real World Usage
Foto ini bagus banget!
Pedasnya sedikit saja.
Saya cukup berpengalaman di bidang ini.
Kamarnya terlalu kecil.
Capek banget hari ini.
Hasilnya amat signifikan.
Use 'Banget' for friends
Don't over-intensify
The 'Terlalu' trap
Formal vs Informal
Smart Tips
Use 'banget' instead of 'sangat' when talking to friends.
Use 'amat' instead of 'sangat' in formal reports.
Avoid 'terlalu' unless you are actually complaining.
Use 'agak' for mild feelings.
Aussprache
Sangat
Pronounced 'sah-ngat'. Ensure the 'ng' is a single nasal sound.
Terlalu
Pronounced 'ter-lah-loo'. Stress the second syllable.
Emphasis
Sangat ↑BAGUS!
High pitch on the adjective for extra emphasis.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Sangat (Very) is the 'S' in 'Super'. If it's Super, it's Sangat.
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a volume knob. 'Sedikit' is low volume, 'Sangat' is high volume, and 'Terlalu' is the knob breaking off because it's too loud.
Rhyme
Sangat itu sangat besar, terlalu itu terlalu kasar.
Story
Budi went to a shop. He saw a shirt. It was 'sangat mahal' (very expensive). He said, 'Ini terlalu mahal!' (This is too expensive). He bought a 'sedikit lebih murah' (a little cheaper) one instead.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Describe 3 things in your room right now using an intensifier + adjective (e.g., 'Meja ini sangat besar').
Kulturelle Hinweise
The suffix '-banget' is used extensively in informal speech instead of 'sangat'.
In formal speeches, 'amat' is often preferred over 'sangat'.
Sometimes 'banget' is replaced by 'pol' in Javanese-influenced areas.
Most Indonesian intensifiers are native Austronesian roots that evolved to function as degree modifiers.
Gesprächseinstiege
Bagaimana cuaca hari ini?
Apa pendapatmu tentang film ini?
Apakah pekerjaanmu sulit?
Bagaimana menurutmu tentang kebijakan baru ini?
Tagebuch-Impulse
Häufige Fehler
Test Yourself
Kopi ini ___ panas.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Dia lari cepat sangat.
Ini sangat mahal.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
pintar / sangat / dia
The soup is ___ salty, I cannot eat it.
Cuacanya ___ dingin hari ini.
Score: /8
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesKopi ini ___ panas.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Dia lari cepat sangat.
Ini sangat mahal.
Match: Sangat, Terlalu, Sedikit, Agak
pintar / sangat / dia
The soup is ___ salty, I cannot eat it.
Cuacanya ___ dingin hari ini.
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
Yes, for extreme emphasis, you can use 'amat sangat'. Avoid stacking more than two.
No, 'banget' is strictly informal and should be avoided in professional writing.
It literally means 'excessive'. Using it implies something is beyond a comfortable limit.
Use 'tidak terlalu' + adjective.
Generally no. It modifies adjectives. For verbs, use 'dengan' + adverb of manner.
'Cukup' means 'quite' or 'enough', while 'sangat' means 'very'.
Yes, but stick to 'sangat' or 'cukup'. Avoid 'banget'.
Use 'amat' or 'sangat'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Muy + Adjective
Spanish has gender agreement for some modifiers, while Indonesian does not.
Très + Adjective
French requires agreement in gender and number for adjectives, which Indonesian ignores.
Sehr + Adjective
German has complex case endings that affect the adjective, unlike Indonesian.
Totemo + Adjective
Japanese adjectives conjugate, whereas Indonesian adjectives are invariant.
Jiddan (after adjective)
Word order is reversed compared to Indonesian.
Hen + Adjective
In Chinese, 'hen' is often required for grammatical reasons, not just for intensity.
