Complex Suffixes
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Complex suffixes like -kan and -i transform base words into specific actions, indicating who benefits or where an action happens.
- Use -kan to make someone do something, like 'membersihkan' (to make clean).
- Use -kan for someone else's benefit, like 'membelikan' (to buy for someone).
- Use -i for actions repeated or directed at a location, like 'menduduki' (to sit on).
Meanings
Complex suffixes in Indonesian are bound morphemes attached to the end of a root word to change its grammatical category or add semantic nuance, primarily focusing on transitivity, causation, and location.
Causative -kan
To cause the object to become or do what the root describes.
“Ibu membesarkan adik. (Mother made the younger sibling big/raised them.)”
“Guru menjelaskan materi. (The teacher made the material clear/explained it.)”
Benefactive -kan
To perform an action for the benefit of someone else.
“Saya mengambilkan ayah minum. (I took a drink for father.)”
“Tolong carikan kunci saya. (Please look for my keys for me.)”
Locative -i
The action is directed toward a specific location or object that remains stationary.
“Dia menduduki kursi itu. (He sat on that chair.)”
“Air membasahi baju. (Water wetted the clothes.)”
Repetitive -i
Indicates that an action is performed multiple times or by multiple subjects.
“Dia memukuli pencuri itu. (He hit the thief repeatedly.)”
“Adik melempari mangga. (The younger sibling threw things at the mangoes repeatedly.)”
Resultative -an
Turns a verb or root into a noun representing the result or object of the action.
“Makanan ini enak. (This food/thing eaten is delicious.)”
“Tulisannya sangat rapi. (His writing/thing written is very neat.)”
Suffix Transformation Table
| Root | Type | Prefix + Suffix | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bersih (clean) | Causative | Membersihkan | To clean / make clean |
| Beli (buy) | Benefactive | Membelikan | To buy for someone |
| Duduk (sit) | Locative | Menduduki | To sit on something |
| Pukul (hit) | Repetitive | Memukuli | To hit repeatedly |
| Tulis (write) | Noun | Tulisan | Writing / Result of writing |
| Masuk (enter) | Locative | Memasuki | To enter a place |
| Jatuh (fall) | Causative | Menjatuhkan | To drop / cause to fall |
| Ambil (take) | Benefactive | Mengambilkan | To take for someone |
Informal vs Formal Suffixes
| Formal | Informal (Slang) | Example (Informal) |
|---|---|---|
| -kan | -in | Beliin (Buy for) |
| -i | -in | Dudukin (Sit on) |
| -kan | -an | Bersihan (Clean it! - rare) |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Active Causative | me- + root + -kan | Melemparkan (To throw) |
| Active Locative | me- + root + -i | Melempari (To throw at) |
| Passive Benefactive | di- + root + -kan | Dibelikan (Bought for) |
| Passive Locative | di- + root + -i | Diduduki (Sat on) |
| Imperative | root + -kan / -i | Ambilkan! (Take it for me!) |
| Noun Result | root + -an | Makanan (Food) |
| Abstract Noun | ke- + root + -an | Kesehatan (Health) |
| Process Noun | pe- + root + -an | Pembersihan (Cleaning process) |
Espectro de formalidad
Saya akan membelikan Anda minuman. (Offering a drink)
Saya belikan minum ya. (Offering a drink)
Gue beliin minum deh. (Offering a drink)
Beliin minum dong, sob! (Offering a drink)
The World of Indonesian Suffixes
Verbal (-kan)
- Causative To make happen
- Benefactive For someone
Verbal (-i)
- Locative At a place
- Repetitive Again and again
Nominal (-an)
- Result The object
- Tool The instrument
-kan vs -i Movement
Which Suffix Should I Use?
Is it for someone else?
Is the object moving?
Suffix Functions
Causative
- • Membesarkan
- • Menjalankan
- • Mendinginkan
Locative
- • Menyukai
- • Menghadapi
- • Menempati
Examples by Level
Saya suka makanan ini.
I like this food.
Tolong bukakan pintu.
Please open the door.
Ini minuman saya.
This is my drink.
Tuliskan nama Anda.
Write your name.
Ibu membelikan saya baju.
Mother bought me a shirt.
Dia menduduki kursi saya.
He sat on my chair.
Jangan membuang sampah sembarangan.
Don't throw trash anywhere.
Saya membukakan jendela.
I opened the window (for someone).
Guru menjelaskan pelajaran itu.
The teacher explained the lesson.
Air sungai membasahi desa.
The river water wetted the village.
Dia menceritakan pengalamannya.
He told (about) his experience.
Tolong ambilkan garam itu.
Please get me that salt.
Pemerintah mengutamakan kesejahteraan rakyat.
The government prioritizes the people's welfare.
Dia memukuli karung tinju itu.
He hit that punching bag repeatedly.
Polisi menanyai tersangka selama tiga jam.
The police questioned the suspect for three hours.
Kita harus menjauhkan anak-anak dari bahaya.
We must keep children away from danger.
Penulis itu mengidealkan kehidupan pedesaan.
The writer idealizes rural life.
Krisis ini membahayakan stabilitas ekonomi.
This crisis endangers economic stability.
Ia senantiasa mendalami ilmu filsafat.
He is always deepening his knowledge of philosophy.
Rakyat memercayai janji-janji politikus itu.
The people trust the promises of that politician.
Keindahan alamnya tak terperikan oleh kata-kata.
The beauty of its nature is indescribable by words.
Ia mencoba menyejajarkan dirinya dengan para ahli.
He tried to align himself with the experts.
Kebijakan itu justru menyengsarakan kaum buruh.
That policy actually brings misery to the laborers.
Janganlah kita mengabaikan nilai-nilai luhur bangsa.
Let us not ignore the noble values of the nation.
Easily Confused
Learners often use -kan for locations because it's more common.
Confusing the noun result with the causative action.
Using both the suffix and the preposition.
Errores comunes
Saya makan itu makanan.
Saya makan makanan itu.
Tolong buka pintu.
Tolong bukakan pintu.
Saya beli dia buku.
Saya membelikan dia buku.
Ini tulis saya.
Ini tulisan saya.
Dia duduk kursi.
Dia menduduki kursi.
Saya menceritakan tentang dia.
Saya menceritakan dia.
Ibu masak saya nasi.
Ibu memasakkan saya nasi.
Dia memukulkan adiknya.
Dia memukuli adiknya.
Air masuk rumah.
Air memasuki rumah.
Saya kirimkan dia surat.
Saya mengirimi dia surat.
Dia mengabaikan akan nasihat itu.
Dia mengabaikan nasihat itu.
Masalah itu menyakitkan saya.
Masalah itu menyakiti saya.
Sentence Patterns
Saya ___kan ___ untuk ___.
Dia sedang ___i ___ itu.
Tolong ___kan saya ___.
Pemerintah harus ___kan ___.
Real World Usage
Saya ingin mengabdikan diri saya untuk perusahaan ini.
Beliin boba dong!
Bisa tambahkan sambalnya?
Polisi mengamankan lokasi kejadian.
Jangan lupa bagikan video ini!
Kami akan mendatangi Candi Borobudur.
The 'Move' Test
Preposition Trap
Imperative Drop
The -in Shortcut
Smart Tips
Always use the -kan suffix to show you are doing it for them.
Check if your verb ends in -kan. If it does, delete 'tentang'.
Use the -i suffix to make the location the direct object.
Switch from the standard verb to the -i version.
Pronunciación
Suffix Stress
In Indonesian, the stress usually falls on the penultimate syllable. When a suffix is added, the stress shifts.
Glottal Stop
Roots ending in a vowel followed by -i often have a slight glottal stop or glide.
Imperative -kan
Ambilkan! ↘
A sharp drop at the end for commands.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
KAN is for 'Kindness' (Benefactive) or 'Kause' (Causative). I is for 'In/On' (Locative) or 'Iterative' (Repetitive).
Visual Association
Imagine a hand giving a gift to someone for '-kan' (benefactive). Imagine a person repeatedly tapping a table for '-i' (repetitive/locative).
Rhyme
If the object moves, -kan is the groove. If the place is where you stay, -i is the way.
Story
Budi wanted to 'membersihkan' (clean) his room. He 'mengambilkan' (took for) his mom a broom. He 'menduduki' (sat on) the floor to rest, and ate 'makanan' (food) that was the best.
Word Web
Desafío
Write 5 sentences about your morning routine using at least three different suffixes (-kan, -i, -an).
Notas culturales
In Jakarta, the suffix '-in' is used universally for both '-kan' and '-i'. Using standard suffixes in casual talk might sound 'stiff'.
In government speeches, the full 'me-...-kan' circumfix is strictly maintained to show authority and education.
Classical Malay texts often use '-kan' in ways that seem like modern '-i', reflecting the evolution of the language.
Indonesian suffixes derive from Proto-Austronesian endings *-an and *-akin.
Conversation Starters
Apa yang biasanya kamu masakkan untuk keluarga?
Ceritakanlah sebuah film yang baru saja kamu tonton.
Bagaimana cara pemerintah meningkatkan kesejahteraan rakyat?
Sebutkan tempat-tempat yang pernah kamu datangi di Indonesia.
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Ibu membelikan/membeli/membelii saya sepatu baru.
Dia sedang ___ kursi itu.
Find and fix the mistake:
Saya menceritakan tentang liburan saya.
Budi membukakan pintu.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
The suffix -i can be used to show that an action is done many times.
A: Tolong ___ (ambil) buku itu untukku. B: Baik, ini bukunya.
Membesarkan, Mendatangi, Menjalankan, Menempati
Score: /8
Ejercicios de practica
8 exercisesIbu membelikan/membeli/membelii saya sepatu baru.
Dia sedang ___ kursi itu.
Find and fix the mistake:
Saya menceritakan tentang liburan saya.
Budi membukakan pintu.
1. Makan, 2. Bersih, 3. Masuk
The suffix -i can be used to show that an action is done many times.
A: Tolong ___ (ambil) buku itu untukku. B: Baik, ini bukunya.
Membesarkan, Mendatangi, Menjalankan, Menempati
Score: /8
Preguntas frecuentes (8)
'Memasukkan' means to put something inside (the object moves), while 'memasuki' means to enter a place (the subject moves).
Yes, but only in imperative (command) forms like `Ambilkan!` or in very informal speech.
No. Root verbs like `makan` or `pergi` are complete on their own. Suffixes are only added to change the meaning or transitivity.
'-in' is a colloquial suffix from Jakarta dialect that replaces both '-kan' and '-i' in informal conversation.
In formal Indonesian, yes. In casual speech, people say it often, but you should avoid it in writing.
It primarily turns verbs into nouns, representing the result of the action (e.g., `tulisan` = writing).
Usually, -i is the standard for repetitive action (e.g., `memukuli`), while -kan is rarely used for this purpose.
Yes, many! Like `mengirimkan` (send the thing) and `mengirimi` (send to the person). The meaning changes based on the focus.
In Other Languages
-ificar / -ecer
Indonesian suffixes can replace entire prepositional phrases.
-iser
French uses 'pour' or 'à' where Indonesian uses -kan or -i.
be- / ver- (prefixes)
German uses prefixes, while Indonesian uses suffixes (often with prefixes).
Causative (-saseru)
Japanese causative also implies permission, which -kan does not.
Form II (Wazn)
Arabic uses root patterns, Indonesian uses agglutinative suffixes.
Resultative Complements
Chinese is isolating; Indonesian is agglutinative.
