Indirect Statements
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Indirect statements use the conjunction 'bahwa' to report what someone else said, thought, or felt.
- Use 'bahwa' to connect the main verb to the reported clause: Dia bilang bahwa dia lapar.
- Pronouns often shift to match the speaker's perspective: 'Saya' becomes 'dia' when reported by someone else.
- Tense markers like 'sudah' or 'akan' remain consistent with the original intent of the speaker.
Meanings
Indirect statements allow you to report information, thoughts, or claims without quoting the person directly. It is essential for storytelling and relaying information.
Reporting Speech
Relaying what someone said.
“Ibu bilang bahwa makan malam sudah siap.”
“Dia berkata bahwa dia tidak tahu.”
Reporting Thoughts/Beliefs
Relaying what someone thinks or believes.
“Saya pikir bahwa ini ide yang bagus.”
“Dia merasa bahwa dia harus pergi.”
Indirect Statement Structure
| Reporting Subject | Reporting Verb | Conjunction | Reported Clause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dia | bilang | bahwa | dia lapar |
| Mereka | mengatakan | bahwa | mereka sibuk |
| Saya | berpikir | bahwa | itu benar |
| Ibu | bertanya | apakah | saya sudah makan |
| Dia | mengaku | bahwa | dia lupa |
| Kami | menyatakan | bahwa | kami setuju |
Casual Omission of 'Bahwa'
| Formal | Informal |
|---|---|
| Dia bilang bahwa dia lapar | Dia bilang dia lapar |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subj + Verb + bahwa + Clause | Dia bilang bahwa dia senang. |
| Negative | Subj + Verb + bahwa + tidak + Clause | Dia bilang bahwa dia tidak senang. |
| Question | Subj + bertanya + apakah + Clause | Dia bertanya apakah saya senang. |
| Formal | Subj + menyatakan + bahwa + Clause | Dia menyatakan bahwa dia setuju. |
| Informal | Subj + bilang + (bahwa) + Clause | Dia bilang dia setuju. |
| Thought | Subj + pikir + bahwa + Clause | Saya pikir bahwa itu benar. |
Formalitätsspektrum
Beliau menyatakan bahwa beliau akan hadir. (Professional vs Casual)
Dia mengatakan bahwa dia akan datang. (Professional vs Casual)
Dia bilang dia mau datang. (Professional vs Casual)
Katanya dia mau datang. (Professional vs Casual)
Indirect Statement Components
Reporting Verbs
- bilang say
- pikir think
Connectors
- bahwa that
- apakah whether
Examples by Level
Dia bilang bahwa dia lapar.
He said that he is hungry.
Ibu bilang bahwa makan sudah siap.
Mother said that food is ready.
Dia bilang bahwa dia senang.
He said that he is happy.
Ayah bilang bahwa dia pergi.
Father said that he is leaving.
Dia mengatakan bahwa dia tidak bisa datang.
He said that he cannot come.
Mereka bilang bahwa mereka akan terlambat.
They said that they will be late.
Guru bilang bahwa ujian itu sulit.
The teacher said that the exam is hard.
Dia mengaku bahwa dia salah.
He admitted that he is wrong.
Dia bertanya apakah saya sudah makan.
He asked whether I have eaten.
Saya pikir bahwa ini adalah ide bagus.
I think that this is a good idea.
Dia menyatakan bahwa dia tidak setuju.
He stated that he does not agree.
Mereka mengumumkan bahwa toko akan tutup.
They announced that the shop will close.
Dikatakan bahwa ekonomi akan membaik.
It is said that the economy will improve.
Dia berpendapat bahwa perubahan itu perlu.
He is of the opinion that the change is necessary.
Dia menegaskan bahwa dia tidak terlibat.
He asserted that he is not involved.
Banyak orang percaya bahwa itu benar.
Many people believe that it is true.
Dia mengisyaratkan bahwa dia mungkin akan mundur.
He hinted that he might resign.
Pihak berwenang mengonfirmasi bahwa situasi terkendali.
Authorities confirmed that the situation is under control.
Dia menyangkal bahwa dia menerima suap.
He denied that he accepted a bribe.
Dia menekankan bahwa keselamatan adalah prioritas.
He emphasized that safety is the priority.
Terdapat spekulasi bahwa kebijakan tersebut akan direvisi.
There is speculation that the policy will be revised.
Dia berargumen bahwa tesis tersebut cacat secara logika.
He argued that the thesis is logically flawed.
Dia mengklaim bahwa dia telah menemukan bukti baru.
He claims that he has found new evidence.
Diasumsikan bahwa hasil ini akan konsisten.
It is assumed that these results will be consistent.
Easily Confused
Learners use 'yang' to introduce reported clauses.
Learners use 'kata' as a verb.
Using 'bahwa' for questions.
Häufige Fehler
Dia bilang saya lapar.
Dia bilang bahwa dia lapar.
Dia bilang bahwa saya lapar.
Dia bilang bahwa dia lapar.
Dia kata bahwa dia lapar.
Dia bilang bahwa dia lapar.
Dia bilang bahwa lapar.
Dia bilang bahwa dia lapar.
Dia bertanya bahwa dia lapar.
Dia bertanya apakah dia lapar.
Dia bilang bahwa dia tidak lapar.
Dia bilang bahwa dia tidak lapar.
Dia bilang bahwa dia bukan lapar.
Dia bilang bahwa dia tidak lapar.
Dia menyatakan bahwa dia akan datang.
Dia menyatakan bahwa dia akan datang.
Dia pikir bahwa dia datang.
Dia pikir bahwa dia akan datang.
Dia bilang bahwa dia pergi kemarin.
Dia bilang bahwa dia pergi kemarin.
Dikatakan bahwa dia akan datang.
Dikatakan bahwa dia akan datang.
Dia mengklaim bahwa dia tidak tahu.
Dia mengklaim bahwa dia tidak tahu.
Sentence Patterns
Dia bilang bahwa ___.
Saya pikir bahwa ___.
Dia bertanya apakah ___.
Dikatakan bahwa ___.
Real World Usage
Dia bilang dia otw.
Saya menyatakan bahwa saya siap.
Katanya dia mau nikah.
Dilaporkan bahwa jalan ditutup.
Dia bilang bahwa pesanan sudah sampai.
Dia bilang bahwa hotel itu bagus.
Omit for speed
Pronoun trap
Use 'apakah' for questions
Softening news
Smart Tips
Always pause and think: 'Who is the subject now?'
Always include 'bahwa'.
Swap 'bahwa' for 'apakah'.
Pair it with 'bahwa' for a formal tone.
Aussprache
Intonation
The word 'bahwa' should be unstressed, flowing into the next clause.
Reporting
Dia bilang bahwa... ↗
Rising intonation on the reporting verb to signal a clause follows.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
B-B-B: Bilang, Bahwa, Berita (Say, That, News).
Visual Association
Imagine a telephone wire connecting two people. The word 'bahwa' is the knot in the middle of the wire holding the message together.
Rhyme
Kalau mau lapor berita, pakai bahwa biar nyata.
Story
Budi told me he was tired. I told my friend, 'Budi bilang bahwa dia lelah.' My friend then told his mom, 'Budi bilang bahwa dia lelah.' The message stays the same, only the pronoun shifts!
Word Web
Herausforderung
For 5 minutes, report everything your partner says to a third person using 'Dia bilang bahwa...'.
Kulturelle Hinweise
In Indonesian culture, indirect speech is often used to soften criticism or deliver bad news indirectly.
The word 'bahwa' comes from the Sanskrit 'bahu' (many/much) but evolved in Malay/Indonesian as a conjunction.
Conversation Starters
Apa yang dikatakan temanmu tadi?
Apa pendapatmu tentang berita ini?
Apa yang dikatakan manajer tentang proyek?
Bagaimana tanggapan mereka terhadap usulanmu?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Dia bilang ___ dia akan datang.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Dia bertanya bahwa dia lapar.
Direct: 'Saya sibuk.'
Can you omit 'bahwa' in casual speech?
A: 'Apakah kamu lapar?' B: 'Dia bertanya ___.'
bahwa / dia / bilang / lapar / dia
Which is most formal?
Score: /8
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesDia bilang ___ dia akan datang.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Dia bertanya bahwa dia lapar.
Direct: 'Saya sibuk.'
Can you omit 'bahwa' in casual speech?
A: 'Apakah kamu lapar?' B: 'Dia bertanya ___.'
bahwa / dia / bilang / lapar / dia
Which is most formal?
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
Yes, in casual speech, but keep it in formal writing to ensure clarity.
No, Indonesian does not have tense shifting like English.
If you are part of the group, keep 'kami' or 'kita'. If not, change it to 'mereka'.
No, use 'apakah' for yes/no questions.
No, 'yang' is for relative clauses, not reported speech.
Use 'meminta' (to ask/request) + 'untuk' (to). Example: 'Dia meminta saya untuk datang.'
Not rude, just informal. Use 'mengatakan' for professional settings.
It prevents confusion about who is performing the action.
In Other Languages
que
Indonesian does not change verb mood.
que
No tense shifting in Indonesian.
dass
Indonesian word order is fixed.
to
Position of the conjunction.
anna
No case endings in Indonesian.
shuo
No conjunction needed in Chinese.
