Me-kan Causative
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
The -kan suffix turns intransitive verbs into causative ones, meaning 'to make something happen' or 'to cause to be'.
- Add -kan to an adjective to make it a verb: 'besar' (big) -> 'besarkan' (to enlarge).
- Use -kan to indicate the object of an action: 'Saya menulis surat' (I write a letter).
- Use -kan for causative meaning: 'Dia menjatuhkan buku' (He dropped/caused the book to fall).
Meanings
The suffix -kan is used to create transitive verbs, often implying a causative action where the subject causes the object to undergo a state or action.
Causative
To cause something to happen or to be in a certain state.
“Dia menjatuhkan gelas itu.”
“Ibu menidurkan adik.”
Benefactive
To do something for someone else's benefit.
“Belikan saya kopi.”
“Tuliskan dia surat.”
Transitive marker
Turns an intransitive verb into a transitive one.
“Dia berjalan ke sekolah.”
“Dia menjalankan mobil itu.”
Formation of -kan verbs
| Root Word | Meaning | Active (+me-) | Causative/Transitive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jatuh | Fall | Menjatuh | Menjatuhkan |
| Besar | Big | Membesar | Membesarkan |
| Tidur | Sleep | Menidur | Menidurkan |
| Beli | Buy | Membeli | Belikan |
| Tulis | Write | Menulis | Menuliskan |
| Ambil | Take | Mengambil | Ambilkan |
Colloquial Short Forms
| Formal (-kan) | Informal (-in) |
|---|---|
| Belikan | Beliin |
| Tuliskan | Tulisin |
| Ambilkan | Ambilin |
| Jatuhkan | Jatuhin |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subject + me-root-kan + Object | Dia menuliskan surat. |
| Negative | Subject + tidak + me-root-kan + Object | Dia tidak menuliskan surat. |
| Question | Apakah + Subject + me-root-kan + Object? | Apakah dia menuliskan surat? |
| Imperative | Root-kan + Object | Tuliskan surat itu! |
| Passive | Object + di-root-kan + oleh + Subject | Surat itu dituliskan oleh dia. |
| Benefactive | Root-kan + Beneficiary + Object | Belikan saya kopi. |
طیف رسمیت
Belikan saya kopi. (Ordering/Asking)
Tolong belikan kopi. (Ordering/Asking)
Beliin kopi dong. (Ordering/Asking)
Beliin kopi ya! (Ordering/Asking)
The -kan Suffix Universe
Function
- Causative Cause to be
- Benefactive For someone
Grammar
- Transitive Needs object
Examples by Level
Tolong ambilkan buku itu.
Please get that book (for me).
Dia kirimkan surat.
He sends a letter.
Saya beliikan kopi.
I buy coffee (for someone).
Jangan jatuhkan gelas.
Don't drop the glass.
Ibu menidurkan adik di kamar.
Mother puts the younger sibling to sleep in the room.
Dia membesarkan perusahaan itu.
He is enlarging that company.
Tolong tunjukkan jalan ke sana.
Please show the way there.
Mereka mendengarkan musik.
They are listening to music.
Pemerintah akan memberlakukan aturan baru.
The government will enforce new rules.
Dia menjelaskan masalah itu dengan jelas.
He explained the problem clearly.
Bisakah kamu membukakan pintu untuk saya?
Can you open the door for me?
Jangan takutkan dia dengan cerita itu.
Don't scare him with that story.
Dia mempertanyakan keputusan atasan.
He questioned the boss's decision.
Penelitian ini membuktikan teori tersebut.
This research proves the theory.
Dia menyebarluaskan informasi tersebut.
He disseminated that information.
Kami harus memprioritaskan tugas ini.
We must prioritize this task.
Penulis itu mengisyaratkan akhir yang tragis.
The author hinted at a tragic ending.
Kebijakan ini menguntungkan pihak tertentu.
This policy benefits certain parties.
Dia mengesampingkan pendapat pribadinya.
He set aside his personal opinion.
Situasi ini mengharuskan kita bertindak.
This situation requires us to act.
Dia mengatasnamakan organisasi tersebut.
He is acting on behalf of the organization.
Keputusan itu mengesahkan status hukumnya.
The decision legalized his legal status.
Dia mengibaratkan hidup seperti perjalanan.
He likened life to a journey.
Tindakan itu mengabaikan protokol keamanan.
That action disregarded security protocols.
Easily Confused
Both are transitive suffixes, but -kan is for objects/causation, while -i is for location/repetition.
Active vs Passive voice.
Learners often use the root verb where a transitive verb is required.
اشتباهات رایج
Saya ambil buku.
Saya ambilkan buku itu.
Dia jatuh gelas.
Dia menjatuhkan gelas.
Beli kopi saya.
Belikan saya kopi.
Tulis surat.
Tuliskan surat itu.
Dia besar perusahaan.
Dia membesarkan perusahaan.
Tolong tunjuk jalan.
Tolong tunjukkan jalan.
Saya tidur adik.
Saya menidurkan adik.
Dia menjelaskan tentang masalah.
Dia menjelaskan masalah itu.
Dia memukuli kaca.
Dia memukulkan kaca.
Saya mengirim surat ke dia.
Saya mengirimkan surat kepadanya.
Dia mengatasnama organisasi.
Dia mengatasnamakan organisasi.
Ini menguntung kami.
Ini menguntungkan kami.
Dia mengabaikan protokol.
Dia mengabaikan protokol.
Sentence Patterns
Tolong ___ saya ___.
Dia ___ ___ itu dengan jelas.
Tindakan ini ___ ___ kita.
Apakah kamu sudah ___ ___ itu?
Real World Usage
Tolong pesankan makanan untuk saya.
Mohon kirimkan laporan tersebut.
Tunjukin dong fotonya!
Tolong tunjukkan jalan ke stasiun.
Saya bisa menjelaskan pengalaman saya.
Beliin gue minum ya.
The Object Rule
Don't Overuse
Colloquial Shortcuts
Politeness
Smart Tips
Always add -kan to the verb to sound polite.
Use the full me-kan form, never the -in shortcut.
Ensure the object follows the verb immediately.
Ask yourself: am I moving an object or hitting a location?
تلفظ
Suffix stress
The stress usually remains on the root word, not the suffix.
Request
Tolong ambilkan ↑
Rising intonation for polite requests
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of -kan as 'K' for 'Kick'—it kicks the action onto an object.
Visual Association
Imagine a person trying to push a ball (root) across a bridge (-kan) to reach a target (object).
Rhyme
When the action needs a place to land, just add the suffix -kan.
Story
Budi wanted to buy coffee. He said 'Beli kopi' (Buy coffee). But he wanted it for his friend, so he added -kan. Now he says 'Belikan teman saya kopi' (Buy my friend coffee). Now the coffee has a destination!
Word Web
چالش
For the next 5 minutes, look at 3 objects in your room and describe an action you can do to them using -kan (e.g., 'Saya memindahkan buku').
نکات فرهنگی
Using -kan is often seen as more polite than just the root verb, especially when asking for favors.
The -kan suffix is almost always replaced by -in in daily conversation.
In formal writing, -kan is strictly required and -in is considered incorrect.
The -kan suffix originates from the Proto-Austronesian causative/benefactive markers.
Conversation Starters
Bisakah kamu ambilkan saya air?
Apa yang bisa menjelaskan situasi ini?
Bagaimana cara membesarkan bisnis?
Mengapa dia mengabaikan pesan itu?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Tolong ___ (ambil) saya air.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Saya tulis surat untuk dia.
Dia besar perusahaan itu.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: Tolong ___ buku itu. B: Baik.
surat / dia / menuliskan / itu
-kan is only used for causative meanings.
Score: /8
تمرینهای عملی
8 exercisesTolong ___ (ambil) saya air.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Saya tulis surat untuk dia.
Dia besar perusahaan itu.
Match: Beli, Tulis, Ambil
A: Tolong ___ buku itu. B: Baik.
surat / dia / menuliskan / itu
-kan is only used for causative meanings.
Score: /8
سوالات متداول (8)
Not every verb, but most transitive ones. It's best used when you want to emphasize the object.
It's a colloquial shortcut common in Jakarta and casual speech. Avoid it in formal writing.
Usually, yes, in active sentences. In imperatives, the me- is dropped.
Your sentence might sound incomplete or like you're speaking 'broken' Indonesian. It's a key marker for clarity.
-kan is for objects/causation; -i is for location/repetition. It's a classic intermediate hurdle.
Yes, it is the standard, formal way to express these meanings.
Yes, it becomes di-kan. For example: 'Surat itu dituliskan.'
Yes, it adds a causative or transitive layer to the root's original meaning.
In Other Languages
Prepositions (a, para)
Indonesian uses a suffix attached to the verb; Spanish uses separate words.
Prepositions (pour, à)
Indonesian morphology is more agglutinative than French.
Prefixes (be-, ver-)
German uses prefixes; Indonesian uses suffixes.
Causative form (-seru)
Japanese conjugation is more complex and depends on verb groups.
Form II/IV verbs
Arabic uses internal vowel changes and patterns; Indonesian uses suffixation.
Serial verb constructions
Chinese is analytic; Indonesian is agglutinative.
