معنی
Asking how something was possible.
زمینه فرهنگی
In Jakarta, 'Kok bisa' is often shortened even further in very fast speech to just 'Kok?' with a sharp rising tone. Javanese speakers might add 'Lho' at the beginning, which is a very common Javanese exclamation of surprise that has been adopted into national Indonesian. Indonesian netizens use 'Kok bisa?' as a meme or a comment on viral videos to express collective disbelief at something absurd. In Indonesian offices, 'Kok bisa?' is used between peers to gossip about management decisions, but rarely used directly to a high-level boss.
The 'Lho' Power-up
Add 'Lho' at the beginning to sound 100% more like a native speaker when you are shocked.
Watch the Tone
If you say it too aggressively, it can sound like you're accusing someone of lying. Keep it light!
معنی
Asking how something was possible.
The 'Lho' Power-up
Add 'Lho' at the beginning to sound 100% more like a native speaker when you are shocked.
Watch the Tone
If you say it too aggressively, it can sound like you're accusing someone of lying. Keep it light!
Texting Shortcut
In WhatsApp, people often just type 'Kok bsa?' or even just 'Kok?' to save time.
Active Listening
Use this phrase even if you don't really care about the 'how'—it shows you are a good friend who is listening.
خودت رو بسنج
Complete the dialogue with the most natural expression.
A: Aku tidak bisa datang ke pestamu. B: ________? Padahal kamu bilang mau datang.
B is surprised because A previously said they would come. 'Kok bisa' is the natural reaction to this change.
Match the situation to the best use of 'Kok bisa?'.
You see your friend, who is usually very lazy, suddenly running a marathon.
Both surprise and confusion are appropriate here, but never use it in a formal letter.
Fill in the blank to make the surprise stronger.
Lho, kok bisa ______? Kamu kan sudah belajar lama.
'Sih' is the most common particle added to 'Kok bisa' to emphasize surprise or frustration.
Which sentence is the most formal way to ask 'How is that possible?'
Select the formal version:
This version uses full, standard Indonesian words without informal particles.
🎉 امتیاز: /4
ابزارهای بصری یادگیری
Formal vs Informal 'How'
بانک تمرین
4 تمرینهاA: Aku tidak bisa datang ke pestamu. B: ________? Padahal kamu bilang mau datang.
B is surprised because A previously said they would come. 'Kok bisa' is the natural reaction to this change.
You see your friend, who is usually very lazy, suddenly running a marathon.
Both surprise and confusion are appropriate here, but never use it in a formal letter.
Lho, kok bisa ______? Kamu kan sudah belajar lama.
'Sih' is the most common particle added to 'Kok bisa' to emphasize surprise or frustration.
Select the formal version:
This version uses full, standard Indonesian words without informal particles.
🎉 امتیاز: /4
سوالات متداول
10 سوالGenerally no, it's very friendly and social. However, avoid it with people much older than you or in very formal settings.
Only if the email is to a close friend. For work emails, use 'Bagaimana hal ini terjadi?'.
'Kenapa' is a neutral 'why'. 'Kok bisa' is 'how is it possible' with a layer of surprise.
By itself, it's just a particle. It doesn't have a dictionary meaning like 'apple', but it changes the mood of the sentence.
You usually explain the reason starting with 'Jadi gini...' (So it's like this...) or 'Karena...' (Because...).
Yes, it is understood and used from Sumatra to Papua, though it originated in Jakarta.
Yes! If you don't need an answer and just want to express shock, you can use it with a falling, heavy intonation.
'Sih' adds emphasis. 'Kok bisa sih?' is like saying 'How on earth is that possible?'
No, 'kok' is inherently informal. The formal equivalent is to rephrase the whole sentence using 'bagaimana' or 'mengapa'.
Yes! You can use it for a surprise party (good) or a car accident (bad).
عبارات مرتبط
Kok gitu?
similarHow come it's like that?
Kenapa?
synonymWhy?
Masa sih?
similarReally? / For real?
Bagaimana?
formal equivalentHow?
Lho!
builds onWait! / What!
