Reported Speech with 'Bahwa'
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'bahwa' to connect a reporting verb (like 'said' or 'thought') to the statement being reported.
- Use 'bahwa' after verbs like 'mengatakan' (to say) or 'berpikir' (to think). Example: Dia mengatakan bahwa dia lapar.
- The word 'bahwa' is optional in informal speech but required in formal writing. Example: Saya rasa (bahwa) hujan akan turun.
- Keep the original tense of the reported statement in Indonesian. Example: Dia bilang bahwa dia sudah makan (He said that he had eaten).
Reported Speech Structure
| Subject | Reporting Verb | Conjunction | Reported Clause |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Dia
|
mengatakan
|
bahwa
|
dia senang
|
|
Saya
|
berpikir
|
bahwa
|
ini benar
|
|
Mereka
|
menjelaskan
|
bahwa
|
kami salah
|
|
Ibu
|
bilang
|
bahwa
|
makan siap
|
|
Dia
|
menyatakan
|
bahwa
|
dia sibuk
|
|
Kami
|
tahu
|
bahwa
|
dia datang
|
Meanings
The conjunction 'bahwa' functions as a subordinating conjunction used to introduce a subordinate clause that acts as the object of a verb of cognition or communication.
Reporting Speech
Used to report what someone else said or thought.
“Ibu bilang bahwa makan malam sudah siap.”
“Dia menyatakan bahwa dia tidak bersalah.”
Clarification
Used to clarify a fact or a situation.
“Faktanya adalah bahwa kita butuh lebih banyak waktu.”
“Masalahnya adalah bahwa dia tidak mau bicara.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Subj + Verb + bahwa + Clause
|
Dia bilang bahwa dia lapar.
|
|
Negative
|
Subj + tidak + Verb + bahwa + Clause
|
Dia tidak bilang bahwa dia lapar.
|
|
Question
|
Apakah + Subj + Verb + bahwa + Clause?
|
Apakah dia bilang bahwa dia lapar?
|
|
Formal
|
Subj + menyatakan + bahwa + Clause
|
Pemerintah menyatakan bahwa harga naik.
|
|
Casual
|
Subj + bilang + (bahwa) + Clause
|
Dia bilang dia lapar.
|
|
Complex
|
Subj + Verb + bahwa + Subj + Verb
|
Saya rasa bahwa dia akan pergi.
|
Formalitätsspektrum
Dia menyatakan bahwa dia merasa lelah. (Reporting fatigue)
Dia bilang bahwa dia lelah. (Reporting fatigue)
Dia bilang dia capek. (Reporting fatigue)
Dia bilang dia tepar. (Reporting fatigue)
Bahwa Usage Map
Usage
- Reporting Speech
- Clarifying Facts
- Opinions Thoughts
Beispiele nach Niveau
Saya pikir bahwa ini bagus.
I think that this is good.
Dia bilang bahwa dia lapar.
He said that he is hungry.
Polisi menyatakan bahwa pencuri itu sudah ditangkap.
The police stated that the thief has been caught.
Penelitian menunjukkan bahwa konsumsi gula berlebih berbahaya.
Research shows that excessive sugar consumption is dangerous.
Pemerintah menegaskan bahwa kebijakan tersebut akan tetap berlaku.
The government asserted that the policy will remain in effect.
Terdapat indikasi kuat bahwa sistem tersebut memerlukan pembaruan segera.
There is strong indication that the system requires immediate updates.
Leicht verwechselbar
Learners use 'yang' to introduce clauses instead of 'bahwa'.
Learners use 'adalah' where 'bahwa' is needed.
Learners try to change the verb tense in the reported clause.
Häufige Fehler
Dia bilang dia lapar.
Dia bilang bahwa dia lapar.
Saya pikir bahwa dia pergi kemarin.
Saya pikir bahwa dia sudah pergi kemarin.
Dia mengatakan bahwa dia adalah lapar.
Dia mengatakan bahwa dia lapar.
Dia bilang bahwa dia akan pergi besok.
Dia bilang bahwa dia akan pergi besok.
Dia bilang bahwa dia pergi.
Dia bilang bahwa dia akan pergi.
Saya tahu bahwa dia adalah guru.
Saya tahu bahwa dia guru.
Dia bilang bahwa dia tidak tahu.
Dia bilang bahwa dia tidak tahu.
Dia menyatakan bahwa dia telah pergi.
Dia menyatakan bahwa dia sudah pergi.
Dia bilang bahwa dia marah kemarin.
Dia bilang bahwa dia marah kemarin.
Saya rasa bahwa dia tidak bisa datang.
Saya rasa bahwa dia tidak bisa datang.
Pemerintah menegaskan bahwa kebijakan itu akan diubah.
Pemerintah menegaskan bahwa kebijakan itu akan diubah.
Dia berpikir bahwa dia akan menang.
Dia berpikir bahwa dia akan menang.
Mereka menjelaskan bahwa ini adalah masalah.
Mereka menjelaskan bahwa ini masalah.
Dia bilang bahwa dia akan datang.
Dia bilang bahwa dia akan datang.
Satzmuster
Dia bilang bahwa ___.
Saya pikir bahwa ___.
___ menyatakan bahwa ___.
Faktanya adalah bahwa ___.
Real World Usage
Pemerintah menyatakan bahwa harga BBM akan naik.
Saya ingin mengonfirmasi bahwa rapat akan diadakan besok.
Penelitian menunjukkan bahwa konsumsi gula berlebih berbahaya.
Saya rasa bahwa film ini sangat bagus.
Dia bilang bahwa dia otw.
Saya yakin bahwa saya bisa berkontribusi pada perusahaan ini.
When in doubt, use it
Don't change tenses
Casual vs Formal
Politeness
Smart Tips
Always include 'bahwa' to ensure clarity and professionalism.
Use 'bahwa' to clearly separate your opinion from the fact.
If the first verb is a reporting verb, use 'bahwa' to connect it to the second clause.
Use 'bahwa' after 'adalah' to define a situation.
Aussprache
Bahwa
Pronounced as 'bah-wah'. The 'h' is soft but audible.
Statement
Dia bilang bahwa dia lelah ↘
Falling intonation at the end of the reported statement.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Bahwa is the 'Bridge' that connects the speaker to the story.
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a bridge labeled 'BAHWA' connecting two islands: the 'Speaker Island' and the 'Fact Island'.
Rhyme
When you report what someone said, use 'bahwa' to keep it spread.
Story
Budi told me he was tired. I said, 'Budi bilang BAHWA dia lelah.' The word 'bahwa' held the sentence together like glue.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Write 3 sentences today reporting what your friends or family said using 'bahwa'.
Kulturelle Hinweise
In formal settings, using 'bahwa' is a sign of respect and education.
The word 'bahwa' comes from the Sanskrit 'bahu' (many/much), but its current usage as a conjunction is a later development in Malay/Indonesian.
Gesprächseinstiege
Apa yang dikatakan guru Anda?
Apa yang Anda pikirkan tentang film ini?
Apa berita terbaru hari ini?
Apa yang dia jelaskan tadi?
Tagebuch-Impulse
Häufige Fehler
Test Yourself
Dia bilang ___ dia lapar.
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Dia mengatakan yang dia senang.
Dia bilang: 'Saya lapar'.
Indonesian reported speech requires tense shifting.
A: Apa kata guru? B: Guru bilang ___.
bahwa / dia / bilang / lapar / dia
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesDia bilang ___ dia lapar.
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Dia mengatakan yang dia senang.
Dia bilang: 'Saya lapar'.
Indonesian reported speech requires tense shifting.
A: Apa kata guru? B: Guru bilang ___.
bahwa / dia / bilang / lapar / dia
Match: 1. Mengatakan, 2. Berpikir, 3. Menyatakan.
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
Yes, it is grammatically correct in almost all cases where you report speech or thoughts.
In formal writing, yes. In casual speech, it is often omitted.
No, Indonesian does not change tenses in reported speech.
'Bahwa' introduces a clause, 'yang' introduces a relative pronoun (like 'which' or 'that' for nouns).
Yes, but it is more common in statements. For questions, we often use 'apakah'.
Rarely. Slang usually drops it or uses different structures.
For brevity and speed in casual conversation.
No, it is used primarily with verbs of communication or cognition.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
que
Spanish requires subjunctive mood in some cases, Indonesian does not.
que
French 'que' elides to 'qu'' before vowels, 'bahwa' does not.
dass
German changes word order (verb to the end), Indonesian does not.
to
Japanese 'to' is a particle attached to the end of the verb, 'bahwa' is a separate word.
anna
Arabic 'anna' requires specific case endings on the following noun.
说 (shuō)
Chinese often omits the conjunction entirely, whereas Indonesian prefers 'bahwa' in formal contexts.
